Walk Through The Stir-Fry Process In 8 Easy Steps

Summer is a great time for a great stir-fry, a fast and simple method of preparing a great meal in a short amount of time, using the plentiful fresh ingredients of summertime! In fact, when I returned from my honeymoon a few days ago, a beef and vegetable stir-fry was the first thing I cooked. It was easy, fast, and tasted great!

Stir-frying is an easy method enjoyed by newbie cooks and seasoned chefs alike. However, as with anything else in the kitchen, it does take time to get the hang of the stir-frying process.

Here are the basic 8 stir-fry steps to take that will help make the process go smoothly.

Chopped Ingredients (Photo credit: ramnath bhat)

1.  Prepare ingredients first
Because stir-frying is such a quick cooking process you need to take the time to prepare your ingredients before you heat the wok and oil. Wash and prepare the protein you’ll be using in the recipe. Then wash and chop any vegetables you’ll be using. You should also measure out any oils you need, etc. Note: cut your ingredients in sizes that match other ingredients of equal density. This will help make sure everything cooks evenly.  

2.  Marinate
To guarantee great flavor for the meat or other protein, create a simple marinade. Try this basic recipe: 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, whisked together in a glass bowl. Add the meat to this marinade and let sit for several minutes, then drain and stir-fry. This marinade has ingredients with intense flavors, so overnight marinating would not be advised.

3.  Make sure your wok is hot
For the stir-fry cooking to work best, the wok has to be exceptionally hot. While there isn’t a rule, it seems that medium-high heat works well for stir-frying. You should allow the wok to heat for about one minute before adding any oil to it. Test for proper heat by dropping one drop of water in the wok before you add the oil. If the drop of water sizzles and evaporates quickly, the wok is hot enough.

4.  Add oil
After your wok heats up properly, you can add the oil. Stir-frying doesn’t require a lot of oil, generally anywhere from 1 to 3 tablespoons is sufficient. Once the oil is added it needs to be swirled around the wok and allowed to heat thoroughly before adding any ingredients.

5.  Work quickly
This tip goes along with preparing ingredients first. Once your oil has heated up, time is of the essence. You need to be able to work quickly, which is why it’s important to have your ingredients prepared ahead of time. 

6.  Cook in batches
Don't add all the ingredients at once. Instead, cook in batches, This will ensure all the ingredients are cooked evenly and thoroughly. At the end, before serving, you'll have a chance to combine everything in the wok once more to reheat before serving.

Chicken and almonds stir fry (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

7.  Return cooked ingredients to the wok
Because you remove the ingredients as you cook them, you'll want to put them back in the wok just before serving to reheat and bring all the flavors together. This is done while the wok is still hot, then the ingredients are quickly stirred around to reheat. Some recipes may call for a thickened sauce to be created, which may require lowering the heat and putting a lid on the wok for a few minutes.

8.  Serve
You can serve a stir-fry dish right out of the wok as is because it’s a full meal deal already. Or, you may wish to serve your creation over some Jasmine rice or Chinese noodles. A touch of toasted sesame seeds or other crunchy topping is also nice.

While we can't guarantee that every stir-fry recipe you make will turn out perfectly, these tips will help make sure that the protein is cooked properly, the vegetables aren’t soggy, and that the ingredients don’t stick to the wok – all things that help make a successful  stir-fry.

Be sure to check back later this week for some tasty and simple stir-fry recipes!