HEC: Stir Fry

Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredrients:

1 Chicken Brest

Carrot/s

Onion/s

3 - 4 pieces of Broccolli

Zucchini/s

2 T sesami oil

Corn

Peas

Sauce of choosing: honey soy/sweet & sour/ etc.

Chilli Pepper (optional)

1 pack, 2 min Noodles or noodles of your liking.

In this recipe, as usual, "Mise en place" is put, the collection of the ingredients. Two chopping boards are prepared, the one where the meat is cut, the other for the rest of the vegetables. First, the onion was cut, in reasonable slices, where it can be cubed or sliced lengthwise into julienne like pieces.  However, it is not favourable to mince or diced. The carrots are cut into juliennes, though, it shall also be mentioned that it can also cut into sheet-like slices, the slices just need to be of reasonable size and width. The broccoli is separated, as well as the chilli is sliced in very thinly, the seeds are left on to pack a better spice and 'punch'.  Simultaneously, the chicken is cut; cut them in slices, again even cubed, but a reasonable stir fry size is needed, just remembering that chicken shrink while it is cooked.

The other ingredients are prepared and measured, around 2 T of sesame oil and around the same ratios for each of the sauces. We as a team decided on a honey-soy sauce for our stir fry. 

As the last of the ingredients were prepared, the pan was heated. It was put into a high heat at first to quicken the time in which it is heated. However, when it was reasonably hot, it was then put in medium heat. The onions are cooked first, no oil was added but it can be a choice, we are to sweat the onions for a few seconds and then followed by the chicken which was mixed with the sesame oil. Another choice that one could make at this moment is adding the sauce/s with the chicken and oil before putting in the pan. This would create a texture of a chicken that would resemble being boiled. However, if the sauce/s are not added it would give the chicken a sear. If that was chosen, after the chicken and the onions have been sauteed add the sauce in. Coat the chicken and onion in the sauce then add the carrots and the broccoli.  Cook for approx 5 mins or until the vegetables are "tender", soft. 

When cooking with a stove, do not adapt to the heat, use the heat to your advantage, constantly if needed, adjust the heat to what you want. It won't be in your favour to adapt to the heat as this could potentially result in your food being undercooked and more often, overcooked. 

While cooking the vegetables, a saucepan is filled with some water and is boiled. The noodles are boiled, while the rest of the ingredients are put in the pan. Taste while cooking, it is necessary as it leaves room for correction. An example is, in cooking the ingredients, the sauce was tasted, salt, honey and pepper were put in to adjust the flavour to our liking.  Finally, the noodles are cooked, slightly undercooked as they will still cook in the pan. The noodles are drained, though still with a slight amount of water.  It was then placed in the pan and mixed with the rest of the ingredients and is again, tasted. 

It was then plated for the four of the people in our team. The taste and flavour, the ingredients blended well with each other. The honey provided a mild sweetness and complexity. The soy sauce gave it a savoury blend. With that, there came the 'punch' which was the spiciness of the chilli, it was mild though it can be felt. The texture of both the noodles and the rest of the vegetables intertwined and went well with each other. 

Next steps could possibly be, adding more spices in, I would say, maybe a touch of MSG would give it the umami flavour that just mingles with our senses. Adding more noodles in and more variety of meats and protein.