Stir-fry / Pan-fry

Instruments

Regular metal (iron/stainless steel/aluminum) frying or sautéing pans, or non-stick pans, can be used.

Aluminum containers are not recommended; for details, see the Food Safety section.

Notes

• Tips for stir-frying in a regular pan without sticking:

Scramble the Eggs First Method

• Before stir-frying any dish, stir-fry some eggs first. Don't wash the wok afterward, and the next dish you stir-fry won't stick.

Hot Pan, Cold Oil Method

• Remember: it must always be a hot pan with cold oil; first, heat the pan
  • Place a clean pan on the stove with nothing in it. Dry heat it to ensure even heating until it is hot
  • Add cold oil, swirl the pan to coat the entire surface with oil (you can rotate it back and forth to ensure even heating)
  • When you see vapor rising from the pan, the oil has reached the correct temperature
  • Pour out the oil. Do not wash the pan after pouring out the oil
  • You can repeat the above steps 2–3 times for a better non-stick effect
  • Note: If using gas, flare-ups may occur. Please exercise caution

Hot Wok Double Oil Method

• First, heat the pan.
  • Place a clean, empty pan on the heat source and let it heat up dry to ensure even temperature distribution.
  • Add a "small amount of cold oil" and swirl the pan to coat the entire surface (you can rotate it back and forth to ensure even heating).
  • When you see steam or vapor rising from the pan, the oil is hot enough.
  • Add more cold oil and begin stir-frying.
  • Note: If using a gas stove, flames may flare up. Please exercise caution.

Additional Notes:

• The goal is to coat the bottom of the pan with oil. This technique works with all household pans available on the market, effectively turning them into non-stick pans.
• Using a non-stick pan for frying or stir-frying prevents food from sticking. The non-stick property comes from the coating on the inner wall. Metal spatulas can scratch the coating. Use wooden or silicone spatulas with non-stick pans to avoid damaging the coating.

Process

Heat the pan — place the pan directly on the heat source and heat it up — pour oil into the pan and heat it — add the ingredients and stir-fry — remember to add the seasonings before taking it off the heat

Notes

• To determine if the pan or oil has reached the desired temperature, you can hold your hand flat above the pan to feel the heat. Add ingredients only after the oil is sufficiently hot.
• Before pouring oil into the pan, ensure there is no residual water inside. Water causes hot oil to splatter, which is dangerous.
• Following the previous point, ingredients should be drained of excess moisture (egg mix is an exception) before being added to the hot oil. Similarly, do not add frozen ingredients to hot oil, as melting ice can cause dangerous splattering.
• If the oil catches fire, never use water to extinguish it. Doing so will intensify the flames. If the fire is just starting, turn off the heat immediately and cover the pan with a lid.