Canola Cooks! / Stir Frying Canola Cooks! / Stir-Frying Associated with the wondrous flavors of the Far East, stir frying is simple, but requires a basic understanding of timing, sequence and the amount of heat required. Stir frying means to quickly sear small pieces of food in a large pan or wok over high heat. Searing meat, vegetables and sauces at high heat seals in flavors and nutrients, caramelizes sugars and evaporates excess juices. Secrets to Successful Stir Frying How To Stir Fry • Prepare rice and noodle dishes first and vegetable dishes last. • One of the most important steps in stir frying is to prepare all of the ingredients before starting to cook. In fact, the preparation often takes more time than the cooking. Trim meat of visible fat, cut into strips. Partially freezing the meat for one hour allows for easier slicing. Marinate meat or other ingredients. Be sure to fully drain the marinade before cooking as the excess juice will stew rather than sear the meat. Cut vegetables and meat uniformly to ensure fast, even cooking. Combine sauce ingredients and begin cooking side dishes, such as rice or noodles. For further information, contact us at: CanolaInfo Box 1645 Lloydminster, Saskatchewan S9V 1K6 Canada 306.387.6610 306.387.6637 Fax [email protected] www.canolainfo.org In Saskatchewan, 306.387.6610 P 306.387.6637 F [email protected] www.canolainfo.org In Alberta, 780.454.0844 P 780.465.5473 F [email protected] In Manitoba, 204.982.2100 P 204.942.1841 F [email protected] [email protected] www.canolainfo.org • Place the wok or skillet over high heat. Preheating the oil prevents food from sticking. The pan is hot enough when a drop of water sizzles as it hits the wok. Add canola oil and swirl inside the wok to coat the sides. Heat until the oil is hot, about 30 seconds. The oil will begin to shimmer and smoke slightly. One to two Tbsp (15 mL) of canola oil is sufficient to cook most stir fry recipes. Usually a meat and vegetable dish uses one tbsp. of oil to cook the meat and another tbsp. to cook the vegetables. • Cook meat first and remove it so it does not overcook or dry out. Stir fry the vegetables, beginning with those that take the longest to cook. For example, carrots and celery take longer than sprouts and mushrooms. As the vegetables cook, move them up the sides of the wok and add the next vegetable. When all the vegetables are cooked move them to the sides and add herbs and spices. Herbs and spices like garlic and ginger should be added at the end of cooking to capture their full flavor and to avoid burning and harsh flavors. Cook spices for 10 – 15 seconds, add sauce and return the meat to the wok. Stir until the sauce coats all the ingredients, about 1 minute. Serve immediately. • Do not cook more dishes than you can handle. • Prepare all ingredients before you start to cook which means marinate meat pieces, cut vegetables, measure ingredients and prepare sauce mixture. • Ingredients such as eggplant, mushrooms and fish tend to absorb more oil and may require slightly more oil for cooking. • Canola oil's high smoke point make it ideal for stir frying. • If done properly, stir frying is a very nutritious cooking method. Most stir fry recipes require only one to two Tbsp (15 - 25 mL) of oil and if cooked quickly over high heat should not require more. If your stir fry does require more liquid add a small amount of water or stock to complete the cooking. Although this is not a strict stir frying practice, it will keep your stir fry low in fat. • Blanching vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus before stir frying ensures quick and even cooking. • Grated carrot cooks much quicker than sliced carrot. • Serve immediately. 1 lb flank steak, pounded 500 g and cut into strips 1 Tbsp canola oil 15 mL 1 ⁄2 Tbsp sesame oil 7 mL 4 Tbsp chopped ginger 50 mL 3 cloves of garlic, minced 3 4 green onions, chopped 4 1 red pepper, sliced 1 3 Tbsp soya sauce 45 mL 2 Tbsp cooking wine or apple juice 25 mL 2 Tbsp rice or white vinegar 25 mL 1 ⁄2 cup sugar or Splenda 125 mL 1 ⁄2 Tbsp cornstarch 7 mL chili flakes to taste Sauté steak in canola and sesame oil with ginger and garlic. Barely brown both sides of the meat. Add onions and red pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Add sugar, stir constantly and allow to caramelize for a few seconds. Combine soya sauce, wine, vinegar, cornstarch and chili flakes. Add to stir fry. Bring mixture to a boil. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings. Per 1 Serving: CALORIES FAT CHOLESTEROL PROTEIN CARBOHYDRATE FIBER IRON SODIUM CALCIUM 225.2 9.2 g (S: 2.8 g, M: 4.1 g,P: 1.4 g) 30.8 mg 17.9 g 15.8 g 0.8 g 1.9 mg 574.8 mg 20.6 mg Oriental Chicken Stir Fry 1 lb boneless, skinless 500 g chicken breast, cut into strips 1 Tbsp canola oil 15 mL 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1 tsp minced gingerroot 5 mL 4 cups assorted oriental vegetables 1 L 1 ⁄2 cup chicken broth 125 mL 2 Tbsp soy sauce 25 mL 1 Tbsp each of vinegar, cornstarch, 15 mL and honey In a large non-stick skillet or wok, combine canola oil and chicken. Stir fry until chicken is just cooked. Add garlic, gingerroot and oriental vegetables. Cook until tendercrisp. Combine chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch and honey. Add to stir fry. Cook over moderate heat until sauce is thickened. Yield: 4 servings. www.canolainfo.org Per 1 Serving: CALORIES FAT CHOLESTEROL PROTEIN CARBOHYDRATE FIBRE IRON SODIUM CALCIUM 312.5 6 g (S:0.9 g, M:2.6 g, P: 1.7 g) 72.5 mg 34.1 g 32 g 5.3 g 1.7 mg 574.2 mg 48.9 mg Spanish Salsa Rice 1 can 1 cup diced tomatoes (19 oz.) 1 water 250 mL hot pepper sauce 1 cup white rice 250 mL 2 Tbsp canola oil 25 mL 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 2 Tbsp chili powder 25 mL 1 1 ⁄2 red pepper, finely diced ⁄2 1 ⁄2 orange pepper, finely diced 1⁄2 1 ⁄2 yellow pepper, finely diced 1⁄2 1 1 ⁄2 green pepper, finely diced ⁄2 1 ⁄2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 125 mL 1 medium tomato, diced 1 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 2 2 tsp lime juice 10 mL To prepare the rice: In a large saucepan, combine diced tomatoes with juice, water, and a few dashes of hot pepper sauce. (Note: there should be at least 1 cup (250 mL) of juice in the canned tomatoes) Add the rice. Reduce heat and cook until the rice is cooked; approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand. To prepare the salsa: Heat canola oil in non-stick wok or skillet with garlic. Add chili powder, three dashes of hot red pepper sauce, peppers, cilantro, tomato, and celery. Stir fry for about 3-4 minutes. Add lime juice. Heat thoroughly. Serve on a bed of rice. Yield: 6 servings. Per 1 Serving: CALORIES FAT CHOLESTEROL PROTEIN CARBOHYDRATE FIBRE IRON SODIUM CALCIUM 214.6 5.6 g (S: 0.4 g, M: 2.8 g,P: 1.5 g) 0 mg 4.6 g 38.5 g 2g 2.5 mg 245.6 mg 84 mg Canola Cooks! / Stir Frying Ginger Beef