Orange chicken and vegetable stir fry is a popular home-cooked Chinese food that takes a very short period to prepare. It contains vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and proteins that are in balanced proportions. It is a very excellent dish that other countries have adopted.
Preparing orange chicken and vegetable stir fry can be as confusing as one may fail to balance all the ingredients. Getting the right tools to use in the preparation is also hard as some tools are not readily available and are very expensive to buy. This pushes many people to buy this meal instead of making their own.
This article will act as a guide for users by providing them with the necessary tools used in the preparation and how they are used. It also states all the ingredients that are required and the detailed step-by-step procedure to be followed when cooking orange chicken and vegetable stir fry.
Tools used in the preparation of orange chicken and vegetable stir fry
1. A blender
This is a tool used to blend ingredients.
2. A food processor
It is also used to blend ingredients when one does not have a blender.
3. A skillet
This is a tool that is used for heating purposes.
4. A heatproof bowl
It is a tool used in a large bowl that is used to store hot food and prevent it from losing its heat.
5. Tablespoons and teaspoons
These are commonly used tools used for adding small amounts of ingredients.
6. Wok
It is a special tool that is usually used for heating purposes such as heating vegetables.
7. A cup
This is a tool that is used in measuring some ingredients such as green beans, water, and other ingredients.
8. A wooden spoon
This is a commonly used tool when stirring. Wood is the best-preferred material because it does not react with most of the ingredients.
9. An oven
This is a commonly used tool when cooking is to be done under regulated temperature. It is easy to use making it possible to be used by many people.
Ingredients
i. ¾ cup of orange juice
ii. 2 ½ tablespoons of soy sauce
iii, 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar
iv. 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
v.1 ½ tablespoon of orange zest
vi. 2 ¼ cloves garlic, large
vii. ¾ teaspoon of ginger, minced
viii. A sweetener like sugar, honey, agave, and many other, optional
ix. 2 tender pound chicken that is cut into equal cubes
x. I teaspoon of salt and pepper
xi. 2 ¾ tablespoons of cornstarch
xii. 4 ½ cups of chopped vegetables like broccoli, carrots, celery, mushroom, snap peas, and others.
xiii. ½ cup of olive oil
xiv. 1 ½ cups of chopped medium yellow onions
Procedure
1. Make the sauce by blending sauce ingredients in a blender or using a food processor for about 15 minutes.
2. Add the sweetener you want to the sauce and then taste it.
3. Stir or blend the new mixture for about five more minutes.
4. Use a large skillet to heat the sauce for 5 to 6 minutes with controlled medium heat.
5. When fully heated, transfer the sauce to a heat-proof bowl then rinse the skillet to clean it.
6. Use salt and pepper to season the chicken.
7. To the seasoned chicken, add cornstarch the massage the chicken with clean hands.
8. Boil your green beans or broccoli for 4 to 5 minutes to soften.
9. Put the vegetables on a plate that is lined with special paper such as a paper towel.
10. Dry the skillet by wiping it.
11. Use the dried skillet to heat 1 ½ tablespoon of oil using medium heat.
12. Add onions and chicken then heat for 5 to10 minutes to cook the chicken.
13. To the cooked chicken, add the remaining vegetables and fry while stirring for 2 to 3 minutes.
14. Add the sauce to the mixture of vegetables and chicken using a tablespoon while stirring until all the sauce is finished.
15. Give a break of 15 minutes after every tablespoon of sauce is added to the vegetable-chicken mixture.
Methods used to preserve orange chicken and vegetable stir-fry
1. Thorough dehydration
The food should be dehydrated to keep it dry. Dry food has low chances of having bacteria and other microorganisms as they cannot survive in such environments.
2. Storing the food in a refrigerator
The food can simply be stored in a refrigerator to preserve it. The cool temperature in the fridge does not allow bacteria and other microorganisms to survive.
3. Canning
Canning is another good method to preserve food. It used steam to kill all bacteria and microorganisms that could make the food decay. It is done frequently like daily to ensure that the food stays safe.
4. Pickling
In this method, the food is stored in salted brine for a specific duration of time to preserve it. The food may change its texture but not very much. The food is also fermented in this method thereby boosting the vitamins such as vitamin B6.
You might be interested to read also our another delicious recipe of: Prepare Proper Cajun Chicken- Easy Recipe
Frequently asked questions:
- Question 1: Why is it advisable to maintain the wok at a high temperature?
Solution
The high amount of heat maintained in the wok enables the first cooking of vegetables thereby making the vegetables retain their crunchiness and bright color.
- Question 2: What are the two main tips to be taken care of when preparing orange chicken vegetables?
Solution
You are not supposed to start with high heat because chicken may stick to the walls of the wok. Then stirring should be done regularly to ensure that ingredients are mixed as required.
Conclusion
Chicken is one of the most liked dishes in the world. It can be prepared in so many ways using different ingredients. Orange chicken and vegetable stir fry is a chicken product meal that is fried using vegetables and other spices.
This meal is very healthy. It contains vitamins, mineral salts, proteins, and carbohydrates in balanced proportions. It should not be taken in large quantities as it may cause obesity, high blood pressure, brain-related problems, and other defects.
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