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Why It Works
- The high-output flame of a kitchen blowtorch imparts the distinctive smoky aroma and taste of traditional wok hei that’s in any other case very tough to realize on a Western stovetop.
- Salting and draining the cucumbers earlier than cooking permits them to sear in a scorching wok fairly than steaming into mush.
- Stir-frying the mushrooms over excessive warmth offers them a tough sear, then simmering them in reserved cucumber juices cooks them by means of and imparts refined vegetal sweetness.
Cucumbers are an underrated and underutilized ingredient within the stir-fry world. The blazing warmth of wok cooking renders them tender, fruity, and juicy, with out turning them to mush. Right here, we give cucumber an additional layer of taste with the assistance of a kitchen blowtorch, which imparts smoky wok hei, an integral element to Chinese language stir-fry cooking. This recipe is a superb introduction to the advantages of our torch hei hack.
The succulent, flame-licked cucumbers are paired with meaty king trumpet mushrooms, and funky, salty, and spicy fermented bean curd for a vegetarian stir-fry that’s easy, however removed from fundamental.
February 2020
The Heating Hack That Makes This Veggie Stir Fry Shine
Cook dinner Mode
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2 English cucumbers (1 pound; 450g)
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Kosher salt
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2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
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10 ounces (280g) king trumpet mushrooms, halved lengthwise and reduce into 1-1/2 inch items
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1 garlic clove (5g), minced
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1 teaspoon (6g) fermented bean curd in sesame oil (see observe)
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White pepper
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1 teaspoon (2g) toasted sesame seeds
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Utilizing a pointy knife, halve cucumbers lengthwise, and scrape out seeds utilizing a spoon; reserve seeds in a small bowl. Halve cucumber items lengthwise, after which reduce cross-wise into 1 1/2-inch items. Switch cucumbers to a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon (4g) salt, and stir till properly coated. Let sit till cucumbers launch liquid, about quarter-hour. Drain cucumbers, reserving liquid. Pressure collected liquid within the small bowl with seeds by means of a fine-mesh strainer into the bowl with reserved liquid from the cucumbers; discard seeds.
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In a wok or giant carbon metal skillet, warmth 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil over excessive warmth till smoking. Add mushrooms and cook dinner, stirring incessantly, till browned on most sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Scale back warmth to medium, add reserved cucumber liquid, cowl, and cook dinner till mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes. Uncover, return warmth to excessive, and cook dinner, stirring incessantly, till liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute longer.
Critical Eats / Vicky Wasik
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Add remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil and stir in cucumbers. Cook dinner, stirring incessantly, till cucumbers start to brown, about 1 minute. Utilizing blowtorch, maintain flame 2 to three inches above skillet whereas stirring continually, till oil combusts and imparts smoky aroma, about 30 seconds. Stir in garlic and fermented bean curd and cook dinner till aromatic, about 30 seconds longer. Season with salt and pepper to style. Switch stir fry to serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve instantly.
Critical Eats / Vicky Wasik
Particular Gear
Carbon metal wok or carbon metal skillet, high-output kitchen torch
Notes
Fermented bean curd in sesame oil will be present in Chinese language markets or on-line.
Make-Forward and Storage
This dish is finest loved instantly.
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