Skill 13 of 16

Stir-frying

Everything chopped first, then fast and hot.

What it means

Stir-fry

Stir-frying means cooking small pieces fast over high heat in a little oil, stirring almost constantly. It moves quickly, so have everything chopped and ready before the pan gets hot.

How you’ll know: It sizzles loudly the whole time, and the vegetables turn bright and tender-crisp in minutes.

Shimmering oil

Oil shimmers when it’s hot enough to cook: its surface looks rippled and wavy, like heat over a road. That’s your cue to add the food, just before the oil would start to smoke.

How you’ll know: The oil looks wavy and runs thin like water when you tilt the pan, with no smoke yet.

Slurry

A slurry is cornstarch or flour stirred into a little cold water until smooth. Stirred into a simmering sauce, it thickens it within a couple of minutes without lumps.

How you’ll know: It looks like milk with no lumps, and the sauce turns glossy and thick once it bubbles again.

Tender-crisp

Tender-crisp means vegetables cooked until just tender but still with a little snap. They keep their bright color and crunch instead of going soft and dull.

How you’ll know: A fork goes in with slight resistance, and the color is bright, not olive or gray.