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Feb. 2010 - In this Issue: |
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Next Issue: |
"Cheesecake!" |
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Wok this Way |
Fast, delicious and healthy! Wok cooking is a delicious way to highlight the flavors of the season. And when you stir fry, you get to have fun - you can invent a recipe top to bottom; all you need to know is what you like. Slice up some fresh meats and vegetables, add a little sauce or seasoning, and you have the perfect solution for a quick weeknight meal. So whether it’s traditional Chinese dishes or your own patented stir-fried inventions, it’s time to break out the wok.
There are a few tools of the trade that can separate a good stir-fry from a plain old sauté. In this issue, we’ll give you those tools. We’ll set you up with equipment recommendations; introduce you to some of the best “secret” ingredients around; and describe the best methods for cooking quickly over high heat. And of course, we’ve got a few recipes to round things off.
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In Spain, paella is traditionally cooked over an open flame. Fire up the outdoor burner and cook up an impressive version of this Spanish classic featuring shellfish, chorizo and other authentic ingredients. With a selection of tapas and dessert, all you need to add is a little Flamenco music. Kitchen Window carries paella pans in a range of sizes, from 8 inches to 52 inches. Made of carbon steel, the pans are great for all types of outdoor cooking. Try them for fish fries, Dutch pancakes or grilled sandwiches. Kit includes paella pan, stand and burner.
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 Plan some fun with a cooking class at Kitchen Window! We have an incredible line-up of topics, menus and instructors. With hundreds of choices, a Kitchen Window cooking class makes a great outing with friends and family, as well as a wonderful date night.
Basic Cake Decorating - #3032 – Wednesdays, March 3, 10, 17 -- 6:00 p.m.
Young Chefs: Hell's Kitchen Window - #3035 – Saturday, March 6 -- 11:00 a.m.
Meet the Chef: Chez Collette - #3038 – Monday, March 8 -- 6:00 p.m.
Chocolate and More Chocolate - #3040 – Thursday, March 11 -- 6:00 p.m.
Celebrated Chefs AT: Sea Change - #3046 – Monday, March 15 -- 12:00 p.m.
View All Cooking Classes You may register for any of our classes any time of day
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Quick and easy meals are what stir-fries are all about! And the right tools make all the difference. Use these tools to equip your kitchen, and you’ll be stir-frying in no time.
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Knife of the Month - February |
KNIFE OF THE MONTH
Wusthof Trident 6" Utility Slicer/ Sandwich Knife
The Wusthof Classic 6 inch Sandwich Knife is an excellent multipurpose addition to your cutlery collection. Use this knife to clean and peel fruits and veggies, mince herbs or slice shallots and garlic.
Trident Classic 6" Sandwich - Suggested Retail $67 THIS MONTH $59.99
Trident Classic Ikon 6" Sandwich - Suggested Retail $100 THIS MONTH $79.99
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COUPON
Complimentary Package of Curry Simple with any $35 purchase
Choose from red, green, yellow
or Massaman curry
{THIS COUPON IS VOID}
Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive our next coupon
Limit one coupon per customer number and one per household.
Offer expires March 10, 2010 |
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With the imminent arrival of spring, this is a great time to develop your stir-fry skills. Stir-fries hold the possibility of endless variety, and once you’ve mastered a few techniques, they’re one of the easiest cooking methods around. Here are some tricks to cooking hot and fast:
Mise en Place - Prepare your ingredients before you start cooking. You’ll be cooking over very high heat, so you won’t have time to slice that asparagus while the beef is cooking - it will burn. Peel, chop, cut, measure EVERY ingredient into individual bowls. Line up the bowls in the order you want to add them to the wok. As a general rule, add your ingredients in this order: 1) meats 2) thicker vegetables like stalks and roots 3) thinner veggies like leaves and sprouts 4) seasonings.
Thin and Even - You’ll want the center of your food to benefit from the cooking without the exterior burning, so slice and dice your ingredients into thin pieces. Keeping all of the pieces about the same size will also help the heat distribute evenly. For best results, keep your knives sharp or use a mandoline.
Hot, Hot, Hot - The wok, and the oil in it, must be good and hot before you start cooking. In order for a stir-fry to work, you need consistent, high heat. Certain woks have certain advantages when it comes to building and retaining heat. (Check out our tips on choosing a wok below).
Test the wok and oil before you start adding your ingredients. Flick a tiny amount of water into the oil - if it sizzles and pops right away, your wok is ready. Then, as you add your layers of ingredients, don’t let the pan cool down. After each addition, allow the wok enough time to return to temperature. If you start hot enough, this should take less than a minute.
Keep it Moving - It’s called stir-fry for a reason. The intense heat of the wok is essential for a good stir-fry, but it can burn your food if you aren’t careful. Use the wok’s handle to shake and flip your food, or use a long handled bamboo spoon or spatula to keep things moving.
Center the Action - The center of the wok is the hottest. As you add a layer of ingredients, move the cooked ingredients toward the sides of the wok, and reserve the center for the newest addition.
Don't Overload the Pan - A good stir-fry depends on the food contacting the cooking surface. Avoid the temptation to pile in ingredients - you will have a "steam-fry" instead of a stir-fry! If needed, remove a layer of ingredients to a plate while cooking the next set of ingredients. Keep in mind that the offloaded ingredients will continue to cook, so remove just prior to doneness, and spread in a single layer to release any excess heat. At the end of cooking, add all layers back into the pan to combine and reheat.
You are Allowed to Adjust the Recipe - Many stir-fry recipes prescribe cooking times for each stage, but every wok (and every cook) is different. Use the recipe as a general guideline and adjust your cooking times based on how the food is cooking.
Ready to Serve - Once the stir-fry is complete, serve immediately. Hot food left to sit will continue to cook and challenge the desired crisp-tenderness of the vegetables. In fact, stir-fry tradition calls for everyone being seated at the table before the cooking begins!
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A great stir-fry just takes practice, preparation and a the right wok. And not just for stir-fries, woks can be used for braising, simmering, steaming, and deep-frying. It's truly the "all-in-one" pan that millions of families have counted on for centuries.
Choosing a Wok
The idea behind a wok is its deep, rounded shape that provides a lot of cooking surface without requiring a large burner or flame. Heat transfers quickly from the concentrated source at the wok's bottom and up its steep sides. It's the original energy efficient pan! Besides stir-frying a wok is versatile for braising, simmering, steaming, and deep-frying. It's truly the "all-in-one" pan that millions of families have counted on for many centuries.
Shape - The deep, rounded shape of the wok provides a large, continuous cooking surface without requiring a large burner or flame. The benefit of the rounded bottom is that heat transfers quickly from the concentrated source at the wok's bottom and up its steep sides. But with some cooking surfaces, the rounded exterior makes for an unstable pan. For stability, use a wok ring or look for a wok built with a flat bottom on the exterior of the pan.
Material
Carbon Steel -
Traditional woks are made from hammered carbon steel. Not only is carbon steel hard enough to withstand the high heat of stir-fry cooking, it is one of the best materials for conducting heat quickly and efficiently. It is also lightweight enough to let you lift and shake your wok during cooking.
Carbon steel woks need some preparation before they are ready to use. They have to be seasoned first - treated with oil and heat to seal them from rust and create a stick-resistant surface. The more often you cook in your wok, the better the initial seasoning will hold up. If you stir-fry two or three nights a week, you will probably never have to reseason your wok (the cooking process will do that for you). If wok cooking is more of an occasional thing in your home, you will need to reseason the wok as needed to keep it in prime cooking condition.
Cast Iron -
Cast iron takes longer to heat up than carbon steel, but will hold onto that heat for a longer time. It is a great material for woks because you don’t have to worry about losing heat as you add your layers of ingredients.
Woks are available in raw cast iron as well as preseasoned or enameled. Raw cast iron needs to be seasoned as we discussed above; while preseasoned woks come ready to use. Enamel coated cast iron is not seasoned, exactly, but it is coated - usually with a porcelain based enamel. The enamel provides the same stick-resistant and rust-proof surface as does the seasoning, but without the need for maintenance.
Nonstick Surfaces -
For many of us, a nonstick wok offers just the right amount of practicality and purpose - no seasoning required. However, nonstick surfaces are not designed for high temperature cooking. If you plan to cook with your wok on a regular basis, consider carbon steel or cast iron instead.
Handle Style -
When cooking with high temperatures, handle considerations become an important feature. A long handle with an opposing helper handle works best for lifting and maneuvering. Cast iron woks are typically too heavy for the lifting and shaking, but often come with two ear handles for convenience.
Wok Accessories
Spoons and Spatulas - To keep things moving while stir-frying, a good stirring utensil is essential! Look for a long handle to keep your hand at a safe distance from the heat. Bamboo or wooden spatulas are a great choice because they won’t scratch the surface of your seasoned or non-stick wok. Silicone spatulas also work well at high heat, and have a bit of flexibility allowing them to conform to the curved shape of the pan.
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Spiders
Used as a scooper or a strainer, the design of the spider is ideal for wok cooking. With a long wooden handle, the spider keeps your hand safely out of the way of the heat, while the broad, shallow basket scoops you food without trapping excess moisture - so your stir-fried veggies stay nice and crisp. The spider can also be used to add ingredients to soups or to remove ingredients from boiling water.
Ginger Grater
Ginger is often used to add aroma and flavor to stir-fries. To get the most out of a ginger root, you have to get past the gnarly, woody exterior to the juicy, pulp interior. The best way to do that is with a porcelain ginger grater. The magic is in the bumpy surface of the grater. One simple rubbing of the root across the nubs on the surface extracts the pulp and liquid and leaves behind the peel and fibers. The smooth texture of the porcelain lets you easily transfer that juice and pulp into your dish. Ginger graters can also make easy work of a quick garlic paste.
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Flavor Secrets for Chinese Stir-Fries |
 The best part about stir-frying is the endless possibilities for flavor. Traditional Chinese or Thai stir-fries are always delicious, but when you stir-fry at home, you have license to get creative. Try different vegetable and meat combinations; add a variety of aromatics like ginger, garlic or chilis, and finish things off with a sauce. Below are some of the sauces that give stir-fries their flavor.
Soy Sauce - The soy bean has been an integral part of Chinese cuisine and culture for 5,000 years. Today, soy has gained worldwide appeal for its versatility and economy. You’d be hard pressed to find an American kitchen without a bottle of soy sauce in the pantry. But what most of us know as soy sauce today is actually a mass-produced blend of soy, wheat, coloring and corn syrup.
That’s unfortunate, because true, artisanal soy sauce (dating back 2,000 years) is a complex, salty, rich seasoning made from slow-fermented soy beans mixed in varying degrees with roasted grains. Artisan soy sauce is widely available - you just have to know what to look for. Your best bet is to read the ingredients. Soy sauce should contain little more than soy beans, salt, water and a grain like wheat or barley.
Hoisin Sauce - Pungent, salty and slightly sweet, just a little bit of hoisin can add an amazing depth of flavor to your stir-fry. Made from water, sugar, soybeans, vinegar, rice, salt, wheat flour, garlic, and/or chili peppers, hoisin makes a great ingredient in glazes, dipping sauces, or as a seasoning.
Fish Sauce - This staple of Southeast Asia is an incredibly pungent sauce made from fermented fish. When added sparingly to stir-fries or dipping sauces, fish sauce adds an unmistakable depth of flavor.
 Oyster Sauce - This sauce is made from the cooking broth from oysters. Reduced to a thick, dark sauce, oyster sauce has a rich, savory flavor that creates the backdrop for many traditional Chinese stir-fries.
Black Bean Sauce - Made from fermented black beans that are salty, bitter and sweet all at once. Garlic and soy sauce are added to form a thick sauce or paste. A little goes along way with this magical ingredient.
Citrus - Adding a bit of orange peel to a stir-fry or finishing the dish with lime juice adds brightness and boosts the flavors of most meats and vegetables.
Chilis - Besides heat, chilis provide an upgrade to many flavors. Used in some parts of the world in lieu of salt, chilis can activate your taste buds and make them more receptive to the complex flavors of meats, vegetables and grains.
Ginger - This aromatic has an unmistakable sweetness and heat that complements many meats and vegetables. Ginger is also ideal for stir-fries because, despite it’s bold flavor when raw, it willingly takes blends with many other flavors (especially garlic and chilis) when it needs to.
Garlic - There aren’t many cuisines that don’t take advantage of the kick that garlic can provide. Behind chicken, beef, lamb, duck, you name it, garlic is a wonderful seasoning.
Wine - Rice, red or white - wine dissolves the essential flavor oils found in the other ingredients, so that they may blend. Such oils are only dissolvable with a bit of alcohol - oil and water won't unleash their flavors. The alcohol will evaporate away, but only after working its extra bit of magic.
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Kitchen Window Smart Stir-Fry Tips |
Tip #1: Prepare the rice or noodles first. Once the stir-fry is going, it moves quickly. Get your rice started in a rice cooker before you do anything else - it will take longer than noodles. Noodles can be boiled, drained and covered up to an hour ahead of time.
Tip #2: Check out Asian specialty markets for unique ingredients. You'll find a wide selection of many key ingredients and usually at a lower price than the supermarket's specialty food aisle.
Tip #3: Use oil that can tolerate high heat well when stir-frying. Oils with high smoke points (the point at which they begin to burn) include canola, safflower, peanut, soybean, and corn. Oils and fats with lower smoke points, like olive and sesame oil, or butter and lard, should only be used as seasoning (if you use them at all).
Tip #4: If liquid is gathering in the bottom of the pan while stir-frying, this is an indication that the pan is not hot enough or that it is overloaded. The wok or pan should be so hot that any water in the ingredients evaporates quickly while cooking.
Tip #5: When starting a stir-fry, once the pan is hot, drizzle any oil being used around the pan. This will heat the oil faster compared to pouring the oil into one location all at once.
Tip #6: After washing or cleaning any vegetables, use paper towel or a salad spinner to remove any excess water. This will help reduce any water accumulation during stir-frying.
Tip #7: To easily slice meats into thin, thin sheets for stir-frying, freeze the meat for 30-45 minutes, or allow frozen meat to partially defrost. Slice the meat across the grain to create naturally tender pieces.
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Q: What is the difference between light and dark soy sauce?
A: Light soy sauce comes from the "first pressing" of the fermented beans. Dark soy sauce is darker, thicker, and aged longer. Light soy sauce is saltier than dark and is used more as a condiment or table seasoning. Dark soy is sweeter due to added molasses and used more in cooking than at the table.
Q: In the ingredients list on my soy sauce, I see acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein. What is this?
A: This is a protein form that has been broken down into components through the introduction of water and acid. This ingredient is often used in soy sauces that skip the fermentation step and have garnered the nickname of "cheap man's soy sauce." The dark color in these sauces is not natural, but added caramel coloring. Read the label before buying.
Q: How do I season a carbon steel wok?
A: Seasoning is easy and an important step for setting up a new wok, or refurbishing an older steel wok. Clean a new wok well to remove any waxy, protective coating from the manufacturer. This will expose the bare metal. Rub heat-tolerant oil into the surfaces of the metal. Facilitate the bonding of the oil to the pan by heating it and rubbing on the inside surface. Allow the pan to cool, then rub away any excess oil. Repeat this process three or four times. Keep the wok in a seasoned state by avoiding detergents and soap when cleaning. Simply wipe the wok clean, rinse with plain water if necessary, and dry immediately and thoroughly.
Q: What is proper chopstick etiquette?
 A: Stir-fries are a great opportunity to practice your chopstick skills! To learn how to eat with chopsticks, check out this link: "How to Use Chopsticks." Use the wider ends of the chopstick to serve food from a shared bowl to your own plate or bowl. Never place the chopsticks straight up in your bowl of food; this is considered bad luck. Never point or gesture with your chopsticks. It's ok to hold a bowl in your hand and bring it closer to your mouth when eating with chopsticks; this minimizes spilling and is considered the polite thing to do in many instances.
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Easy Chinese Stir-Fries by Helen Chen. Photography by Jason Wyche. Copyright 2009. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken NJ.
This little cookbook is a gem! With its singular focus on Chinese Stir-Fries, it allows the Western kitchen access to the wonderful flavors of American-Chinese cuisine. Ms. Chen comes by her expertise honestly. As the daughter of the famed Chinese cook and restaurateur, Joyce Chen, Ms. Chen carries forward the long-standing family tradition of popularizing Mandarin cuisine in the American culture. The beginning chapters of the book focus on setting the stage with succinct and informative discussions of stir-fry technique, equipment, and key ingredients. The recipe chapters that follow categorize a whole host of stir-fry inventions according to: Chicken, Pork, Beef, Seafood, Bean Curd, and Vegetables. Each recipe is written simply and expertly. The simplified ingredients make each of the recipes accessible for the average cook without compromising delicious results. The step-by-step instructions are equally clear and explanatory. The typical American cook suddenly feels quite apt and able to tackle their favorite Chinese dish at home! As is often the case with us, we were especially taken by the beautiful, close-up photography that accompanies nearly every recipe. We enjoyed experimenting with many different Chinese stir-fries with this book as our tutor, and think you will too!
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Recipes excerpted from Easy Chinese Stir-Fries by Helen Chen. Copyright 2009. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken NJ. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
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Stir-fried Pork with Asparagus
With asparagus season just around the corner, put this stir-fry on your "must-try" list. The hoisin sauce added just a hint of sweetness that complemented the pork perfectly. The seared asparagus concentrated the vegetable's flavor and the pork browned quickly over the high heat. The light covering of sauce exceeded our expectations in taste and flavor.
View recipe
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Stir-fried Broccoli Beef in Oyster Sauce
Another favorite for just about everyone, this easy beef and broccoli dish will become a regular at your table! We served this stir-fry over rice noodles, which made for a little extra fun. The sauce is based on prepared oyster sauce, but lends no fishy component whatsoever. We purchased double the beef, sliced it all, and froze half in a thin package for a quick supper sometime in the near future!
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Kung Pao Chicken
This perennial take-out favorite is now within easy reach at home with this recipe! This stir-fry has a few more ingredients compared to the other stir-fries, but the result is worth the effort! We served this chicken dish over a mound of rice and thoroughly enjoyed each chopstick-full. The recipe provides a solid base that begs for further experimentation and personalization.
View recipe
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