10 Tips for a perfect Stir Fry

1. Cut the meat and vegetable into small and similar size pieces for quick, even cooking. 

2. The best shape for meat is thin slices or strips. If you want to use cubed meat, don't cut them larger than 11/2cm. Avoid cutting meat into cubes that are more difficult to cook thorough e.g. pork. 

3. A hot wok is essential to enable you to stir fry and not "stew". 

4. The order ingredients are added to the wok is important. Vegetables that need longer cooking time e.g. broccoli floret, should be added to wok before those that take shorter cooking time such as strips of pepper. 

5. Keep ingredients moving/stir frying throughout cooking.

Have you ever wondered the origin of stir frying?

6. Best cooking oils for stir frying are sunflower oil or groundnut oil. Avoid olive oil (over powers delicate flavours of stir fry) and sesame oil (low smoking temperature and therefore burns easily). 

7. A non -stick wok makes stir frying easier, especially when adding noodle to the stir fry. 

8. Gas hob is preferred to electric ones. However, nowadays, there are induction hobs that are also pretty good. 

9. Don't overload the wok; otherwise, you will "stew" rather than "stir fry". 

10. Drain vegetables well before adding them to the wok.

Enjoy!