Get ready to fry away y

Hayden Quinn shares his top tips for making the perfect stir-fry

STIR-FRIES are versatile, and can be made with virtually any type of meat. Here are some tips for selecting and preparing meat for stir-fries.

BEEF: Buy stir-fry strips or prepare your own from rib eye/ scotch fillet, fillet/tenderloin, sirloin porterhouse/new York, rump, boneless blade, round, oyster blade and topside steaks.

LAMB: Buy stir-fry strips or prepare your own from eye of shortloin/backstrap, fillet/tenderloin, round/ knuckle and topside.

VEAL: Buy stir-fry strips or prepare your own from leg steaks/schnitzels, eye of loin, fillet, boneless rump, boneless shoulder and breast.

MINCE: Mince is also great for a stir-fry. It cooks quickly and teams well with Asian sauces. PRE-CUT STIR-FRY STRIPS: If your butcher has pre-cut stirfry strips, ask about the cut they have used. Alternatively, you can ask them to prepare you some from your preferred cut.

Preparing your own stir-fry strips

Slice the beef, lamb or veal across the grain of the meat for a tender result.

Cut the meat into thin, even strips of the same thickness (about 7.5 x 1 x 1cm).

Debunking the marinating myth

Stir-frying is a quick cooking method and you want the preparation to be fast too. So rather than marinating meat to tenderise (which is unnecessary if the right cut of meat is selected), add a little of the flavourings or sauce ingredients to the meat strips and let the meat stand while you prepare the other ingredients. A table- spoon of oyster sauce and splash of cooking sherry add great colour and flavour.

Stir-fry success

Prepare everything you need before you place the wok on the heat.

Cut the vegetables into the same size pieces so they cook evenly and quickly.

It is best to add the oil to the meat strips rather than the wok. You use less oil and this method helps the meat brown well.

You can also add ingredients like a little soy or grated ginger directly to the meat.

Use peanut, grapeseed, sunflower oil or rice bran oil for stir-fried dishes. They all have good heating qualities and contribute very little flavour to the dish.

Mix and match different vegies

With beef, lamb or veal as your starting point, you can easily bring a variety to your stirfries.

Use a combination of red capsicum and green beans, or snake beans when they are in season.

Use shredded carrot and celery.

Add a small bunch of chinese broccoli or baby bok choy.

Use fresh asparagus or fresh whole baby corn.

Mushrooms of all types are good. Try a combo of sliced button, oyster and shiitake.

For more expert tips, visit lifestyle.com.au.