Page 245 - YC Cooking School

For less spillage, use a wok

While you could very well use a frying pan for your stir-fry, a wok allows you to move the
contents of your pan around swiftly with less chance of losing a vegetable or two to your
stove-top or work station. Plus, a wok gives you a greater heated surface area so you can
cook the vegetables chop-chop.

Divide the meat into two batches
If you overcrowd your pan, less meat will come into direct contact with the hot surface and
you’ll run the risk of stewing it, rather than stir-frying it to perfection. Depending on the size
of your pan, it may be best to cook your meat in two batches.

Crank up the heat
For best results, crank up the heat and sear the meat, so it’s caramelised on the outside but
still juicy and tender on the inside.

Toss and toss some more

Stir-fries don’t like to be left alone. As the word implies, you need to get in there and keep
stirring.

Finishing off your sauce
Asian cooking sometimes requires cornflour, which acts as a thickening agent (much like

flour in a stew or soup). It also gives the dish a lovely shine. If your sauce needs thickening,
add the cornflour right at the end, just before you serve it, and cook it through for about a
minute. To avoid lumps, always remember to dilute cornflour in a splash of cold water
before adding it to the hot sauce.

Learn to cook online at learn.yuppiechef.com

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