Stir-Frying Made Easy

Stir-frying is seen as a great way to prepare delicious meals, without too much fuss.

And in the latest segment of the "Five-Minute Cooking School," chef Tori Ritchie

The Early Show teams with specialty home furnishings retailer Williams-Sonoma as it brings you the "Five-Minute Cooking School" series. Segments originate at Williams-Sonoma's flagship store at Columbus Circle in New York City.

Ritchie is a San Francisco-based food writer and cooking teacher, and host of the long-running "Ultimate Kitchens" on the Food Network. Her latest cookbook is "Party Appetizers: Small Bites, Big Flavors" (Chronicle Books, Fall 2004).

Stir-frying is an Asian cooking technique of quickly frying small pieces of food over high heat. The result is a low-fat dish packed with flavor. Ritchie believes stir-frying is great for everyday cooking or for entertaining, because all the preparation has to be done ahead of time, and the time spent actually cooking is quite short.

Stir-fried meals are best served to four to six people; they aren't ideal for large groups.

EQUIPMENT
The first key to a good stir-fry is using the right pan. Traditional woks are an ideal choice. They sit on a metal ring, which is placed over a stove burner. They have a flared edge, which gives you a lot of room in the pan; you can spread out the food, which enables it to cook evenly. The flared edge also helps prevent food and oil from flying out of the pan when you're tossing ingredients.

If you don't own a wok or don't want to buy one, you can also consider buying a flat-bottomed stir-fry pan. These sit directly on the stove and are somewhat new on the market. Ritchie says these pans are a good investment, because they can be used for so many other purposes beyond stir-frying, such as simple sautéing, cooking risotto, and more. These flat-bottomed pans come in a non-stick version and can cost as little as $15.

It's possible to use a basic wide sauté pan or frying pan for stir-frying. These pans aren't ideal, because they don't have a flared edge. However, they can get the job done, particularly if you're only cooking for two people. Just be sure to use a heavy-duty pan that can truly sustain high temperatures.TECHNIQUE

1. Prepare all ingredients: Stir-frys cook so quickly, you need to have all ingredients ready to go before you begin. Be sure your meats and vegetables are cut into similar-sized pieces, so they'll cook at the same time.
2. Heat the pan and oil: Preheat your pan, add and heat the oil, and then swirl the oil around in the pan before you add any ingredients. The oil must be very hot so your food cooks quickly.
3. Stir the food constantly: It's important to always keep the food moving around in the pan. That enables the ingredients to cook evenly and quickly.
4. Add sauce: Sauces add the last punch of flavor to a stir-fry dish. You add them at the very end, allow them to thicken slightly, insure that everything is coated in sauce, then serve the dish. Many sauces include cornstarch, which acts as a thickening agent. If your sauce does include cornstarch, be sure to give it one more stir with the whisk before adding it to the pan. Cornstarch tends to settle and needs to be re-emulsified into the sauce.

1. Other Flavors: We often think of stir-frys as Chinese, but you can use the stir-fry technique and incorporate any combination of flavors that you like.
2. Easiest Stir-Fry Ever: As easy as stir-frying is, you can make it even more simple by purchasing your sauce instead of making it. Take a look at your grocer's shelves and you may be surprised to see how many different types of sauces are now available. The sauces come in a wide variety of flavors, but most are based around some combination of soy sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame oil.
3. Stir-Frying Side Dishes: Stir-frying isn't just for main courses. It's also a great way to quickly cook vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, carrots or greens to accompany grilled meat or fish. Stir-frying turns vegetables a beautiful color and allows them to maintain their crispness and most of their nutrients. Boiling, on the other hand, drains nutrients and mutes colors.

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Snow Peas and Mushrooms

Fresh shiitake mushrooms bring a rich taste to this hearty stir-fry. They also have better texture than the canned straw mushrooms usually found in similar dishes. Peanut oil is typically used in Chinese cooking. Try to buy one of the brands sold in Asian markets. Those brands have a particularly nutty aroma. Without the shrimp, this stir-fry makes a good vegetarian dish. Serve over brown rice.

Ingredients:

2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. dry sherry
2 tsp. water
4 tsp. peanut oil
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, minced
16 snow peas, trimmed and strings removed
1/2 lb. fresh shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean, stems removed and caps cut into
1-inch pieces
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch, sherry and water. Set aside.

Preheat a wok or deep, heavy fry pan over high heat. Add 2 tsp. of the peanut oil and carefully tilt and rotate the pan to distribute the oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and stir-fry until they are bright pink but not yet cooked through, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook them. Transfer to a plate.

Return the pan to high heat. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tsp. peanut oil, tilting the pan to coat the bottom and sides with the oil. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the snow peas and mushrooms and return the shrimp to the pan. Stir-fry until the snow peas are bright green, 30 to 60 seconds. Pour in the stock and cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Briefly stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine, then pour it into the pan. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes. Add the sesame oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Healthful Cooking, by Mary Abbott Hess, Dana Jacobi & Marie Simmons (Oxmoor House, 2003).

Spicy Chicken and Basil Stir-Fry

Aromatic basil, sometimes called Italian basil, is fundamental to Mediterranean cooking. But on the other side of the world, in Thailand, another basil variety is equally essential. For a more authentic version of this dish, seek out Thai basil, which has smaller, narrower leaves than the common Italian variety, a reddish purple cast, and a more pronounced anise flavor. Look for it in Southeast Asian stores or at farmers' markets, or plant seeds outdoors in pots or beds for easy harvests.

Ingredients:

6 Tbs. chicken stock
2 Tbs. Asian fish sauce
2 tsp. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 or 2 Thai or jalapeño chilies, cut into very thin rounds
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
3/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai basil
3 green onions, cut into 3-inch pieces
Cooked jasmine rice for serving

In a bowl, whisk together the stock, fish sauce and brown sugar. Add the cornstarch and whisk until the cornstarch and sugar are dissolved. Set aside.

In a large wok or fry pan over high heat, warm the oil. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add chilies to taste and the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until no longer pink, about 2 1/2 minutes. Stir in the basil and green onions and stir-fry until the onions are barely wilted, about 1 minute.

Whisk the sauce mixture and pour into the pan. Cook just until the liquid comes to a boil. Spoon the rice onto individual plates and top with the stir-fry and sauce. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series,Chicken,by Rick Rodgers (Simon & Schuster, 2001).Beef Stir-Fry with Peppers and Snow Peas

Cut from the short loin, beef tenderloin is among the most tender cuts of meat. To retain this succulent texture, cook tenderloin quickly, as in this stir-fry. Serve over steamed white rice.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. canola oil
1 lb. beef tenderloin, cut into strips 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut
into 1-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 lb. snow peas
1/3 cup chinablue Sweet Soy Sauce

In a large stir-fry pan or wok over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Add the orange and red bell peppers and the snow peas and cook until the peppers are just tender and the snow peas are bright green, about 1 minute. Stir in the sauce, cook for about 30 seconds more and transfer to a platter. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Recipe provided by Richard Wong, chinablue

Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic

Pea shoots, the curly tendrils and top pair of leaves of young green pea plants, have a delicate, sweet flavor. The only preparation they require is rinsing in cold water and drying in a salad spinner. Look for pea shoots in an Asian market; if they are unavailable, substitute spinach or watercress.

Ingredieints:

1 lb. pea shoots
2 Tbs. peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 slice fresh ginger, peeled and crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. chicken stock
Pinch of sugar
Asian sesame oil, to taste

Rinse the pea shoots in cold running water. Drain and dry in a salad spinner or thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a wok over medium heat. When hot, add the oil, garlic, ginger and salt and toss and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Increase the heat to high, add 2 or 3 handfuls of pea shoots, and toss and stir until wilted, about 30 seconds. Push the shoots up the sides of the wok and add another 2 or 3 handfuls. Toss and stir until wilted, about 30 seconds. Push the shoots up the sides of the wok and repeat until all the pea shoots have been added to the wok and cooked. If water accumulates in the bottom of the wok, push the shoots up the sides to allow the liquid to reduce. Add the stock and sugar and toss and stir until the liquid is reduced to a few tablespoons, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with sesame oil.

Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Asian Flavors, by Joyce Jue (Time-Life Books, 1999).