Step Up Your Stir Fry: No Recipe? No Problem

Presenter / Channel

• The video is presented by “legends” (no channel name provided in the subtitles).

Goal

A 7-step method to consistently make stir fries at home, emphasizing:

• fast prep
• correct slicing
• marinating/“velveting”
• a simple sauce approach
• cooking in batches on a domestic wok (no restaurant-level BTUs required)

Ingredients (with quantities/substitutions mentioned)

Protein (common options)

• Chicken, pork, or beef
  • No fixed quantities in the main method, but the examples reference chicken.

Velveting (for beef/tough cuts)

For ~500 g meat:

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ~50 ml water

Optional/alternate methods mentioned:

• Egg whites
• Shaing wine instead of water (also mentioned as commonly used)

Marinade / “brining” (simple, across meats)

• Light soy sauce
• Shaing cooking wine
• Cornstarch / corn flour

Rule of thumb for 1 kg meat:

• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp shaing cooking wine
• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Sauce building blocks (3 interchangeable sauce directions)

Have sauce ingredients ready before cooking. The chef gives three combinations:

1) Black pepper sauce (for beef) - Ketchup - Soy sauce - Oyster sauce - Lots of black pepper

2) Oyster sauce with cashews (for chicken) - Oyster sauce - Light soy sauce - Cashews (used as part of the mix)

3) Hoyson / hoisin-style sauce + chili (for pork) - Hoyson / hoisin sauce - Chili sauce - Optional extra for pork: a little fish sauce - Substitution mentioned: use soy sauce + chili “in the aromatics” instead

Optional thickeners / season enhancers

• Pinch MSG (optional)
• If sauce needs thickening:
  • ~1/2 tbsp cornstarch (or corn flour) + ~1 tbsp water (cornstarch slurry)
• If sauce needs sweetness:
  • a little sugar (to taste)
• In the main example, the chef relies on cornstarch already on the chicken from marination.

Example stir fry ingredients from the “Wheel of Stir Fry”

• Chicken
• Broccolini (precooked)
• Red onion (chunky/petals)
• Oyster mushrooms
• Ginger (grated)
• Garlic (crushed)
• Sauce: oyster sauce + a bit more soy sauce
• Oil: peanut oil (neutral high-heat oil)
  • Nut allergy substitution: canola or vegetable oil
  • Alternative if avoiding seed oils: tallow

Aromatics (prep-focused, no exact quantities)

• Chili: sliced “nice and fine” (Step 1)
• Ginger: peeled, grated really finely
• Garlic: crushed
  • Finer = more pungent, but burns faster

Veg handling / blanching

• Broccoli/broccolini: blanched in salted boiling water for 2–3 minutes
• General guidance: other veggies can go straight into the wok, but weak burners may require blanching more items.

Equipment & Setup

• Wok (domestic level; not high-BTU)
• Pot of boiling salted water (for broccoli/broccolini blanching)
• Knife / cutting board
• Bowl(s) for meat prep, marinating/velveting, slurry (if needed)
• Fridge for resting marinated/velvetted meat

The chef stresses: keep everything ready before you start cooking.

Step-by-Step Method (7 steps)

Step 1 — Prep everything first (prep prevents poor performance)

1. Cut vegetables before cooking, since stir-frying is fast.
2. Slice by density
   • Carrots: slice slightly thinner than capsicum/bell pepper (carrot takes longer).
3. Prep aromatics
   • Chili: slice finely
   • Ginger: grate very finely
   • Garlic: crush finely (burns faster)
4. Slice meat consistently
   • Chicken + pork: thin on the angle; avoid pieces too large/small.
   • Pork: remove silver skin if present.
   • Beef: slice against the grain on an angle.

Chef tips / cautions

• Don’t overdo tiny slices (risk of quick overcooking).
• Garlic burns faster when more finely crushed.

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Step 2 — Marination and velveting

Velveting (mainly for beef / tough cuts)

1. For 500 g meat: mix 1 tsp bicarbonate soda + 50 ml water
2. Refrigerate 1 to 1.5 hours
3. Rinse well to remove bicarbonate soda
4. Dry, then proceed to marinade (or cooking sequence)

Marination (“quick brine,” often skipped but recommended)

1. Mix light soy sauce + shaing cooking wine + cornstarch
2. Chef preference: quick brine style
3. Timing:
   • 35–40 minutes in the fridge ideally
   • even marinating right before cooking is better than none
4. For 1 kg meat: 1 tbsp soy + 1/2 tbsp shaing wine + 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Chef tip

• At home: he doesn’t bother velveting chicken/pork, only beef (tough cuts).

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Step 3 — Sauce (have it ready)

• The sauce should be simple; the key is to assemble it before cooking.
• Interchangeable options:
  • Beef: ketchup + soy + oyster + lots of black pepper
  • Chicken: oyster sauce + light soy + cashews
  • Pork: hoisin-style (“hoyson”) + chili
    • optional fish sauce
    • or soy + chili “in the aromatics”

Chef tip

• Stir-frying is fast—having sauce ready prevents heat/texture issues.

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Step 4 — Cook in a domestic wok (use batches)

Home burners may be weaker, so:

1. Cook in batches—don’t overload the wok (it “boils” and temperature drops).
2. Veg prep:
   • Most veg can go in raw.
   • Broccoli/broccolini needs blanching: 1) boil salted water 2) blanch 2–3 min 3) remove and cool slightly
   • If the burner is weak (especially not induction), blanch more veg ahead.
3. Oil:
   • Use a high-temp oil that won’t burn/oxidize (chef likes peanut oil)
   • Nut allergy swap: canola/vegetable oil
   • Seed-oil avoidance: tallow

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Step 5 — Cook meat first (seal it off)

1. Heat wok with a drizzle of oil
2. Cook meat in batches:
   • toss in oil 1–2 minutes to color
3. Remove meat and cook the next batch
4. If possible, turn heat up slightly

Technique cue

• Avoid too much stirring or repeatedly pulling off heat; domestic woks lose temperature quickly.

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Step 6 — Cook veg, then add meat back

1. Return wok to high heat and add a little more oil.
2. Add aromatics and fry ~30 seconds (to “open them up”).
3. Add vegetables in order:
   • hard veg first (e.g., carrots)
   • then capsicum/bell pepper
   • then softer veg (e.g., zucchini)
4. When veg is about 60% cooked, add meat back and toss through.

Example-specific note

• Add oyster mushrooms near the end because they’re delicate and can turn soggy.

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Step 7 — Add sauce (thickening/shininess troubleshooting)

1. Add sauce around the outside of the wok for even distribution.
2. Optional: pinch of MSG
3. Taste and adjust sweetness:
   • add a little sugar only if needed
4. If sauce isn’t sticking well:
   • slurry: ~1/2 tbsp cornstarch + ~1 tbsp water
   • dissolve, pour in, toss
5. Expect sauce to turn shiny and cling as it activates (chef expects corn flour/cornstarch to do the job).

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Example Stir Fry Walkthrough

(Chicken + broccolini + red onion + oyster mushrooms)

1. Chicken
   • marinate with soy sauce + shaing cooking wine + corn flour
   • mix until no lumps
   • refrigerate only if cooking > ~30 minutes; otherwise room temp is fine
2. Broccolini
   • trim slightly
   • cut into similar mouth-sized pieces
   • split thicker bottoms for even cooking
   • blanch in salted boiling water 2 minutes
   • drain and rinse with water to stop cooking
3. Red onion
   • cut into about 5 pieces, then break into petals (chunky size)
4. Oyster mushrooms
   • pull apart
   • keep not-too-small to prevent dissolving/sogginess
5. Sauce
   • oyster sauce (+ a little more soy if needed)
6. Wok cooking sequence
   • heat wok; add enough oil to cover
   • cook chicken in two batches; remove once colored
   • add a bit more oil, then onion; let sit ~30 seconds for char bits
   • add blanched broccolini + ginger + garlic
   • add chicken back
   • add sauce around the outside
   • no slurry here (chicken already has cornstarch; sauce isn’t separating)
   • reheat until hot again, then add oyster mushrooms last; toss quickly and finish

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Common Mistakes / Key Reminders

• Be fully prepared before cooking (no cutting mid-cook).
• Don’t overload a domestic wok—use batches.
• For oyster mushrooms, add at the last second.
• Time delicate ingredients carefully: sauce/soy can pull heat and affect timing.

Plating / Serving

• No specific plating technique described.
• He serves immediately after tossing mushrooms through.
• Mentions using a comically large spoon to eat it.

Sources Referenced

• No external sources (books/websites) are cited in the subtitles.