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Ingredients and Cooking Tips

In the pages immediately following are notes about nutrition, ingredients, substitutions, and some cooking tips that apply to many of the recipes contained in this book.

Meat, Poultry, Seafood, Fats and Oils, and Eggs

Meats Allow ¼ pound of uncooked, very lean meat, poultry, or fish per person. This will yield approximately 3 ounces of cooked meat (not including bone or fat).

Eat beef, lamb, and pork less frequently than poultry and fish. Pork is the preferred meat in Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese cooking, and insofar as fat is concerned there are no very lean cuts of pork. Fortunately, chicken substitutes satisfactorily for pork in most Asian dishes. Avoid duck, goose, fatty meats, bacon, sausages, luncheon meats, and organ meats such as liver and kidney. Choose lean cuts. Half the battle is won if you take care to trim visible fat, discard poultry skin, use as little oil as possible in cooking, and skim off and discard the fat that results from the cooking process.

Chicken Chicken provides high-quality, low-fat protein. Most of the fat is in and under the skin. Removing the skin and fat after cooking will cut your fat intake and calories considerably; removing the skin and fat before cooking will cut them even more. White meat has less fat and cholesterol than dark meat. Keep in mind that small young chickens are leaner than large older ones, so if you are planning a meal for a party, it's better to buy two small chickens than one big one. To estimate servings of uncooked chicken, on the average, half a medium chicken breast will yield approximately 3 ounces of cooked meat, as will a chicken leg (drumstick plus thigh).

Chicken and Beef Stock or Bouillon Stocks and bouillon can add large amounts of salt and fat to a soup. When unsalted chicken stock is called for in a dish, the recipe on page 10 in the Japanese section is recommended. There is also a recipe for beef stock on page 69 in the Korean chapter. Be sure to make the broth a day before you plan to use it to allow for defatting after refrigeration.

If desired, canned or powdered low-sodium chicken and beef stock or bouillon may be substituted. Canned stock should be refrigerated before the can is opened so that visible fat may be removed before using. To season canned stock, heat it with a slice or two of fresh ginger root.

Fish and Seafood Fish and seafood provide high-quality, low-fat protein with fewer calories than meat. Actually, up until recently it was widely believed that fatty fish and shellfish should be avoided, and the best choices were thus thought to be lean fish like sole and flounder. However, recent research reported in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that these fatty fish, with their high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, known as omega-3s, may be useful in lowering blood cholesterol levels and are therefore recommended as desirable substitutes for red meat once or twice a week. Moreover, shellfish, especially shrimp, are no longer prohibited from diets designed to lower blood cholesterol, because improved laboratory techniques have shown that they are not as high in cholesterol as was thought in the past. An important point to be made in comparing fatty fish with red meat is that the fat content of fish ranges from less than 1 percent to 13 percent. This is very different from the fat content of red meat, which ranges from 10 percent to over 30 percent. Thus, the fish with the highest percentage of fat is almost as lean as the red meat with the lowest.

The benefits of omega-3s notwithstanding, health practitioners warn against taking cod-liver oil or fish-oil supplements and derivatives. Their safety and efficacy have not been established, and some of these supplements may even have serious toxic effects. It is always more beneficial and more enjoyable to use the foods themselves rather than supplements.

Some seafoods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids include Atlantic mackerel, herring and sardines, blue fish, four varieties of salmon-rpink, chinook, red or sockeye, and coho—rainbow trout, lake whitefish, sablefish, American eel, European anchovy, Pacific oysters, New Zealand green mussels, squid, and striped mullet"albacore and blue fin tuna. Many of these, such as squid and fresh tuna, are more appreciated in other cultures than they are in the United States.

The cardinal rule to follow when preparing fish is that it must be very fresh and it must not be overcooked, A simple way to estimate cooking time is to measure the fish at its thickest point and cook it no longer than 10 minutes per inch. Keep in mind that fatty fish is more perishable than lean fish and should be cooked on the day it is purchased. If you are unable to cook any oily fish immediately, marinating is a good way to keep it for a day or two.

Squid Squid is widely appreciated in Asian and Mediterranean countries. It is caught along the southern Californian coast, but most of it is canned for export. Recently, it has begun to win favor in the United States, earning the affectionate title of the "poor man's abalone." It is an inexpensive protein food whose fat content is only about 1 percent and it is very low in calories. But its cholesterol content is high and varies dramatically depending on the season. On the average, after cleaning, it contains approximately 250 milligrams in 3 ½ ounces. To stay within the recommended allowances for cholesterol, it is suggested that squid be eaten only in small amounts.

If it is fresh, squid will be sweet-smelling and ivory colored (not yellow) beneath its spotted skin. Also, the transparent quill or center bone should detach easily. The tentacles are a substantial portion of the squid's edible meat and should not be discarded. The ink from the squid was an important source for Europe's ink, called sepia, until about half a century ago, when other dyes were invented.

In some countries, notably Spain and Italy, this ink is used as an ingredient in cooking. Arroz negro (black rice) is -rice cooked with squid, tomato, peppers, onions, and squid ink mixed with wine. It is served with a potent garlic-olive oil sauce. Spaghetti nero is al-dente cooked pasta that is served with a sauce made by sauteing minced garlic in olive oil and adding the squid ink and small pieces of chopped squid.

The maximum cooking time for stir-fried squid is three minutes. For moist cooking, baking, or stewing, at least 20 minutes are required to tenderize it. Do not marinate squid any more than 30 minutes, or the meat may soften too much; and be warned that it will taste bitter if vinegar or lemon juice is used.

Cooking Fats and Oils Safflower oil is preferable to other vegetable oils because it is lighter and has more polyunsaturated fat and less saturated fat than other oils. In this book, it is substituted for pork fat and lard, and for coconut oil, which is highly saturated. Ghee used in Indian cooking is similar to clarified butter, which is pure butter fat with all the milk solids removed. Safflower oil or polyunsaturated margarine takes its place. Avoid solid vegetable shortenings and substitute polyunsaturated vegetable oils and margarines. The total fat and calorie content may be the same, but the saturated fat content is much lower and there is no cholesterol in pure vegetable fats. Ideally, the oil or margarine should contain at least twice as much polyunsaturated (P) as saturated (S) fatty acids.

If the label shows a P/S ratio, it should be 2 to 1 or higher. Also, do not buy margarines that list "partially hydrogenated" or "hardened" oil as the first ingredient. The label should list liquid vegetable oil as the main ingredient. Avoid any product that contains coconut or palm oil. (See Fat-Cholesterol-Sodium Tables on pages 332-34.)

To cut down on the quantity of fat needed in cooking, Teflon- or SilverStone-coated nonstick pans are recommended because foods brown nicely in them without sticking, even when the smallest amount of grease is used. Do not heat fat to the smoking point. Fat that begins to smoke releases undesirable chemicals and should be discarded.

Eggs Eat no more than 3 egg yolks a week, including eggs used in cooking and baking. A single egg yolk has 265 to 275 milligrams of cholesterol, nearly the maximum amount recommended for an entire day. More than half the protein in eggs is in the white, which is free of fat and cholesterol and can therefore be eaten in unrestricted amounts. The yolk is nearly twice as rich in fat as it is in protein and has more than three times the number of calories found in the white. These facts should not be cause for giving up omelets. A very good one can be made with 1 egg yolk and 3 whites. Feed the unused yolks to your pets. They do not get atherosclerosis because unlike humans they excrete cholesterol.

Another alternative is to use an egg substitute. Commercial egg substitutes that are made from egg whites are available in the dairy section of the supermarket. Read the labels carefully, however, and do not buy any that contain coconut oil, palm oil, or other saturated fat. A recipe for an egg substitute based on one from an American Heart Association cookbook will be found in the Korean section under Fish Fillets and Vegetables Wrapped in Egg Batter on pages 75-76. Still another American Heart Association cookbook recommends an even simpler substitute: for each egg in a recipe, substitute 1 egg white and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. For recipes that require a lot of eggs, such as a sponge cake or a souffle, these substitutions will not work, though they will work for other cake and cookie recipes. Some experimenting may be required.

About Some Essential Ingredients Used in These Recipes

Black Pepper A native of India and Indonesia, black pepper is the berry of a tropical vine. It is green when immature and red and yellow when ripe. The berries are gathered before they are ripe and allowed to dry in the sun. The result is black peppercorns. Black pepper is lower down on the heat scale than chilies, but when sprinkled generously on food it wakes up the tongue and enhances the flavor of the food itself rather than overpowering it. Black pepper is used extensively in Asian cooking and is one of the main spices in the garam masalas of India. Perhaps larger amounts are added to these dishes than you are used to. If you wish, use a smaller quantity but keep your peppermill (not your salt shaker) on the table to add more if you need it.

Chili Peppers The chili pepper is an indispensable ingredient in Asian cooking. It was once thought to have been brought to Asia from the New World by way of Spain and Portugal, but some botanists believe that the plant, like com, was carried by pre-Columbian voyagers across the Pacific from the Americas. As a general rule, the smaller the size of a chili, the hotter it is. For example, the tiny, pea-sized chilies used in Thai and Indonesian dishes can be so excruciatingly hot that they will jolt the palate like an electric shock, bringing tears to the eyes and a searing blast to the nasal passages. Devotees of this chili swear that when the discomfort subsides, only pleasure remains. The amount used in a dish is a matter of taste. Not all palates can tolerate chilies. For me, too much chili is a palate-searing assault that overpowers all other tastes in the dish. There are many varieties of chilies with differing flavors and uses, but I have not specified which to use in these recipes, although fresh ones are preferable to dried ones. Serrano chilies are the choice of many cooks, though I prefer the Anaheim chili because it is milder. But chilies are notoriously unpredictable.

Even chilies of the same variety can vary drastically in heat and flavor depending on the soil they were grown in. When I do not have fresh chilies on hand, I resort to my supply of small dried red ones and usually use one or two at the most. Dried chili flakes are also very convenient and have a nice flavor. Both fresh and dried chilies are no longer difficult to find and are available in almost every supermarket.

A word of caution about handling fresh chilies. More heat is concentrated in the white ribs and seeds than in the flesh itself. So if the ribs are large enough they should be scraped away and discarded. You may want to wear a pair of gloves when cutting chilies as the chili oils may be irritating to your hands. Do not rub your face or eyes after handling them, as these oils will cause painful irritation. Dried chilies will provide almost as much heat and flavor as fresh chilies, but their effect on the skin is less irritating.

Coconut Milk An essential ingredient in the cooking of nearly all coconut-growing countries, coconut milk is used in soups, curries, and meat and fish dishes, as well as in sweets. It is not the delicious clear fluid found inside of a young coconut. Rather, it is the milky liquid extracted from grated fresh coconut or from dried (desiccated) shredded coconut. It has a unique flavor and richness that no other ingredient can duplicate exactly.

Twenty years ago it was almost impossible to find coconut in the United States except for the very sweet packaged variety used for desserts or the occasional wizened coconuts found in some markets. Today desiccated coconut is easy to find in many markets and health food stores. However, some visitors from Southeast Asia have commented that no dried shredded coconut they have bought in the United States is really satisfactory, because it has an unpleasant after-taste, which is a sign that the coconut is too old or rancid.

In the countries where it grows, they say, a coconut at this stage of life is called copra and is turned into coconut oil, the main cooking fat for many of the region's people, especially Muslims, who do not use pork fat. It is also used in the manufacture of soap, perfume, and face and hair creams. For the freshest taste and ease of preparation, unsweetened canned coconut milk, both fresh and frozen, is by far the best tasting. The brand that comes from Thailand, called Cheokoh, is superior, although one other, a frozen brand from the Philippines, is also good. It must be kept in mind that though it contains no cholesterol, coconut is high in saturated fat, which medical practitioners warn should be used in limited quantities in a low-fat diet. Keep in mind that there are about 280 calories, 25 grams of saturated fat, and 0.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat in one cup of coconut, an obviously unfavorable P/S ratio.

Substitutes for coconut milk: In these recipes, I have substituted lowfat yogurt wherever possible. However, if more authentic taste is desired, some coconut milk mixed with a similar amount of stock, water, or nonfat milk may be used. You can vary the amount further by changing the proportion of coconut milk to the diluting liquid. I have tried bottled coconut extract as a substitute for coconut milk and put a few drops of the extract in nonfat milk. While the result certainly gives a coconut flavor, it is too artificial for my taste. However, it may be worth trying if you wish to cut down further on fat. Though my preference is for low-fat yogurt, which has so many health-giving properties, buttermilk, which is marvelously tangy, is another good substitute for coconut milk and blends well with spicy sauces. Both yogurt and buttermilk are low in saturated fat and have a lot more flavor than nonfat milk, though they are decidedly different in taste from coconut milk. It is all a matter of individual taste and the choice is yours.

Please note that my book on Thai cooking (Siamese Cookery; Tuttle, 1965; p. 36), which recommended the use of sour cream as a substitute for coconut milk, gained the hearty approval of Thai friends living in the States. Though it does not resemble the taste of coconut, it is very delicious and has the rich, thickening effect of coconut milk. Unfortunately, it is too high in saturated animal fat to be considered for use in this book.

Making coconut milk: To make coconut milk from desiccated coconut, the quickest way is to use a blender. Mix 1 cup desiccated coconut with 1¼ cups very hot water and blend at least 30 seconds. Strain through a piece of cloth or fine sieve squeezing out all the moisture. This will be the richest coconut milk and will yield approximately 1 cupful. You may repeat the process using the same coconut pulp and 1¼ cups more hot water. Then discard the pulp. The yield will be thinner but still flavorful and with less saturated fat.

If you have no blender, combine the desiccated coconut and hot water in a bowl. When it cools, mix and squeeze repeatedly with your hands and then strain.

To make coconut milk from freshly grated coconuts, use warm water instead of hot. Proceed as above to extract the milk. Dishes with coconut milk should be stirred frequently and not allowed to boiL It is also best not to cover the pot, as drops of hot water that fall from the lid into the mixture may cause it to curdle.

Note: For those who wish to cut down drastically on saturated fat, no matter whether the coconut milk is hand extracted or ready made, it is recommended that you let the milk stand in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the rich layer to rise to the top, so you can skim off the cream, much as cream is skimmed off dairy milk.

Coriander Coriander is an indispensable herb in Asian cooking. All parts of the plant are used. The seed is used in blends of curry powder and the fresh coriander leaf—called Chinese parsley, Mexican parsley or cilantro—is used in soups and garnishes. It has a pungent, spicy taste and aroma that some find too strong. It is available in the produce sections of most supermarkets.

Garlic Almost every dish in this book has garlic in it. It not only imparts a marvelous flavor to foods, but also, as medical studies have shown, may have a wide range of health benefits as well. Related to the onion, leek, and shallot, garlic has been cultivated since ancient times and is believed to be native to southwest Asia. Mentioned over 5,000 years ago in Sanskrit, one of the world's first written languages, garlic was also a staple in the ancient Sumerian diet. Revered by the ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks for its curative powers, it was used in the treatment of a whole range of ailments ranging from headaches to tuberculosis. In ancient China garlic was worn to ward off the evil eye. It was even found entombed with King Tutankhamen. The Romans fed it to soldiers and slaves to give them courage and strength. It was thought to have protected garlic-eating French priests from contracting the Black Death from victims they attended, whereas English priests who reviled garlic caught the plague easily. By World War I, the British and Russians were using it to control infection, and the Germans used it to prevent gangrene. There are even claims made for its pesticidal properties.

In China and Japan it has been used for some time in the treatment of high blood pressure, and the Japanese food and drug administration has approved garlic therapy for this purpose. Garlic is also credited with antibiotic properties that inhibit the growth of certain fungi that cause disease.

I have learned all of this information and more by reading the daily press and several interesting books about garlic. Whether the curative powers of garlic are as all-encompassing as the reports indicate, the fact is that garlic is the one most indispensable ingredient to Asian and Mediterranean cooking. It is also important in Latin American cooking and was probably introduced there by Spanish arid Portuguese explorers. Northern European immigrants to the United States disdained it—with the exception of its use by the French—until the nineteenth century, when garlic-loving immigrants from southern Europe, the Middle East, and China changed the culinary climate of the country and began J;he trend that has given garlic the popularity it now enjoys.

The odor from garlic, which keeps many people from eating it, is the result of a chemical action activated by mincing and pressing the clove. The greater the damage to the cell membrane, the more it will smell. Slicing and bruising will produce less odor than mincing and pressing. Also, blanching or parboiling unpeeled garlic before using will render the garlic almost odorless, as will long cooking. Another way to combat garlic odor is to chew parsley or some other chlorophyll-rich green after eating it. (Perhaps the best way to cope with garlic's aromatic property is to get everybody you know to eat it!) Use at least the amount of garlic called for in the recipes, which specify that the cloves be large.

Ginger Root This fresh gnarled root, with an aromatic, sweet, spicy, penetrating taste, is another indispensable ingredient in Asian cooking. In the past it was available only in Asian grocery stores but now it is in the produce section of every supermarket. Peel and discard the brown skin and grate or mince the flesh. Powdered ginger cannot be substituted.

Lemon Grass Fresh or dried, lemon grass is an essential flavor in Southeast Asian cooking. It has a bulbous root and long thin bladelike leaves with a lovely lemony fragrance. It is a hardy plant and can be grown in a pot in almost any climate. A few inches are added whole to flavor a dish. Brewed in boiling water, the leaves make a wonderful herbal tea. Crated lemon rind and lemon juice is suggested as a substitute.

Mushrooms Only two varieties of dried mushrooms are used in these recipes. Dried Chinese and Japanese black mushrooms (shiitake), also known as "fragrant mushrooms," are shaped like an umbrella and have a unique flavor. They must be soaked before using and the soaking liquid is used as a stock in soups as well as in other dishes, in both Japanese and Chinese cooking. Another type of mushroom is shaped like an ear. The most common is variously known as "tree ear," "cloud ear," or "wood ear." (The Japanese name for it, ki-kurage, literally means "tree jellyfish.") It is prized not for its taste, which is almost negligible, but for its unique crunchy texture. It also must be soaked before cooking.

Noodles Four varieties of noodles have been used in the recipes in this book. They are available in Asian grocery stores and in some supermarkets. Cellophane noodles, or mung-bean threads, are thin translucent noodles made from ground mung beans and dried on looped skeins. The Japanese name for these noodles is hamsame [spring rain]. Rice vermicelli, or "rice sticks," are very thin rice-flour noodles. Udon are thick wheat-flour noodles used in Japanese cooking. Spaghetti may be substituted for udon. Sōmen, also used in Japanese cooking, are very fine white, wheat-flour noodles. Very fine vermicelli may be substituted for sōmen.

Pepper See black pepper, chili peppers

Rice Rice is the most important food in the Asian diet and a staple food for more than half the world. Chinese records of rice cultivation go back 4,000 years. There are countless varieties of rice, and, as any Asian cook can tell you, such facts as how old the rice is, where and how it was grown, as well as its color, flavor, aroma, tenderness, and stickiness make a big difference in how much satisfaction is derived from eating it. For example, in Japan, November, the month of harvest, is the time when rice (gohan) tastes best. It will take on a special name (shinmai [new rice]), and it will require less water for cooking than last year's crop.

Every country of Asia has its own standard of quality. Some like it dry and flaky, others prefer it sticky and glossy. Even the method of boiling rice varies widely from place to place. But besides its importance for centuries as the main sustainer of life, rice has deep religious and psychological associations.

In some Eastern languages, the words for rice and food (meal) are identical. Many ceremonies have arisen in connection with planting and harvesting rice based on the notion that rice has a spirit that must be propitiated. In some farming communities, even the cutting implement that is used to harvest rice may be sacred to the rice goddess and therefore cannot be forsaken for new and more efficient cutting methods. In Thailand, when the rice plants begin to seed, the Thai expression is that the rice becomes pregnant. In China, when one loses a job, it is referred to as "breaking one's rice bowl."

Only three varieties of rice are used in the recipes in this book: long-grain white rice, short or medium-grain Japanese rice, and long-grain brown rice. Basmati rice is suggested in the Indian recipes, but it is expensive and difficult to find. Long-grain rice becomes quite fluffy and the grains tend to remain separate after cooking, whereas short-grain becomes more sticky and the grains tend to cling to one another. Brown rice is gaining favor in the United States because a more health-conscious public is aware that many nutrients are lost in the polishing process. Strange as it may seem, in some Asian countries brown rice is scorned for human consumption and is used to feed livestock. Recently, however, some Chinese restaurants in California have begun offering brown rice on their menus. To wash or not to wash rice, that is the question. The debate goes on. I find it unnecessary and wasteful of nutrients, although Asian cooks will agree on nothing else. The amount of water required to cook rice varies depending on its age. In general, if rice is old and therefore very dry, more water will be needed. For more about rice, please refer to the recipes themselves.

Soybean Curd Bean curd, also known by its Japanese name, tofu, is a high-protain food made from soybeans. It has a delicate, custardy consistency and though quite bland on its own, it readily absorbs the flavors of other foods, making it a useful extender. In the United States it comes packed in water in plastic tubs, in soft, medium-firm, and firm consistencies. When it is labeled "regular" it is medium-firm. Rinse packaged curd after opening. Then cover with cold water and refrigerate for up to a few days, changing water daily.

Soy Sauce and Other Asian Condiments Asian condiments are loaded with sodium. Use a low-sodium alternative whenever possible, and, to ensure a measure of control over how much sodium you ingest, never pour soy sauce or any other condiment out of a bottle. Consult the Fat-Cholesterol-Sodium Tables (pp. 332-34) for an approximate idea of how much sodium these substances contain, and always use a measuring spoon. But before you add more of a condiment to a particular dish, consider adding instead chili pepper flakes, black pepper, Japanese pepper, seven-spice mixture, vinegar, or lemon juice. It is my contention that it is possible to dine on very appetizing meals and still keep within the American Heart Association guidelines for sodium.

Tamarind The brown acidic fruit shaped like a large broad bean that grows on the tamarind tree is widely used in Southeast Asian cooking. To make tamarind water, combine 2 to 3 ounces tamarind pulp with 1 cup boiling water in a nonmetallic bowl. Mash with a fork and soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain by rubbing through a sieve. Tamarind has such a fine tart flavor that it is worth making some effort to locate it if it is not readily available in your locality. It is possible to substitute the juice and rinds of limes or lemons, or vinegar, but the taste is not the same.

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Processed Foods Choose low-sodium and low-fat processed foods whenever there is an alternative. Read labels carefully. You may need your glasses because the print is usually too fine for the naked eye.

Cooking Tips

Utensils Most of the dishes in this book can be cooked with available Western utensils. Though a steamer would be handy, especially for cooking a whole fish, it is not essential, since one can be easily improvised. In a large tightly-covered pot or roasting pan, place two small heat-proof bowls or small empty tuna cans. On top of these bowls set the heat-proof food-laden plate. Add water to the pot but keep it at least two inches below the food. There must be enough space around the plate to allow the steam to rise and circulate freely.

Another important piece of equipment in an Asian kitchen is the mortar and pestle used to reduce' chilies and spices to a paste. An electric blender will give the same results in much less time though it may be impossible to pulverize small quantities of food in it without the addition of extra liquid. If you don't have a blender, or just do not want to take the trouble to use it, dishes will be just as good tasting if you simply chop things finely and mix them together before cooking.

Stir-Frying Some enthusiasts insist on using a wok, which is the basic Chinese cooking vessel. It is widely used all over Southeast Asia, its bottom fitting nicely into the open top of a charcoal brazier. Its shape, unchanged for centuries, is ideal for stir-frying, because food is easily turned over along its sloping sides. I find it impossible to use on an electric stove because its rounded bottom barely touches the -hot coils, making it impossible to heat it to a high enough temperature. A wok works better on a gas stove, but the fit is still not right. I am partial to nonstick skillets coated with Teflon or SilverStone because they permit stir-frying with a minimum of fat without ingredients sticking to the pan. But you can also produce perfect stir-fried dishes in a heavy cast-iron skillet, though more fat will be needed to keep foods from sticking. If you decide to use a nonstick pan, be sure to buy the largest size available to ensure that foods will not be crowded when they are being stir-fried.

In most Chinese cooking, all the pieces of food in a recipe should be cut about the same size and shape to ensure uniform cooking. Meat is sliced across the grain to make it more tender. Stir-frying requires a very hot pan and sizzling oil. When the ingredients are added there should be loud crackling and popping noises as they are briskly tossed and turned to keep them from scorching. The heat must remain high and the cook must resist any temptation to turn it down. Onions and garlic are usually stir-fried first to flavor the oil before introducing other ingredients. Cook the onion before adding the garlic, because garlic tends to burn easily. The basic process is quite simple, and the recipes are clear in stating how long each step should take. Cooking time rarely exceeds 5 minutes.

Much of the success and most of the effort required lie in the preparation. Everything you need to do for a particular dish—cutting meat and vegetables, measuring seasonings, and mixing sauces—should be carefully done ahead of time and the necessary ingredients should be placed in separate bowls within easy reach of the stove, because a delay in the cooking could lead to disappointing results. Foods are usually cooked in a certain order, those which take the longest being cooked first

A stir-fry cannot be made ahead of time, so you must be prepared to leave your guests for 5 minutes to do the cooking without interruption immediately before you sit down to eat. Each food must be cooked until it is just done and not a moment more. Vegetables must be crisp. Fish and meat must be succulent, never overdone and dry, and, needless to say, all the ingredients you use must be as fresh as possible.

A word of caution is necessary on how to avoid limp, soggy, stir-fried dishes. The smaller the quantity of food stir-fried at any one time, the better the dish will turn out. No more than a recipe for four should be attempted in one batch. If you double a recipe, cook each batch separately.

The stir-frying and steaming process results in many health benefits. The coating of food with hot oil seals in all the juices, flavor, and nutritional value of the ingredients while increasing their fiber content, and steaming removes less soluble fiber than boiling.

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Most of the nutrition data in this chapter came from the American Heart Association publications listed in the bibliography. The information in the section on garlic came from journal articles and books on garlic, which are also listed in the bibliography. The articles about the benefits of fish oils have been listed elsewhere.