STIR FRYING Flashcards
1
Q
Definition of stir frying
A
Stir frying occurs when ingredients are added to a heated pan and moved continually during cooking. Never stationary. This method generally occurs within a wok however a frying pan may be used.
- Extremely fast and nutritious method of cookery
- Uses tender cuts of meat as it it a fast method of cookery and wouldn’t have time to break down
- Does not use large amounts of oil, due to constant movement food shouldn’t stick.
2
Q
Associated culinary terms for stir frying
A
Boa technique:
- Wok heated to dull red glow
- Oil, seasonings and meats are added in rapid succession with no pause in between
- Food is continually tossed , stopping for several seconds
- When food is deemed to be cooked - its is poured and ladled out of the wok
- Wok rinsed quickly to avoid the base burning/ charing
Chao technique:
Similar to the western concept of braising
3
Q
Suitable foods and recipes for stir frying
A
- Tender cuts of food is highly important, as it is a fast method it wouldn’t have time to break down
Range of vegetables→ asparagus, beans, bok choy, - Chicken stir-fry with snow peas and broccoli
- Squid, basil and chilli noodle stir-fry
- Prawn and bok choy stir-fry
4
Q
Utensils and equipment required when stir frying
A
Wok→ deep pan with round bottom. Has wider edges and will support constant movement of the food. Can be made of iron, stainless steel.
All purpose knives→ used for trimming meat, paring, cutting, slicing, shopping and carving
Iron palette→ comes in square or round front.
Iron spoon→ big wide spoons, use back side for mixing large amounts of food at once with minimum breakage
5
Q
Principles and practices when stir frying
A
- Pre-heat the wok on medium-high to high heat for at least a minute before adding oil (this step can be skipped if you have a non stick pan)
- Always drizzle the oil so it coasts both the sides and bottom of the wok- this allows the oil to heat faster
- Cook stir-frys uncovered
- Meat must be cooked first → prevent cross contamination
- Ensure you have all the ingredients prepared and cut to the same size before you start- ensures even quick cooking
- Never to prepare food while stir-frying
- Seasoning in stir-frying is usually done with garlic and ginger
- If stir-fry includes both meat and vegetables- must ensure meat is cooked/ sealed first- then cook vegetables and re add meat- ensures flavour of each is retained and meat is not overcooked
- Do not begin tossing of meat until it has browned
- Stir-fry vegetables according to density, densest will be stir-fried first as they take the longest e.g. carrot/ broccoli
- Serve immediately
6
Q
Characteristics of food/dishes prepared when stir frying
A
- Vegetables are of a consistent size → important
- Meat must be cooked first before adding other ingredients
- Must use precision cuts when engaging with this method (paysanne) as it ensures equal uniformity and that food is cooked evenly, preventing undercooking
- Food is crunchy in texture→ if overcooking occurs it will change the texture to soft
- Vivid in colour and glossy → as it is being constantly moved the colour and texture is being enhanced
- The meat is soft in texture and moist
- All foods natural colours are enhanced
7
Q
Effect(s) on the nutritional value of food when stir frying
A
- Nutritious cookery method
- All nutrients remains due to the cooking process as the ingredients are cooked rapidly
- It is a low fat method as the pan is so hot it is possible to complete the process with little fat
8
Q
Safe and hygienic work practices when stir frying
A
- Cross contamination of raw meat and vegetables
- Follow correct personal hygiene rules
- Ensure all cooking utensils and containers are clean before use
- Beware of splattering of hot oil when cooking
- Keep sleeves rolled down to prevent burns
- Steam rising from the wok can also cause burns
- Ensure you do not overfill/ overload the wok → overcrowding, lowers the temperature → takes longer and impacts workflow
- Place food in carefully away from the body
- Never leave hot wok unattended
- Ensure you have knowledge of safety procedures for oil fires → safety blanket
9
Q
Problems in the cooking process
- Causes
- Indicators
- Corrective action(s)
A
- Do not overfill or overload wok with liquid→ too much will increase liquid acting as braising and not stir-frying → will take longer and impact workflow
- Overcrowding → affect the cooking time which will impact workflow, be harder to move the wok continuously, and will result in uneven cooking of foods → undesirable taste
- Keep the temperature high enough and ensure movement of the vegetable ingredients while cooking
- Add food items at the correct time → add more dense foods first, if this does not occur it could change the texture and desired taste e.g carrots to be crunchy
- Wok left unattended→ could result in food overcooking and burning, and impacts the desired taste of the food as the stir frying requires the wok to be continually moved
- Cook meat separately and ensure browning prior to turning → returned to wok once vegetables are cooked, ensure meat is cooked first before to avoid cross contamination of raw foods to vegetables
- Uneven size chopping → lead to foods being overcooked and undercooked, undesirable taste → solved by effective mise en place and the use of precision cuts such as paysanne
- Ensure vegetables are even sized for cooking, or larger vegetables will be undercooked at service
- Do not cover the wok → as it will overcook the food, as it will start to steam due to the heat, therefore will not have the desired texture
10
Q
Environmentally friendly work practices
- Efficient use of resources, water and energy
- Management of kitchen waste
A
- Using good quality food ensure less food wastage
- Small amount of oil and oil heated to the correct temperature will prevent wastage of food
- Excess stir-fried food does not heat well and is not palatable when cold
- Must have effective workflow and ensure it is delivered to customers in industry realistic timeframes, as it does not reheat well in industry
