Wok Cooking

Index

An essential piece of cookware I've been lacking is a wok. Now I've finally bought one, I've gone quite stir-crazy! As well as feeling good to cook with (the sheer size allows easy movement of the food), the food actually tastes better and the recipes are very quick to reach the plate, never more than 45 minutes. This page is devoted to my personal wok recipes, whether wholly original or my own interpretation of classics.

All recipes serve 2, often generously!

Re-created from 20-odd year old memories, this really does a pretty good emulation.

Ingredients

2 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
2 onions, peeled, halved and sliced
1½lb/680g mushrooms, sliced
small can bamboo shoots, drained
5 fl oz/140ml strong stock
3 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp cornflour
a little cold water

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in the wok to a medium heat and add the onions.
2. Cook till transparent then add the mushrooms, turn up the heat a little and cook, stirring often, untill they release their juices.
3. Continue to heat until just cooked through then add the bamboo shoots, stock and tamari.
4. Stir the cornflour into a little cold water then add this to the wok and heat till the liquid boils and thickens.
5. Serve with home-cooked chips for the authentic experience.

A quintessential wok dish and perennial favourite.

Ingredients

2 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 onion, peeled, halved and sliced
1 stalk celery, diagonally sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diagonally sliced
small pack (6oz/170g) sugar-snap peas
6oz/170g mushrooms, sliced
small can bamboo shoots, drained
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1"/2.5cm root ginger, grated
can beansprouts, drained
5 fl oz/140ml strong stock
3 tbsp tamari
3 tbsp dry sherry
1 tbsp sugar or sweetener
1 tbsp cornflour
a little cold water
7oz/200g wholewheat spaghetti, broken into about 6"/15cm pieces,
   cooked according to instructions and drained

Instructions

1. Heat the oils in the wok to a medium heat and add the onion, celery and carrot.
2. Stir-fry briefly then add the peas and stir-fry for a further 3 minutes before adding the mushrooms.
3. Continue to heat until just cooked through then add the bamboo shoots, garlic and ginger.
4. Stir fry briefly then add stock, tamari, sherry and sugar/sweetener. Stir the cornflour into a little cold water then add this to the wok and heat till the liquid boils and thickens.
5. Add the beansprouts, heat through then stir in the drained noodles and mix well.

Hugely tasty - the TVP absorbs the marinade nicely and completes any extra absorption during the final cooking.

Ingredients

4oz/115g TVP dried chunks, reconstituted in half the suggested 
   volume of stock
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 onion, cut into thin wedges axially
1 carrot, halved lengthways and thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Marinade:
2 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp mirin
1½ tsp sugar or sweetener
1 tsp wasabi powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp sesame oil

Sauce:
5 fl oz/140ml strong stock
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp cornflour, mixed with 1 tbsp cold water

Instructions

1. Mix together all the marinade ingredients and pour over the part-reconstituted TVP chunks.
2. Heat the sunflower oil in a wok and add the onion, carrot and celery, stir-frying at medium-high heat until beginning to brown.
3. Turn down the heat and add the garlic, stir-frying briefly.
4. Add the TVP chunks and mix.
5. Mix together the first three sauce ingredients and add to the wok, heating through until simmering.
6. Stir in the cornflour mixture and stir until thickened.
7. Serve with plain basmati rice.

Piquant TVP chunks and vegetables in a nutty sauce.

Ingredients

Stir-fry:
4oz/115g TVP dried chunks, reconstituted in half 
   the suggested volume of stock
juice of a lime
Tabasco, to taste
3 tbsp walnut oil
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
3 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
1 green pepper, cut into short strips
1 red onion, halved, sliced and then cut into thirds
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

Sauce:
two-thirds quantity enchilada sauce (minus the garlic)
1 tbsp peanut butter

To serve:
4oz/115g basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
handful coriander leaves

Instructions

1. Make a marinade from the lime juice, Tabasco, walnut oil and finely chopped coriander.
2. Add this to the partly reconstituted TVP and allow for complete absorption.
3. Heat the groundnut oil in the wok then stir-fry the green pepper and red onion till almost cooked.
4. Add the garlic, stir briefly then add the TVP chunks and turn down the heat a little to prevent sticking.
5. Mix the peanut butter into the enchilada sauce and add to the wok to heat through.
6. Meanwhile, cook the rice.
7. Serve the stir-fry against the rice, garnished with the coriander leaves.

Further experiments with tempeh: its ability to take on marinade flavours, as well as providing its own oddly compelling, slightly sour hint-of-peanut-butter taste, makes it especially versatile.

Ingredients

1 pack (8-10oz/225-280g) tempeh
2 tsp grated root ginger
3 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
1tbsp sesame oil
12oz/350g mushrooms, halved or quartered
4-6 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp miso, thinned to a stock with 4 fl oz/100ml warm water
2 tbsp tahini
1oz/25g flaked almonds, toasted
7oz/200g wholewheat spaghetti, broken into 4-6"/10-25cm
   lengths and cooked according to instructions

Instructions

1. Toss the tempeh cubes with the ginger and tamari and allow to stand for at least 20 minutes.
2. Heat the oils in the wok and stir-fry the mushrooms till just releasing their juices.
3. Add the tempeh and continue cooking then add three-quarters of the spring onions and half the almonds.
4. Mix the tahini with the miso stock and add this, then finally the cooked noodles.
5. Heat through then serve topped with the remaining almonds and spring onions.

Simple and delicious use of what is rapidly becoming a favoured ingredient.

Ingredients

1 pack tempeh
2"/5cm root ginger, grated
4 tbsp tamari
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
3 fl oz/100ml water
½ tsp vegan Bouillon powder
2oz/50g creamed coconut
3 tbsp peanut butter
zest and juice of half a lime
few dashes Tabasco sauce
3 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
1 red onion, peeled, halved and sliced
small can water chestnuts, drained and halved
½oz/15g fresh coriander, leaves only

Instructions

1. Cut the tempeh into bite-sized cubes and marinate for at least 30 minutes in half the ginger and 3tbsp of the tamari.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a small pan and briefly sauté the remaining ginger and the garlic.
3. Add water, Bouillon powder and creamed coconut and heat, mashing the coconut till completely amalgamated.
4. Add more water if necessary to preserve a paste-like consistency.
5. Now add the peanut butter, lime zest and juice, remaining tamari and Tabasco.
6. Mix well and heat through.
7. Now heat the oil in the wok to medium high heat.
8. Add the onion and stir-fry for a couple of minutes.
9. Add the tempeh and water chestnuts and continue stirring.
10. Finally, add the sauce, mix well and serve with plain basmati or jasmine rice.

Basic tasty and nutritious stir-fry.

Ingredients

5 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
1 pack smoked or flavoured tofu, pressed if necessary
1 each red and yellow peppers, de-seeded and cut into 2"/5cm strips
1 pack pak choi, sliced across, leafy parts separated
8oz/225g spaghetti or noodles of choice
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1"/2.5cm piece fresh ginger root, grated
3 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp tamari

Instructions

1. Cube the tofu. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil for the noodles.
2. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil to medium-high in the wok and stir-fry the tofu cubes till beginning to colour. Remove and set aside.
3. Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining oil.
4. Add the chopped peppers and pak choi stems and gently stir-fry for 5 minutes.
5. At this point, cook the noodles according to instructions. Drain when complete.
6. Add the pak choi leaves to the wok and continue stir-frying for 3 minutes.
7. Add the garlic and ginger and continue stir-frying for 3 minutes.
8. Add the sesame seeds, the tofu and the cooked noodles plus the tamari. Heat through and serve.

Totally original recipe that packs a real taste punch.

Ingredients

2 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
1 pack (10oz/280g) smoked, herb or sesame and almond tofu, cubed
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and chopped into 1"/2.5cm lengths
4oz/115g cashews
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1"/2.5cm root ginger, grated
1 heaped tbsp tahini
2 tbsp tamari
a little water (as required)

Instructions

1. Make a sauce by mixing together the tahini and tamari.
2. Thin if necessary with a little water to a pourable consistency.
3. Heat the oil in the wok then add the next three ingredients.
4. Stir until the spring onions begin to wilt and the cashews show brown spots, then add the garlic and ginger and stir briefly.
5. Add the sauce, lower the heat and stir till heated through.
6. Serve with plain basmati or jasmine rice.

The flavour of stir-fried red peppers is quite superb.

Ingredients

6-8oz/170-225g French beans, topped and tailed
2 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
2 red peppers, seeds removed and cut into long strips
1 pack smoked or flavoured tofu, cubed (press if waterlogged)
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1"/2.5cm piece fresh ginger root, grated
3 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp tamari
3 tbsp strong stock
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp cornflour
a little water

Instructions

1. Steam or blanch the beans till almost tender. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in the wok to medium-high and stir-fry the peppers for a few minutes.
3. Add the beans and continue, then the tofu.
4. Mix the stock, tamari and rice vinegar.
5. Add the garlic and ginger to the wok, stir briefly, add the sesame seeds then finally the stock mixture.
6. Mix the cornflour with a little water then add this to the wok and stir till thickened.
7. Serve with plain basmati or jasmine rice.