BY LAURA LANGSTON
WHEN TIME IS tight and people are hungry for dinner, stir-fries can be on the
table in the time it takes to make a fast-food run. In fact, you could call stir-fries
the original fast food, only this fast food
goes back centuries.
Originating in ancient China, stir-frying was born out of necessity. Fuel was
scarce, brick stovetops were small and
oil was expensive. The solution: Cut
meat and vegetables into small pieces,
use only a little oil and cook everything
quickly in a round-bottomed wok. The
method is as effective today as it was centuries ago. Today, however, stir-frying is
popular for its health benefits, in addition to its convenience.
“Since you’re cooking your vegetables
for only five to ;; minutes and doing it at
high temperatures, you preserve many of
the nutrients,” says nutritionist Kelsey
Hite. Hite, a Costco member, relies on
stir-frying year-round. She says, “Some of
my favorite vegetables to stir-fry are broc-
coli, carrots, snap peas, kale, peppers and
summer squash.”
Stir-fry combinations are endless. Add
tofu and a peanut sauce to Chinese cab-
bage, carrots and zucchini for a Thai-
inspired vegetarian main dish. Cook
shrimp, scallops or firm-fleshed fish like
halibut with snow peas or sugar snap peas,
mushrooms and red peppers, and season
with lemon zest and minced basil for an
Italian twist. Cut chicken breasts, pork
tenderloin or flank steak into thin, bite-
size strips and stir-fry with broccoli,
onion, ginger and soy for a flavorful entrée.
Softer vegetables like mushrooms and
summer squash cook in a few minutes over
high heat, while leafy greens like spinach
or Chinese cabbage wilt soon after hitting
the oil. Denser vegetables, like broccoli,
carrots or fennel, can take a little longer, so
consider cutting them into smaller pieces
to speed up cooking.
In fact, one of the keys to successful
stir-frying is to chop all of your meat and
vegetables into similar-size pieces (small
pieces or thin slices are best) before cook-
ing. Marinating your meat ahead of time
isn’t necessary, but if you have the time, it
adds extra flavor. If you’ll be adding a sauce
to your finished stir-fry, have it ready
before you heat the oil.
Successful stir-frying also requires the
right pan. Woks made from cast iron or
carbon steel are ideal, but you can substitute any large stainless steel frying pan
that will tolerate high heat.
It’s important to use an oil that toler-
ates high heat. “I like to use coconut oil or
avocado oil,” says Hite, “because both have
a high smoke point and are less processed
than conventional oils like canola, soy,
sunflower or safflower.”
When you’re ready to cook, add the oil
to your wok or pan and heat it over high
heat for about two minutes (you’ll know
the pan is hot enough when droplets of
water dance as they’re sprinkled onto it).
Start with firmer vegetables and denser
cuts of meat, adding softer vegetables, fish
or tofu after a few minutes. Toss the mix-
ture quickly and constantly until every-
thing is tender-crisp. If you prefer your
vegetables slightly softer, finish the cook-
ing by mixing in a little sauce and covering
the pan for one minute.
Serve your stir-fry immediately. And
get ready. This original fast food cooks up
quickly and disappears just as quickly
when it hits the dinner table. C
Laura Langston writes books for teens and
children, and cooks up a stir-fry storm in her
kitchen two or three times a week.
FOR YOUR TABLE
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Stir it up
Stir-fry is the original fast food
