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Interior and Designer: Gabe Nansen Art Producer: Samantha Ulban Editor: Van Van Cleave Production Editor: Emily Sheehan
Photography 2020 Iain Bagwell Food Styling by Loren Wood credit courtesy of Kerry Michaels Flying Point Photography
ISBN: Print 978-1-64739-780-7
eBook 978-1-64739-466-0
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To Alex, Cameron, and Lindsay. So many fond memories in the kitchen and around the dinner table. Be sure to eat your vegetables! Love you, Dad
CONTENTS
Some of my earliest memories of family life are connected to the pleasant sensations of stir-frying. As children, my sister and I were required to nap after we returned home from elementary school while our mom prepared dinner. We would wake up to the sounds of sizzling meat and the pungent scent of ginger, garlic, and scallions. The click-click-click of Moms metal spatula against her wok beckoned us to the kitchen.
I can still see us all gathered around the dinner table. In front of Dad, a steaming bowl of rice. Another serving bowl filled with stir-fried meat, onions, carrots, peppers, and bok choy, seasoned with ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. Dad would smile and chuckle under his breath after saying grace as he anticipated the days reward, just before reaching for the rice to serve us. During dinner, we shared the days stories and news of the family and neighborhood. Of course, we cleaned our plates, and I usually asked forand gotseconds. Mom always made extra rice to make fried rice the next day, which never lasted long enough to go into the refrigerator.
Variations of this memory occurred on a larger scale at family gatherings. Birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and visits from out-of-town guests were all reasons to come together for bowls of rice or noodles and stir-fry. One great thing about these gatherings was the variety of dishes; each family would contribute their own specialty. This tradition of sharing also extended to church suppers. Many of Moms and my aunties recipes found their way into the church recipe books.
Both my parents families owned Chinese restaurants. My dads family owned Toys Chinese Restaurant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for over 80 years. Moms family opened King Joy, the first Chinese restaurant in Quincy, Massachusetts, in the 1930s. Our extended family owned and worked in restaurants in San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Boston. Whenever and wherever I have gathered with family and friends, the sights, sounds, aromas, and flavors of good stir-fry were always present.
This tradition of gathering to share stir-fry and companionship has always been a significant aspect of my life that continues today. Whether it was making a quick, inexpensive meal in a studio apartment over an electric hot plate in college, bringing colleagues together for a Chinese New Year celebration, enjoying a weekend dinner with friends, or sharing tips and techniques with students in a cooking class, I have been recreating those early, delightful stir-fry memories throughout my life.
My wish in writing this cookbook is that through learning stir-fry, you will enjoy these meals with your family and friends as you exchange stories, chuckle together, and savor the fruits of your labor. Youll see how quick, easy, and delicious creating tasty stir-fry at home can be. Perhaps youll even venture beyond these recipes and create your own signature meals! With a sturdy wok and a curious mind, youll be making your own memories in no time.
S tir-fry cooking literally describes itself. Its as easy as 1-2-3: tools, preparation, and technique. The recipes, steps, and tips in this book will teach you how to deliver a delicious, successful stir-fry every timeno soggy veggies or rubbery meat. With a handful of the right tools, some preparation, and a little practice, you will be stir-frying delicious meals in no time.
In this chapter, well go over what tools youll need to create great stir-fry dishes. Ill explain the trade-offs among different tools, as well as teach you how to care for them, especially your wok or skillet and your knife. Finally, youll learn some basic principles of stir-frying, a short history of where it came from, and an exploration of how it has expanded globally from its origins in China.
Faster Than Takeout
Stir-fry is the original quick, one-pot meal. Just heat some oil, stir in your sliced ingredients for a few minutes, add sauce, and dinner is served! In the time it takes for you to place your takeout order, pick it up at the restaurant, and come back home, you can whip up your own super-fresh, cheap, and tasty stir-fry.
