5 Easy Steps to Stir Fry

5 Easy Steps to Stir Fry

Stir fry method of cooking is very healthy. It uses less oil and leaves the food crisp and not overly cooked, and thus not stripping out all the nutrients and vitamins from raw food especially vegetables. Stir frying only takes a matter of minutes if you follow these few easy steps.

1. Well equipped
Firstly, a wok is a must, not pan, a big round wok. A round-based one works well using gas burner while a flat based one works well on electric stoves. A good wok is heavy usually made of cast iron or carbonated steel, easily available is departmental store and Asian hardware shops. Teflon based just doesn't give you the same rich flavor. When first purchased, the iron wok must be seasoned, heat the wok until smoke start rises from the wok, and then pour in a table spoon of peanut oil. Wipe the oil around the wok surface and throw away excessive oil. This way, all dirt will be removed from the wok surface. Secondly, a ladle is a must. Choose one with strong handle.

2. Prepare your ingredients
All raw meat and vegetable must be cut uniformly in thickness and size in advance. This is to ensure the food is evenly cooked. Once the wok is heated, there is not enough time to cut anymore. Rice and noodles need to be pre-cook, rice to be steamed while noodles to be boiled to soft.

3. Seasoning a must.
Before cooking the main ingredients, Asian usually put in chopped garlic or shallots to enhance the taste of stir fry dishes. When the wok is heated, oil is put in, then garlic or shallots are put in to fry until golden brown. Only then the main ingredients are put in.

4. Meat first, vegetables second
For stir frying, this is can be considered the golden rule. Always cook meat first, vegetables second. Meat is harder to cook compared to vegetables. If both are cook together, the vegetables tend to overcook. Meat or seafood must be marinated with a pinch of salt first. Always toss the ingredients for even cooking. When stir frying rice or noodles, the goldren rule still applies, always meat first.

5. Sauce and seasoning
Lastly, add sauce to your stir fry dish. Sauces, such as oyster sauce, or sweet and sour, thin and thick black soy sauce are added into the wok to complete the stir fry dish. Oyster sauce, thin and soya sauce is the most common, packaged in bottles and easily bought from the supermarket shelves. Sweet and sour is popular unique but it's just simply tomato sauce and sugar. Simply put in the sauce after the meat and vegetables are cook in the wok, sauté for a while, and the dish is ready to serve.

Packing House Operations for Fruits and Vegetables

Packing House Operations for Fruits and Vegetables
Packing houses serve as a collection centre for fruits and vegetables prior to distribution and marketing. The houses can be simple packing sheds with a limited equipment and minimal operations or a large complex that is well equipped and with facilities for specialized operations. The types of operation carried out vary with different commodities and market requirements. Produce that are destined for export or supermarket outlets are often subjected to elaborate operations compared to local markets. Some of the operations are as follows:

Sorting and Trimming

Freshly harvested fruits and vegetables are sorted for uniformity in size, shape and varietal characteristics. Damaged, discoloured and decayed parts are removed to make the produce more attractive and prevent infection from the diseased parts.

Washing

Washing is necessary to remove extraneous materials from the field such as dirts, chemicals and latex. This is usually done before storage or immediate retailing of the produce. In order to r educe the incident of decay, chlorine is often added to the wash water.

Drying

Drying is done to remove excessive moisture from the surface of the produce. Excessive drying should be avoided to prevent wilting, shrinking and water loss.

Waxing

Waxing is done on certain types of fruits and vegetables such as ginger, tomato, citrus and melons to reduce water loss, thereby reducing shriveling. In addition to that, the application of edible wax will enhance the appearance of the produce.

Curing

Injured and bruised surfaces of root, rhizome and tuberous crops are allowed to heal by holding them at ambient temperatures for a few days. Curing initiates the formation of periderm layers at wound areas, thereby reducing moisture loss and microbial infection. Sufficiently cured vegetables can be stored for a longer period.

Chemical Treatments

Fungicides and growth regulators are commonly used to reduce decay and undesirable growth respectively. The use of chemicals should be closely supervised and within the recommended levels for human consumption.

Grading

Fresh fruits and vegetables are classified into groups according to a set of recognized criteria of quality and size, with each bearing an accepted name and size grouping.

Packaging

Produce are packed in suitable containers to provide protection against mechanical and biological damages during transportation and subsequent handling operations. Packaging materials should be of accepted standards with regard to strength, ruggedness and resistance to pressure. Packages should have adequate ventilation so that produce will not warm up as a result of heat arising from respiration. Excessive ventilation, however, may result in wilting.

Pre-cooling

Pre-cooling is an essential step prior to storage at low temperatures. It is the rapid removal of field heat from the produce to reduce the rate of respiration, microbial activity and refrigeration load. Pre-cooling can be done with chilled water, ice or cool air (forced air cooling), whereby the produce is cooled to the half cooling temperature.

Storage

Storage at low temperatures has been an effective mean of extending the shelf-life of fresh fruits and vegetables. It also enables orderly marketing and distribution of produce in time of peak production. Temperature requirements for different produce may vary depending on variety, location, stage of maturity and other factors. It is important to note that cool storage is a tool used to maintain quality but not to improve it.

Transportation

Proper handling of the produce during transportation is essential to reduce losses to a minimum and to maintain their quality from the farm to the packing house and from packing house to market. The used of refrigerated trucks to transport highly perishable and high value produce will maintain their quality over an extended duration. In non ventilated vans, temperature of the fruits or vegetables rises quickly, increasing respiration and decay.

"Food Of The Future," 40 Years In The Making

Forty years ago, a first-class stamp cost a nickel, a new science fiction television show called "Star Trek" made its debut and a tasty topping began its crunchy history of enhancing salads, baked potatoes and Americans' cupboards. General Mills first tested Bac-Os as a better-for-you alternative to bacon in select markets in 1965. Bit by bit, the product's popularity took off, and it was dubbed a "food of the future" in early television advertisements. Consumers enjoyed the convenient product's multipurpose use-a savory ingredient used to jazz up casseroles, salads, soups and other favorite dishes. This handy condiment helped home cooks streamline their kitchen prep and promised the smoke-cured, sizzling flavor of bacon without a splattering mess. "A jar of Bac-Os brought the flavor and texture of crisp bacon right to the family dinner table in a fraction of the time," says Maggie Gilbert, manager of the Betty Crocker Kitchens test kitchen. "Because they were considered superconvenient and required no refrigeration, they soon became a familiar ingredient in popular recipes of the day, such as holiday party dips, sweet-sour beans and twice-baked potatoes." The brand debuted in its first print advertising campaign in 1970. The product was featured in several new recipes from the Betty Crocker Kitchens in national magazines, such as Better Homes and Gardens and Family Circle. Shortly thereafter, General Mills extended the line to include Saus-Os and Pepr-Os, two new soy proteins with distinct flavor possibilities. Today, Bac-Os continues to appeal to consumers, particularly by offering added health benefits: They're made with the goodness of soy, are kosher and contain no MSG. They can also help consumers keep healthy eating in check, without tipping the scale on calories, fat, saturated fat or cholesterol. Happy Birthday, Bac-Os! Italian Spinach and Mushroom Salad This seasonal salad for special gatherings has extra crunch and a burst of added flavor. 1 package (10 oz.) fresh spinach leaves, rinsed and patted dry 1 package (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms 1 can (19 oz.) Progresso chick peas, drained and rinsed 1/3 cup Betty Crocker Bac-Os bacon flavor bits or chips 1/2 cup seasoned croutons 1/2 cup Italian dressing In large salad bowl, toss all ingredients except dressing. Just before serving, drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Makes 4 servings. Jars of a revolutionary new "food of the future" product appeared on grocers' shelves 40 years ago, offering busy consumers the bacon flavor they loved with a simple shake of the wrist. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

16 Quick Tips for Eating at Restaurants or Work

16 Quick Tips for Eating at Restaurants or Work Summary : Most of us eat at restaurants for a variety of reasons; time and convenience are the most common motives. Here is a prepared list of quick tips for eating out of your home. Most of us eat at restaurants for a variety of reasons; time and convenience are the most common motives. Below is a prepared list of quick tips for eating out of your home. If you eat healthy food or sensible portions, that you like, you can stick with eating healthy for life. Your portions should be spaced out over the course of the day. Water should be a part of every meal. After you eat, your stomach should be half full, or less, with food. For every two parts of food consumed, you should drink one part water. Leave your stomach at least one quarter empty for movement of air. When eating at a restaurant, eat half a portion, maximum, and wait five or ten minutes. Restaurant portions are commonly two to four meals on a single or double plate. This is way too much to consume at a single sitting and you may find out that, once you pause and sip your drink, you are already full. In the Providence, RI area, there are some restaurants where the single portions could feed a family of four. No wonder a man of 200 lbs. is now considered thin. Do not make comparisons to other people. Eat to live and enjoy your food, but do not use someone else