Stir frying is a cooking technique in which ingredients are fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred or tossed in a wok. The technique originated in China and in recent centuries has spread into other parts of Asia and the West. It is similar to sautéing in Western cooking technique.
Stir fried watercress
Ingredients are typically added in succession after cooking oil has been applied onto a hot pan. The ingredients that take longest to cook, like meat or tofu, are added first.
Bao stir frying involves high heat combined with continuous tossing. This keeps juices from flowing out of the ingredients and keeps the food crispy.
Stir frying can affect the nutritional value of vegetables. Fat content is increased because of the additional oil, and anti-oxidants are preserved better than by boiling.
A wok is a deep round-bottomed cooking pan of Chinese origin. It is believed to be derived from the South Asian karahi. It is common in Greater China, and similar pans are found in parts of East, South and Southeast Asia, as well as being popular in other parts of the world.
A wok being used for stir frying
A wok (left) and karahi on a Western-style gas stove. Note that the karahi is sitting on an ordinary burner cover, while the round-bottomed wok is balanced on a wok-ring.
A stick-handled flat-bottomed "Peking pan". While the surface looks like Teflon, it is actually well-seasoned carbon steel
An oiled kawah being preheated on a makeshift gas stove
