My First Stirfry in a Wok, YIKES!

I have had a wok for years and I have never used it.  I have this idea that only certain things should be cooked in a wok.  Things that I don't usually make.  When I do make things like stirfry I end up just grabbing my biggest frying pan and doing it like I usually do.  This time I was determined to use my wok.  I had a bunch of veggies in the fridge that needed using so it was full steam ahead.

I actually did some research online on the best ways to use a wok and get some recipe ideas.  I learned that you should add oil a bit at a time as you add items to the wok and highest heat is best.  So off I went with this knowledge to conquer my wok.

To start: get everything you are going to be using right at hand.  Cooking on high heat means you have zero time to cut anything or mix anything or look for ANYTHING.  Also, have oil on hand as you will be adding a bit every time you add something new to the wok.  I used canola oil because it has a higher smoking point than olive oil.

I chopped up my veggies into thin, bite-sized pieces and had them separated and ready to go.

I beat two eggs in a bowl.

I wanted a sauce but didn't have any ready made sauces so I looked up a recipe here.  I reduced the recipe to make just enough for this meal instead of extra for the fridge like the recipe makes.  The floaty bits are powdered chicken stock.  I don't buy liquid stock usually.

Time to start frying!  Start by heat up the wok on screaming high heat.

Add in some oil, wait until it smokes (which should happen really quickly if your wok is hot enough) then start to add in your veggies.  Longest cooking veggies should go in first.  You cannot do anything else once you start cooking or it will burn so you need to be here stirring it constantly.  I have to say, it is very satisfying to listen to the sizzle as you move it around.

Add in carrots next.  I tried to get these to be thin so I wouldn't end up with crunchy carrots.

Next goes in the broccoli and cauliflower.  As you add each veggie, push everything away from the center, add oil, add veggie.  Turn the cooked ones over the 'new' ones and start stirring.  This prevents the hot ones from burning by cooling them with the 'new' addition and gets them straight into the hottest part.

Last I added in the peppers because they cook really quickly and get soggy fast, no thanks.  After only a few minutes I added in the sauce.

The sauce will start out looking cloudy but will begin to thicken right away.  It will turn glossy and transparent as the cornstarch gets warm.

Once the veggies were getting close to done I moved them all back to my prep bowl and quickly wiped out the wok to get the eggs going.  Add a bit of oil and pour the eggs in.  I used chop sticks to stir them around so they were more like ribbons than clumps.

Add the veggies back in once the eggs are about half setting up.  I wanted the eggs to be soft and silky and to not over cook or have a chance of burning.  Burned eggs will ruin everything.

Last, I added in some rice I had cooking and finished it all off together.  I love having the rice through the sauce.  If that isn't your thing or you want a more traditional presentation serve the rice on the side.  This would also have been excellent with noodles too.

Time to dish up and dive in.  It was so good!

I have to say I really loved the experience of cooking in a wok.  It was fast, easy, and FUN.  When I staying with Chrystal and John, John's mom visited and made these awesome savory pancakes for us with shrimp and bean sprouts.  I really want to try making them and I will be using my wok.  Stay tuned!

My Staple Salad

The weather is getting warmer and I'm more and more aware of how much tighter my clothes are fitting after this long cold winter.  The more the sun shines the more I want to get outside running and then lying in the sun whenever possible.  It is officially time to smarten up on the food front and get in shape for summer.  I always end up getting itchy feet this time of year and launch into full fitness and health awareness so you can expect more of that to come.  Also, here are some pictures from my adventures yesterday.

This was taken outside of the Square One shopping center.  Cool right?  I navigate around town by the location of those towers, I swear I can't be the only one.

Then this happened, can you see the geese stopping traffic on the crosswalk? #CanadaProblems

Gather everything that is going into your salad.  This pretty much includes everything in my fridge except mushrooms.  I don't like mushrooms in my salad.  Yuk.

I keep a tub like this in my fridge with "open" veggies.  I try to use them daily so they spend only about 12-24 hours in the fridge like this between supper and lunch.

I'm also an avid fan of the trash bowl in my cooking area.  This one was a camping cooking pot and has a lid so I can just pop the lid on when I'm not using it.  We recycle and compost in our house so I do have to be careful to keep my recyclables to the side to pick them out before they hit the compost bin.

So to get started, I chopped up some lettuce, whatever I have.  I have used mixed baby greens, spinach, or as in here romaine.  I tend to have iceburg a lot but that does get boring after awhile.

Now chop up your toppings.

Toss them in on top of the lettuce.  Now some people will start tossing at this point, not me.  It goes to the table like that.  You know where the lettuce is, you can dig to it, you can see the toppings and pick according to your tastes.  I like choice.

Get your dressing.  I have often had just balsamic vinegar and olive oil but I'm sick of it and Catalina is my favourite.

I never put the cheese into the bowl with the main salad.  There is always the chance that we will have leftovers and I'm the one who will end up eating them.  I often do this with the tomato too.  Soggy cheese and water logged salad? ... No thanks.  Then I just drizzle lightly with dressing and you're are one step closer to a healthier lifestyle.  I have also added boiled eggs and/or pickled chilis to this salad other times but I skipped that today.

As I was putting this together today I remembered I have Craisins in the cupboard.  It makes me sad that I forgot to add them in here but they would be wonderful.  I have also completely adopted Greek salads and lettuce-less salads.  You don't have to have lettuce, it's Ok to skip that part.  I do feel like I get overwhelmed by some of the more inventive salads out there sometimes and just want to get back to basics, that is this salad completely.  Enjoy!