When you're pressed for time but would still prefer to eat a freshly cooked and flavorful dish, nothing beats the fast and easy preparation of stir fry.
The cooking technique offers versatility as you can customize the ingredients and add more nutritious choices of vegetables and meat, according to SC Times. You also don't require great cooking skills for this, as long as you know how to handle a wok.
The secret to stir fry dishes is in the sauce and you can actually make a variety of combinations that could produce either a curry taste, an orange-ginger mixture, a sweet and sour combination or a simple black pepper flavor, per Cook Smarts.
But while the dish is easy to make, some mistakes can happen if you don't prepare the right tools and ingredients for stir frying, according to Bon Appetit.
- Use the correct pan. If you don't have a wok, use a skillet and not a cast-iron, which will be too hot and heavy to handle.
- Use the correct oil. Never stir fry with olive oil or butter as this will burn the food quickly.
- Don't crowd the pan with too many ingredients. Cook ingredients one at a time and remove ingredients from the pan when done. Combine everything before serving.
- Cut the ingredients in smaller bites too so that everything will cook faster.
- Season last so that the dish won't get soggy from the sauce.
Below is a video of how to make a basic stir fry dish.
Check out this detailed infographic on preparing the perfect stir fry meal:
