You might think that preparing and cooking a stir-fry is a quick and simple task, perfect for a weekday meal, accompanied with rice or noodles. However, you might be surprised to know that there’s actually more to it than that, especially if you’re wanting to cook your stir-fry like a pro. School of Wok are proud to offer specialist cooking classes in London, focusing primarily on Asian food and cuisine, and so here is our guide to making the perfect stir-fry at home.

Prepare your vegetables before turning on the heat

It’s important that you’re preparing your vegetables properly before turning the heat on. This is done for two reasons: so that your vegetables can cook more evenly, which prevents crunchy greens and also because you need to be in control when it comes to pre-heating your wok. Once the heat has been turned on, everything moves quickly from there. 

You need to have absolutely no distractions once the heat is on, some make sure everything is prepared before that happens. Slice your veg and prepare your meats, then separate them out so that you can add them to the hot wok at the right times. We’ll talk about the importance of adding your foods to the wok in accordance with cooking times a little later

Use a high-quality wok 

A carbon steel wok would be the best for beginners, but you need to make sure you season it correctly before use. If you aren’t sure how to do this effectively, then you can purchase a pre-seasoned wok. This can be used straight away without having to worry about oiling or ‘cooking off’ before you get to work making your stir-fry. 

For the ultimate results, you will need a high-quality cast iron wok. In the industry, this is considered to be a significant upgrade from a carbon steel wok, although they’re still high-calibre, especially for a novice cook. However, you will need to preseason a cast iron wok, twice, before using it for your stir-fry.

Cook everything fast & hot

Firstly, your wok needs to be piping hot before you add any of your ingredients. Set the heat to high, but make sure you’re controlling it. You don’t want the wok to start smoking, basically. Once the wok is hot, add your oil to prevent sticking. Roll the oil around the wok to give it a good coat, selecting an oil with a high smoke point. For stir-fry, peanut oil works best. Then, add your ingredients to the pan, making sure everything is seared well before adding another meat or vegetable. You do, however, need to consider cooking times, which we’ll discuss below.

Add ingredients in accordance with cooking time

You should think about what will take the most amount of time to cook and what will take the least amount of time to cook. With stir-fry, it’s not simply a case of throwing everything in all at once. Some vegetables could take as little as thirty seconds to cook in a well-prepared wok, whereas meat will take far longer. 

If you put them in at the same time, you might well have a perfectly-cooked piece of meat, but your vegetables have burnt. Add things to the wok in accordance with how long they’ll take to cook. Essentially, refrain from throwing all of your ingredients into the same wok at the same time. You can stir it all through, together, towards the end as stir fry needs to be stirred often, which we’ll get onto in a moment.

Stir your ingredients regularly

You need to make sure that your ingredients are being cooked fast, as we’ve already touched upon. However, it’s easy to get wrapped up in making sure the food is hot rather than ensuring it’s actually cooked. Stirring it often will make sure that your vegetables and meats are evenly cooked, all the way through. 

You don’t want to come across a raw piece of meat or an exceptionally-crunchy vegetable. Move the food, as a mixture, from the outside to the inside of the wok, and do this numerous times until you’re happy everything has been cooked thoroughly, but not burnt or over-done.

Alway add a garnish

You need to top your stir-fry with some sort of garnish. Depending on the ingredients you have chosen, this could be anything from spring onions and water chestnuts to coriander and lemon wedges. Although you might not think this adds much, you’d be pleasantly surprised to experience the next-level flavour it gives you. 

It also makes your dish look appetising, almost like it’s been cooked and presented by an expert chef. If you choose to undertake a cooking class with us here at School of Wok, we’ll tell you how to present and garnish your dishes like the professionals. Impress your friends and family by adding a delectable garnish to your lovingly-made stir-fry.

If you’re looking to up your stir-fry game, or if you’d simply like to delve deeper into how to cook Asian cuisine like a professional chef, then look no further than School of Wok. We have a wide range of cooking classes in London that you’ll be able to benefit from. Whether you’re looking to enhance your skills at home or are looking for some corporate events in London for you to do, then we’ll be on hand to help. For further information, contact us today on 0207 018 9119.