The ancient Chinese style of quickly sautéing vegetables and bits of poultry, meat, or seafood has its own yin and yang. The first part of the process is slow, relaxed, and almost meditative (cutting the vegetables and other ingredients into bite-size pieces; mincing the garlic, ginger, herbs, etc.; mixing the sauce so it's ready and waiting), and the second part is fast and frenetic as you quickly toss the sizzling ingredients, adding the sauce at the last minute so your don't boil away the ingredients' freshness.
Although a wok is a great cooking vessel for stir-fries, a large nonstick skillet can serve equally well on standard kitchen stoves. Be sure to get the oil good and hot-swirling the pan so the oil coats the cooking surface. Once you've started cooking, use a wide spatula that won't mar the cooking surface to keep the ingredients in motion. Serve stir-fries promptly.
Our first stir-fry features chicken and crisp vegetables, spiked with a tangy citrus sauce full of Caribbean spices and flavors. Our supermarkets sell several varieties of Caribbean-style chile sauce, but you can always substitute a domestic chile sauce, adding a drop or two of Tabasco. Finish this quick meal with steamed white rice and slice a mango or papaya for dessert.
Fajitas are easy and delicious, whether made with steak (as in our recipe) or with chicken or seafood. Serve this casual supper with Watermelon Gazpacho (August, 1998) and Spicy Black Beans (May, 1998).
Sometimes it's just the two of you for a meal, and you want to make something to awaken your taste buds in a few minutes. Spicy Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry is the answer. If you wish the dish to be less spicy, cut down on the amount of chili puree with garlic. Also, if you are late and can't get to the market for cellophane noodles, substitute 4 ounces linguini. Don't have time to get the shrimp: use chicken breast or a bit of flank steak, scallops, tofu, etc. The results will be different but wonderful. Serve tea with the meal and some fresh fruit for dessert--you'll have a meal that you can make over and over again.
Here is another stir-fry meal for those warm days of early spring when you need to eat, but turning on the oven will overheat the kitchen. Serve the warm salad with oriental rice crackers. Add sugar-free sorbet for dessert along with iced tea. Tired of chicken? Substitute seafood, beef, lamb, pork, or tofu. This one recipe can be reinvented as you change the protein you use.
(for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)
