| Stir-frying is an Asian technique for cooking meat and | | | | other foods of Asian countries, its origins can be |
| vegetables quickly so that they retain texture and | | | | traced back to China. Pad Thai has a long list of |
| flavor. Stir-frying typically involves a quick sauté over | | | | ingredients that are layered into a hot wok to build the |
| high heat, occasionally followed by a brief steam in a | | | | characteristic sweet and spicy flavor of most Thai |
| flavored sauce. | | | | food. Ingredients include rice noodles, eggs, fish sauce, |
| Although the regional cuisines of China and other Asian | | | | tamarind juice, red chili pepper, and bean sprouts. |
| countries vary in flavors and ingredients, the unifying link | | | | Proteins like shrimp, chicken or tofu are precooked and |
| between them is the wok as the primary cooking | | | | added to the mixture toward the end of cooking. |
| vessel. The wok evolved centuries ago as a result of | | | | A Sacramento Chef Career Making Stir Fry |
| fuel shortages. Its rounded shape and long sloping | | | | When cooking stir fry it is important to prepare |
| sides provide an extended cooking surface, which | | | | ingredients prior to cooking. The extremely short |
| may be heated to very high temperatures with little | | | | cooking times make it impossible to do any prep work |
| fuel. | | | | once any of the ingredients hit the heat. Dice all |
| Although the wok is most commonly associated with | | | | proteins and slice all vegetables even before putting |
| the technique of stir-frying, it can be used to deep-fry, | | | | the heat to your wok. Any sauces should be |
| braise, roast, steam, and simmer. It is one of the most | | | | pre-mixed as well. Once all preparations are made you |
| versatile cooking tools in the world. | | | | are ready to begin cooking. |
| Asian Influence on California Chefs | | | | Stir fry is simple yet demanding cooking style that |
| California has a very diverse immigrant population that | | | | requires practice and preparation. It is one of the best |
| includes nearly every nation along the Pacific rim. Large | | | | ways to present organic, locally-sourced California |
| cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco have | | | | produce. Learning the art of stir fry can help bring |
| well-known Asian neighborhood like Chinatown, | | | | freshness to menu selections of almost any |
| Koreatown, and Little Tokyo. As a result of the | | | | professional California chef. |
| influences of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, | | | | This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of |
| and Japanese cultures on California cuisine, many | | | | Culinary Arts in Sacramento. Le Cordon Bleu College |
| California chefs are well versed in these very | | | | of Culinary Arts in Sacramento offers Le Cordon Bleu |
| traditional Asian cooking styles. | | | | culinary education classes and culinary training |
| Of all of the Asian cooking techniques, stir fry is a | | | | programs in Sacramento, California. To learn more |
| perfect fit for California cuisine. The fast cooking times | | | | about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu |
| and the sparing use of fats make stir fry a favorite of | | | | Sacramento for more information. |
| health conscious diners. The use of simple, fresh | | | | The jobs mentioned are examples of certain potential |
| ingredients and complex, layered flavors make it a | | | | jobs, not a representation that these outcomes are |
| favorite of foodies everywhere. | | | | more probable than others. Le Cordon Bleu College of |
| One of the most famous stir fry dishes is pad thai, a | | | | Culinary Arts Sacramento does not guarantee |
| national dish of Thailand. Pad Thai translates as | | | | employment or salary. |
| “Thai-style stir-fried noodles.” Like many of the | | | | |