But you can make delicious and authentic stir fried dishes with a frying pan. If you look at the black pepper steak or fish fragrant eggplant, you will find that a frying pan can create authentic Chinese stir-fry easily.
Can you do a stir fry in a frying pan?
Set a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat and allow it to get screaming hot. Swirl in 2 Tablespoons of oil (1 Tablespoon if using a non-stick pan). 2. Add your meat and cook until browned on each side (and cooked through if using chicken or pork).
What kind of pan is best for stir fry?
Carbon steel pan vs nonstick pan
Chinese stir fry requires heating up the pan very hot most of the time, which makes a carbon steel pan a safer choice since it’s made from just metal. Carbon steel pans also hold heat better and thus sear food better than nonstick.
What can I use if I don’t have a wok?
A sauté pan (which most of us already have at home) makes a good substitute for a wok; just heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in the pan and stir-fry as usual.
Why use a wok instead of a frying pan?
A wok is ideal for stir-frying; as the food is cooked, it’s pushed up to the sides of the wok while the remaining food is cooked on the bottom. A wok uses less oil than a conventional large skillet, and its high, sloping sides contain most of the splatter. … The cooking is very quick and requires attentive stirring.
Is a stir fry healthy?
Stir-frying is a fast way to cook small pieces of food in a hot pan or wok. … In addition to being quick and easy, stir-frying is also healthy. It results in tender-crisp vegetables that retain more nutrients than if they were boiled. And since stir-frying requires only a small amount of oil, the fat content is low.
How do I make the perfect stir fry?
How to make a stir-fry
- Prepare all the ingredients before turning on the heat. …
- Slice meat and vegetables for maximum surface area. …
- Use a wok or cast-iron pan. …
- The aromatics should be cooked low and slow. …
- But the stir fry needs to be cooked fast and hot. …
- Add ingredients according to cook time. …
- Stir your ingredients often. …
- Thicken the stir-fry sauce.
What should I look for in a stir fry pan?
The stir-fry pan solves a lot of problems. The main difference in the stir-fry pan is its generous flat bottom—a good couple of inches bigger than the older flat-bottom woks—and a depth of 3 or 4-inches, which beats out a traditional Western sauté pan.
Can I make stir fry in a cast iron skillet?
A cast iron skillet can retain just as much heat as a wok, which makes it an ideal vessel for making stir fry. A successful stir fry is crispy, and the only way you’ll end up with rice, meat, and vegetables that are that texture is if you cook them in a pan that doesn’t lose heat when you add food to it.
Why does my stir fry get watery?
If you see watery liquid in the bottom of your pan, you’re boiling/steaming instead of frying. Try lightly coating your meat in cornstarch to dry off the surface and aid browning. Get your wok smoking hot. Best way to check is after you let the wok heat up for about 2 minutes (gas stove, obviously.
Can I make a stir fry without a wok?
If you think you can’t make a good stir-fry without a wok, think again. It’s possible, and I’ve been doing it for years. All you need is one tool, and I’m sure you already have it in your kitchen. … Instead, I rely on a large frying pan, or skillet, with slanted sides every time I make stir-fry.
Is stainless steel good for stir fry?
Stainless steel gives a nice and even heat that’s perfect for quick sear and saute. Meat and veggies maintain juiciness and crunchiness. Cast iron is another great choice here but it weighs a ton more, making it more difficult to shake and toss the skillet.
What can you cook in a wok besides stir-fry?
8 New Things to Cook in a Wok
- Beyond Stir-Fry. If you don’t already own a wok, we highly recommend you get one! …
- Popcorn. …
- Eggs. …
- Burgers. …
- Mussels. …
- Deep-Frying. …
- Steam Fish and Vegetables. …
- Soup.
What is special about a wok?
So, what is it that makes a wok so special? Primarily, the wok is handy because you have a section of it that is directly applied to heat, and a bunch of extra surface that can still hold food but isn’t going to cook the food it’s holding. … At the other end of the spectrum, you can deep-fry in a wok as well.
What type of wok do Chinese restaurants use?
Chinese restaurant chefs exclusively use carbon steel woks and swear by them.