| The brilliant logic of Chinese cooking methods is shown | | | | minute-no longer-to tenderize, after they are chopped. |
| to perfection in ch'ao, or chow, which literally means | | | | But the best way is simply not to buy tough, mature |
| "high-heat-shallow-fat-continually-stirring-quick-frying of | | | | vegetables. A Chinese cook, like a French housewife, |
| cut-up materials with wet and dry seasonings." Its merit | | | | is an expert shopper. Train your eye and hand to |
| lies in two desirable results: that each bite is cooked | | | | select the wheat from the chaff among market |
| the same as every other bite, and that none is cooked | | | | offerings. |
| too much. No nutrients are lost in the cooking, and the | | | | Even though tender, different vegetables still require |
| flavor is completely preserved. | | | | different cooking times. Quick cookers (3 or 4 to 8 |
| If you think that this is not so different from the way | | | | minutes) are bamboo shoots, snow peas, asparagus |
| you cook now, make a trial run with a stir-fry recipe, | | | | tips, celery, cabbage, onions, young string beans, green |
| with particular attention to the vegetables. Their | | | | peppers, and all the leafy vegetables such as spinach |
| character is elusive yet unmistakably different. As you | | | | and lettuce. Those requiringlong est cooking are |
| eat them, notice that the texture is crunchy and | | | | broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, American |
| crisp-never soft or limp, and yet not raw. The flavor | | | | celery, cauliflower, and turnips perhaps as much as 12 |
| proclaims itself more interestingly than you've ever | | | | or 13 minutes. Frozen vegetables, which are blanched |
| experienced before. This is a precise value-as precise | | | | before freezing, take substantially less time. Thaw |
| as a la point to the French in roasting or al dente to | | | | them before using and drain off the moisture. |
| Italians in deciding when pasta is ready to eat. | | | | You should train your eye to tell when the vegetable is |
| The closest thing to ch'ao in Western cuisine is | | | | done, rather than depend on clock timing. The main |
| sauteing, which only now we are learning to do with | | | | goal is not to overcook, meaning rather less cooking |
| fresh vegetables. Once you get the hang of it (and it's | | | | than Americans usually think necessary for vegetables. |
| amazingly easy), it may well become the No. 1 way in | | | | The color will show when to take the vegetable (or for |
| your vegetable repertoire. The nub of stir-fry cooking is | | | | that matter, the meat) off the heat; or whether to |
| the chopping, which insures that all ingredients will be in | | | | cover the pan for the last stage of cooking. Your |
| uniformly small pieces and will cook fast and be done | | | | awareness will grow and you'll become expert at |
| at the same time. | | | | adjusting the time to suit the day-to-day variation in the |
| When different ingredients take different cooking | | | | quality of foodstuffs. |
| times, the ones needing the longest time go in the pan | | | | The method uses very little oil, only a tablespoonful or |
| first, and those needing the least time go in last. Since | | | | two at a time. Its purpose really is to keep the food |
| tenderness and quick cooking are the paramount goal, | | | | from sticking to the pan, and since you are |
| it pays to buy the youngest, tenderest vegetables. And | | | | quick-stirring constantly, much less is needed than in |
| if you are adding meat, use those cuts without tendons | | | | American-style frying. The natural juices brought out |
| like fillets or poultry breasts. Cut the meat across the | | | | by the heat do their own lubricating. If they fail to |
| grain. | | | | appear promptly enough, especially if you are working |
| If you run into really tough green vegetables, such as | | | | with tired old travelers, add a spoonful of water or |
| overgrown string beans or too-mature broccoli, put | | | | chickenstock. |
| them in boiling water or chicken stock for just one | | | | |