Large Pan Stir-Fry Basic Steps
We are using chicken-vegetable stir-fry as an illustrative example for the amount of filling 9.5 in. x 11.5 in x 3.5 in aluminum party tray to 3/4 brimming full. There are many variations and it scales well both up and down.
- Preparation is key
- cut vegetable as consistent in size as possible for fast and even cooking, except sometimes potato size variation can produce both starch and texture.
- cut ginger and green onion and have all other seasoning handy. Smash cut garlic if you have a cleaver knife.
- If using, cut sausage into 1/5 inch thick pieces, or roasted beef into 1/4 cubes. If using raw meat, such as ground beef, beef or boneless chicken, please see our Stir-fry beef and Stir-fry Chicken page.
- Stir-fry/sauté vegetables separately
- Sauté 2-4 large onions in the wok for 5-7 minutes using medium-high heat. We don’t have powerful burner and to deal with home kitchen capability, we always employ the method of dry sauté onions to dehydrate it first, then push them aside in the wok and add oil. garlic, can also be sautéed together, and so is ginger and green onion if using.
- using the same wok without washing, add 2 tbsp oil and sauté 2 pounds of cut carrots in medium heat for 7-8 minute, stir every 30 seconds.
- using 1 tbsp oil per pound and medium heat, sauté potato next for 5-8 minutes until softened. Then sauté par-cooked bell peppers and broccoli together or separately, depend on the size of your wok and the amount of ingredient you use.
- Temporarily store these process ingredient in containers that easy to pour back to the wok during final stage of combining and finishing later, sometimes it means the next day.
- If scale down for smaller dish, the order of operation should be: 1) aromatic, such as onion/green onion, ginger, garlic go into the wok first; if using bean paste, it should go in too to infuse the oil with flavor; 2) carrots next, then potato, then blanched broccoli, and broiled bell pepper; 3) last goes in any leafy greens if using such as bok choy or spinach; however, if using tough green like kale, it need to cook as long as the potato.
- Combine and cook in batches
- this is time to add sauce to tie everthing togather and produce a appetising glaze.
- Unload from wok to the serving tray. cover the tray when it cools down a bit. Seal the lid if transportation is needed.