I have just treated myself to an electric wok ...and I love it. I am going to try to do more stir fries and would love some ingredient suggestions........I know the basics but and suggestions of meats, fish, nuts, veg, sauces spices etc would be appreciated. I just want to stock my store cupboard so I always have different things on hand.

Thanks

Don't forget for almost any oriental recipe (Chinese, Thai etc.), a few drops of sesame oil literally 10 seconds before the end.

mmmmmmm

Store cupboard ingredients

Groundnut Oil
Dark Soy
Light Soy
Seasame Oil
Rice Vinegar
ShaoShing Rice Wine (or Dry Sherry)
Corn Flour

Optional cupboard spices:
5 Spice Powder
Chicken Powder (I use Knorr Chicken Stock Powder)
Chopped Ginger in Vinegar (I use ASDA Easy)
Ginger Paste and Garlic Paste (English Provender Co.)
Creamed Coconut (I use Pataks sachets)

Optional Sauces:
Oyster Sauce
Hoisin Sauce
Chilli Sauce
Sweet Chilli Sauce
Chilli Bean/Yellow Bean/Blackbean Sauces (if you can find them)

Then some noodles in the cupboard. I only really use Eggnoodles and rice noodles. Egg for most stirfries and rice for things like thai chicken coconut soup.

Sounds like a lot but they stay in your cupboard for months and can be used for more than oriental cuisine. And, ofcourse, you don't have to buy them all at the same time.

You could get a gift pack
http://www.wingyipstore.co.uk/displa...ntpageref=2609

Thanks for the gread ideas guys......I really want to get into stir frying without getting fed up because of it being a healthy way to eat.

Chicken breast is a good plain meat to use if you are going to flavour your stir fry with various different sauces.

I usually get a £1.3 kg bag of frozen chicken breasts for £5.00 from Iceland which is pretty good value. Take a couple of pieces out from the freezer and let them defrost in the normal fridge overnight the day before you cook them.

It's a good idea to marinate your meats for a hour or more before you stir fry them so that the juices soak into the meat. Use a combination of the sauces in your cupboard for your marinade. One simple oriental marinade is rice wine, soy sauce, salt & pepper and a bit of corn flour.

One great spice to have is Garlic (sorry to mention this if it's really obvious). It adds a nice aroma to the stir-fry for any meat. Just crush up the garlic and bung it into the pan just before you start frying the meat.

Defo agree with the Garlic. Thats why I have fresh and the garlic paste.


I also do the same with the chicken but have worked out how to defrost it in the mic in 10 minutes.
Put a breast in a microwaveable bowl with a lid and cover in water.

Cook on 10% power for 10-12 minutes. Average sized breasts will defrost fully without cooking the edges.
For bigger breasts you usually have to stop 2/3 through to slice the breasts to make sure the center defrosts.

You will have to experiment with your own microwave to get the best results though.