Stir frying became popular for economic, not culinary, reasons - there was shortage a of
fuel.  People discovered that food cut into small pieces and cooked over extremely high heat takes less cooking time and less energy.

Four Parts To Stir-Frying

*Small pieces of food in very little oil

*Extremely high intense heat

*Constant movement and stirring with utensils

*A very short cooking time

The sound of sizzling you hear when stir-frying tells you that the heat is very intense.

With practice and concentration you can master the art of stir-fry; setting up a steady rhythm so that every few seconds the food is moved around the wok by the spatula.

Be certain that you push the spatula through the center of the wok, turning all food to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Stir-frying is possible in a Dutch oven or skillet, but it is quite a bit easier in a wok.

How To Stir Fry

*Place the wok over intense heat for 10 to 30 seconds

*Add oil in a circular motion with a tablespoon, beginning at the top and working around, this coats the entire wok, both sides and bottom.

*Never lift the wok from the heat for any reason until the cooking is completed

*If necessary, use the spatula to distribute the oil around the sides.

*Add any one ingredient all at once, no more than 3 inches from the inside, this minimizes
splattering

*Begin stir-frying immediately adding the ingredients as they are listed in the recipe
After the food has been removed, wash the wok immediately with hot water and a vegetable brush (do not use soap). Dry the wok over a high flame and season with a teaspoon of oil for the first few months of use to prevent rust and protect the surface.

Use the highest flame possible for cooking unless the recipe says to turn it down. When stir-frying vegetables be careful not to scorch them, if this begins, turn the heat down immediately.

If stock (broth) is called for, bring it to a boil in a separate pan, and add it to the sides of
the wok, all liquids should be added in the manner.

Woks are for stir-frying over a very hot fire for a very short period of time, stir-frys are
usually made with fresh vegetables that remain crisp and some type of meat. They were originally created with a very round bottom, and were balanced on the coals of a fire. Thus leaving the both hands free to prepare the food, usually holding a spatula in one hand and chop sticks in the other.

Later, when stoves were made, there was a special place made to hold the wok.  A concave metal disk placed on the hearth allowed the flames to reach up and around the sides.

The difficulties for Americans using a wok are that the wok was not created for the burners on American stoves. Because the wok is round bottomed, it is very dangerous, and may slide off of the stove.  You can purchase round bottom woks with two metal handles; this allows you to hold it in place with an oven mitt while cooking.

The disadvantage is that you must remove the wok before adding additional ingredients; this changes the heat which should remain constant. A ring may be purchased to sit over the top of the burner; however this raises the wok up off of the flame, which reduces the
intensity of the heat.

There are three styles available on the market today:

*Round-bottomed with two steel handles, (the handles get hot and you will need either an oven mitt or a dishtowel to hold it in place)

*Round-bottomed with one wood handle and one steel handle

*Flat-bottomed with one wooden and one steel handle (these work best for American stove tops.)

Even though you can buy woks made with a wide variety of metals (even gourmet woks), the best woks are made of heavy-gauge steel.  Properly maintained this wok will last for a lifetime.