We have a WOK! What's for supper?

Okay, I'll admit up front, I'm easy to amuse.

But I have to share this funny story.

Hubby and I have been looking at woks lately, dying
to get one, unsure why we haven't, except it really hasn't
been on the priority list.

At the same time, a new store opened up in the next town.
I have never been to a Ross store in my life, and mentioned
wanting to go. Over the past few weeks, I've mentioned going
over when we were in the area. Hubby always resists with
comments such as "I don't have any interest in that store." or
"There isn't anything in that store for me."

So yesterday we were close by the store. He said if I would drop
him off at the pet store, I could go to Ross by myself. I responded that
I didn't know what the big deal was, I go to plenty of stores with him that
I have absolutely no interest in. Boat stores, bow and arrow shops,
men stuff. No interest. But I've never folded my arms and refused to go.
LOL. We laughed and he agreed. I got him!

Guess what? I shamed him into going and he found a wok! I wanted to
laugh so hard, but I was nice. The wok was cheaper than you-know-where.
I'll be going back to that store for certain, and soon!

And now that we finally have a wok, does anyone have any good
suggestions for supper?

:-) Many thanks,
Karen Marie

All I can say.. quoting the famous Muppet Fozzy Bear.

woka
woka
woka


*duck & run*

Wow ! Good for you K M. Woks are great, especially if you have a really hot burner. The round holder-thing that fits over an electric burner worked well for years till we got the new gas range with a wok burner. Works good for steaming too. Just put some water in the wok and set a bamboo steamer over it and enjoy. You will love it.

Ross has been around OK for years, though maybe not near Hulbert. They tend to have a lot of overstock like a Marshall's. It's very good for kitchen stuff at good prices but the selection is random. I got a nice espresso machine there for $6.00. Also nice for linens and fancy soap.

If it's a steel wok treat it like a cast iron pan. Pick up a couple of those strainers made from copper wire. They are very useful with the wok and with cooking in general. Also get the best soy sauce you can find and some boneless chicken thighs. (The cheap soy sauce tends to be really salty.) Dip the chicken in some cornstarch before you add it to the hot wok. Some fresh ginger and some nice pepper/chili oil is good too. From there, you can just make it up. Use whatever vegetables you like and add them after the chicken is done. A rice cooker is a nice addition once you master the wok.



This message was edited May 3, 2007 5:51 PM

I do lots of stir fries in our wok. I love it. :-)

I have a wok and love it as well...I love getting that chicken fried rice from Sams Club. It has everything except the soy sauce in there, chicken, lots of veggies and rice just put it in there and cook it up...VIOLA a nice healthy meal quickly..

Oh i got my WOK from the Goodwill..almost brand new...love it

Char

Only thing I remember about WOK's is that my DH used to do the majority of cooking (because he loved cooking) he would even make t.v. dinners for the boys and I before leaving for the week..that could tell you something about my cooking right? anyway, he would never cook with the wok unless it was with 'peanut oil'
that's about all I know...lol

So nice you got hubby out shopping..who paid, you or he? Hope it was he, that way you've got more $$$$ for plants...

Betty is right about the peanut oil. Sometimes harder to find and a little pricier, but it takes a higher heat than the other oils.

if you do fried rice make your rice a day in advance and let it get nice and cold. Makes for much nicer fried rice...yummy

A good easy starter dish: With a seasoned wok or a non-stick one. Prepare your boneless chicken (skinless thighs or breasts) in diced pieces. Heat the wok with just a bit of oil to coat. Add the diced chicken. Let it sit to cook. It will sear and look like it's going to stick, leave it. After it has browned stir it to cook on the other sides. Don't worry if it sticks a bit on the cooked side. Add a bit of minced onion or garlic if you like it and stir to brown. After a minute, add some soy sauce or wine. Stir to lift the browned bits off of the bottom and it will form a nice sauce. Serve over rice or pasta. It's a very simple dish. It works in a skillet too.

This message was edited May 3, 2007 7:10 PM

Thanks, everyone for all the tips and tricks!

Chicken is thawing as we speak, we have mushrooms,
soy sauce, hmm, what else do we have around here?
Rice, check.
Sesame oil, check.
Onions and garlic, check.

I'm starving! I'll go see what I can come up with.

Many thanks, all!

How did your 'wok' cooking experience turn out? one of the things I remembered is when Roger did the cooking with the 'wok' I wanted to 'walk' as well, mega cleaning...grease all over..lol

Well, I did cook last night, but didn't use the wok because I want
to make a special dish. I realized I didn't have any colorful veggies,
so I'll hit the store today. Besides, I want to buy some of those
nifty chinese utensils to cook with instead of our same old metal
things. I'm so excited about getting wooden pinchers and copper
strainers to go with it, LOL.

Betty, when my Roger (Roger Dale) is in the kitchen, it is the same thing.
A mess. He makes the best pot of beans, but guess who gets
to clean?

He tells me that he cleaned it already, but you know how that goes.
We have to come behind and fine tune the cleaning. :-)

we seem to run along the same line...Roger/Roger, dog called 'woofie'...new puppy 'Sohie'

Roger came from family of 11..3 girls 8 boys..all the boys love to cook, take after their father I guess..Roger would do b.b.q's for a few hundred people when I organized special events at the community centre..he'd rather cook for a crowd than just 2 or 3 and believe me even when he cooked for 2 or 3 there was enough for a crowd.. with left overs, he made t.v. dinners..he enjoyed it..I just hated it also when he did all the canning...standing there for hours upon hours..peeling tomatoes, getting skin off onions / boiling beets yuk....don't miss those days....when he passed, I donated his b.b.q. and smoker on wheels to locals snowmobile club..was a good choice..but my boys would have loved it now because they cook for big gangs as well...I'll have to search for photo's...

Maybe you'll get to use that 'wok' this weekend..did you not get a cookbook with it...know I have Roger's or at least I think I do..if so I'll post it to you..

We leave at 1 today so off I go shortly..will check the cookbooks that are packed away..maybe it will get me cooking..NOT...

Betty, this is getting more coincidental by the day.

Roger used to do big barbeque events, he even had a giant
smoker, which later became the city's possession because they borrowed
it so much. We have never asked for it back, because the city uses it
so much, so it would be silly for us to take it back when we couldn't use
it anymore. All those public function days are over...thank goodness!

The tomato canning thing, too. When I first met him, I was still in city mode,
so my thoughts were "Why bother with all that canning nonsense. It's cheaper
to just buy them." Well, I've changed since then, but I still don't like all the
mess and time that goes into such.

:-) Karen Marie

ohh to own a real wood smoker *LOL* how many gal's would love Santa to put that under the tree? It's been on my list for 3 years now and he keeps getting me jewelry!

Wuvie, are you sure you don't have my Roger..now tomorrow I really will try and take a few minutes and go through photo's ..you'll be amazed at his b.b.q. I even did canvas sides/top for it..remember that one night we were doing 200 lbs. of beef and the motor on rotisery went...my brother who does metal work went to the shop and created a handle type piece and we all took turn turning the meet...

Roger's parents owned some land not far from her in Waubaushene and to make additional money they did canning and perserves and sold them with fresh vegetables..did very well...I still have all Roger's recipe's should you ever want to try something new...i.e. pickles, chile, onions, green relish, compote etc.

Kyle just came and asked if he could sleep here with a friend, they are off to get their jammies so guess I'll not be going to bed so soon after all...

Well I'm tired, got home at 3 and the contractor gave me a list of purchases so I went into Midland, only 15 minutes from here to the new Home Depot..bought all the outdoor lights for the house, new underground hydro cable for the pond and then off to Canadian Tire.they have everything..I refrained from purchasing shrubs, which I so want, until the ladders are put away and roof completed..but, I did purchase 3 of those plastic Muskoka chairs for front deck until I buy a proper set...sure didn't take long to spend money...

Mike, my girlfriend's husband took my lawnmower to his house in the fall and did a service..returned it last month but I couldn't remember if when I buy gas if it had to be mixed..says all the equipment I've bought needs only straight gas..can't believe the yard already so maybe tomorrow or Sunday I'll cut..takes about 4 hrs..would like it done before next weekend because Greg's putting up the gazebo..so doing it now will make it so much easier...

Noticed some nice plants coming up around the pond..I'll also take them out hopefully tomorrow because if the contractor who is working next door comes to backfill, I'll get all those nice rocks and I'm sure he won't be watching the flowers..so eventually the plants will find a full time home...

The more we talk the more we find things in common..now what would your children's names be and what type of work did the two of you do?

Did you ever look at my photo's and see my handsome Roger...think there is a photo of him..top photo though looks a little sad..it was at our surprise 25th anniversary, who would know that the next day he'd fall ill and 3 weeks later pass away on New Year's day..I say you can see the jaundice in his skin and eyes, but hindsight is 20/20...I now remember all the telling signs he had but at the time didn't mean much..he went from 220 to 130 in 3 weeks, just a shell..cancer of the liver...

You can tell I'm tired because I'm rambling..have a nice evening, enjoy yourselves and we'll gab again...

I like to put chicken pieces in and just cook until they are seared, then add broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, red and green pepper slices, onion slices, mushrooms, and garlic. Stir fry it until it's just getting tender, not really done. Then I pour a bottle of Kikkoman's stirfry sauce on it and stir it up and serve over rice. It's pretty yummy.

If the kids aren't home I'll add some Chinese 5 spice, but the kids don't like it.

Found the 'wok' book, let me know if you want me to post some recipe's for you...

Joan, I love 5 spice, but my family doesn't care for it.
Love it, love it, love it!

Oh, Betty, my gosh, that is too sweet of you! But what can I do
for you in return?

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your Roger, Betty. A very
sad way to lose someone you love. ((HUG))

No need to thank me, I've 1/2 day at work Monday to play so I'll type them up and forward them to you..it's my pleasure...as well, if you like doing down old fashioned pickling etc. I'll include them as well..have nice weekend...

Found these wok recipes for you..

Beef Stir fry....using cheaper beef cut...

3 lbs top round steak or any other inexpensive cut of beef
3 - 4 tablespoons of peanut oil..flavoured with oriental spices (your choice)
1 lb. pkg. frozen vegetables - slightly defrosted so that ice crystals melt..drain
3 green onions with tops - sliced
1 - 8 ounce pkg white mushrooms - quartered
1 large onion - cut in 8 sections
1 tablespoon gingeroot, grated
1 - 8 ounce package of 'lo mein noodles'
1 tablespoon of la choy brown sauce
1 cup hot water
2-3 tablespoons of 'soy sauce'
1 tablespoon cornstart...

In a pan, saute steak to just brown in 2 tablespoons of peanut oil
Cook for approx. 10 - 15 minutes
Cook noodles as per package
Meanwhile, an a hot wok saute gineroot in 1 tablespoon of oil
Add carrots - cook for 2 minutes
Toss in cut-up onion, stir fry until translucent
Add slightly defrosted veggies, muchrooms, green onions and reserve some for garnish
Stir fry 4 minutes or according to package - DO NOT overcook
Add to wok the meat tenderized and drained noodles...
Mix Brown Sauce Base and hot water
Adjust the amount of liquid depending on how much gravy you want
To thinken, mix cornstarch until smoot and no lumps remain...gradually stir in wok mixture....

Fried Mushrooms with Honey & Soy...

Great with fried steak and/or steamed rice

1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon peanut oil
400 g. button mushrooms
200 g. swiss brown mushrooms
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon of honey
6 green onions (thickly sliced)
1 small red chili - de-seeded and chopped

Heat wok over high heat
Add sesame seeds and cook stirring for 2 minutes or until golden brown..remove -set aside
Add oil and mushroom caps - stir for 2 minutes
Add soy sauce and honey - stir fry 2 minutes or until muchrooms are tender
Add green onions and chili and sesame seeds and stir for 1 minute
serve...

Wok potatoes
4 med. potatoes, peel and slice into 1/2" round slices
6 large tomatoes, sliced 1/2" thick round slices
2 whole red chilies - chopped finely
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
Salt to tast
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Heat oil in wok
Toss in Red Chillies
Allow to splutter
Add cummin seeds and allow to sputter
Add tomatoes, potatoes and salt to taste
Do Not add water
Mix well, cover and cook until potatoes are tender when pricked with a fork
Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of cooked potatoes before serving

Braised Bourbon Chicken

1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 chicken breast halves
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter/margarine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)
1/4 cup currants or chopped raisins or both
4 orange slices - 1/2 inch thick

Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken breasts - dredge in flour

Melt butter in wok over med.heat, brown breasts on both sides..remove chicken

Add brown sugar, cornstarch and all-pice to wok, gradually stir in hot water.Reduce heat
and simmer stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth and thickened...

Stir in orange juice, bourbon, currants and/or raisins

Add chicken breasts to wok and place orange slice on each piece of chicken

Cover, simmer for about 35 minutes or until fork can be inserted into chicken with ease...

Serve bourbon sauce with chicken if desired...

With rushing out first thing this morning I forgot cookbook..but am sending you these in hopes you might try them...

Betty, OH MY GOSH, I hope you copied and pasted those
and not typed them by hand.

You are too kind, much too kind!

Many thanks!

KM