stir fry

bamafan62

Ordered a woo and wok from CGW for my large egg .  Going to try my first cook tomorrow.  I am assuming I keep the dome open.  What temp. am I seeking and how do I control this?  It must get very, very hot.  I appreciate your suggestions. 

Thank You,
Phil

Village Idiot

If you haven't seasoned your wok, look at this video from The Wok Shop in San Francisco.  It will give you a first step in seasoning.  Click here.

Yes, bottom vent wide open.

Use an oil with a high smoke point, like peanut or grapeseed.

Heat wok first, then add oil and swirl.  That will keep food from sticking (if you have seasoned your wok well).

Stir fry goes very fast.  Have all ingredients already measured in their own bowl and in order of adding.  The French term is mise en place.

If not completely familiar with recipe steps, print them out in large font and abbreviated form to look at during the cook.  Each step is typically 30 seconds to one minute, so you don't have time to look at a complete recipe.

Have a long spatula.  Heat from hot fire can go around wok and burn you.  This is the one I use.  Click here.

Wear heavy gloves.

Stir frying is my favorite way to cook on the egg.  I'll be making Kung Pao Shrimp and Peppersteak for the Salado Eggfest.

bamafan62

thank you.  how much oil do you add based on one half diced chicken breast and vegies for two.  we are looking forward learning how to do this.  any more tips?

phil

Village Idiot

Here's my recipe for Cashew Chicken, in case you want to try it.  I got it from Rasa Malaysia.

http://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-food-recipe-cashew-chicken/2/

Here is my attempt at cooking it.

Of course, to me, half the fun is to try to make a pleasant presentation to impress my bride by cooking fried rice, and plating it in a feng shui manner.  Also, the Yin of the fried rice, and the Yang of the cashew chicken and dipping sauce make for a well balanced meal.

bamafan62

now i think my bride would be impressed with this presentation!

Mighty_Quinn

I want that cashew chicken right now...that looks damn good VI!

Austin Egghead

@VI are you going to be doing any stir frying in Salado?  If you are I will make sure I am cooking near you

Village Idiot

Joan,  shhhh, don't tell anyone, but I'm making

Yaki gyoza (Japanese dumplings)

Fried Shrimp wontons (with my secret dipping sauce)

Fried Pork wontons (with homemade tempura sauce)

Crab Rangoon (with homemade sweet & sour sauce)

Peppersteak

Kung Pao shrimp

The last two are stir fry.

Since you like the cashew chicken, I might make that too.  Stir fry goes quick, so I'll probably have time. 

Austin Egghead

VI. Your secret is save with me. I won't tell a soul

Squeezy

Help me out here ... what is the advantage to doing a stir fry on the BGE rather than stove top?

Is there a flavor enhancement or is it just more fun to do it on the BGE?

Mighty_Quinn

The burning lump in the egg will get way hotter than the burners on your stove, and that "super heat" is required for real wok cooking.

Village Idiot

What Mighty Quinn said.

Squeezy

Thanks guys ... now I know.

bamafan62

What does the extra heat in wok cooking do differently than stove wok cooking do to the food other than cook it faster? 

Phil

Village Idiot

Cooking at a higher heat and quicker preserves more nutrients and flavor than low and slow.  I don't know the science, but Asians learned that thousands of years ago.  They call it Wok Hei, translated to  Breath of the Wok, which means a certain essence that can only be attained by cooking with intense heat.

bamafan62

Thank you my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bamafan62

We did our first stir fry this evening.  Chicken,peppers, snow peas, mushrooms, and etc.  Let me say that is one hot fire!  That was one great meal!!!!!!!!!!  Food cooked very fast and was a lot of fun to cook..  Now the next step will be cleaning the wok.  Thanks for all the help.

Phil

bamafan62

Just noticed I nicked some of the seasoning off.  I used a wire cok-eez to remove the food.  Mistake!
The question is do I need to re season?

Thank You,
Phil

Village Idiot

No.  But when you clean it, only use water (no soap) and use a light sponge (yellow on one side, green on the other).  If food is caked on a little, use a bamboo brush (you can get it at Sur La Table).

http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-408518/Bamboo-Wok-Scrub

As I said before, after 10 cooks, it will be black as night and non stick.

BOWHUNR

No soap and no metal scrubbers just like cast iron.  Get yourself a bamboo wok scrubber.

Mike
Omaha, NE

BOWHUNR

Ya beat me to it VI.

Mike
Omaha, NE

Village Idiot

Great minds think alike, bowhunr.  

DboGamecock

as far as buying a wok online which website/material do you guys recommend?

bamafan62

Thank you very much!  You guys are saving me a lot of Pain and Suffering!  That was a great meal.

Phil

Village Idiot

I recommend the Wok Shop in San Francisco or the Ceramic Grill Store

http://www.wokshop.com/

or

http://www.ceramicgrillstore.com/

DboGamecock

is carbon steel the best material to have for use on the BGE?

Village Idiot

Yep, I think so.

Chubbs

@VI can you post a pic of using the wok in the egg? I would love to see the setup. I always look forward to your posts with the pictures.

Village Idiot

Thanks, Chubbs.  Sure, here is a pic of cooking Japanese sukiyaki.  Notice the wok fits nicely in the spider.

bamafan62

Hello VI,

Looking at your image tells me that I had the spider uo side down last night!  I was assuming the other way for stir fry and flipped for elevated grid!  Oh well so much for my thinking.  I do know it was plenty hot the other way and cooked fast!!!!!!! 

Phil

Village Idiot

Bama,

Whatever way works for you is the right way to do it.  I just tried it your way (without a fire) and I think it would be too low for my liking.  It gets plenty hot like it is in the picture and maybe a little bit easier to get to the food with your spatula.