A wok is an essential and versatile part of my travelling kit. Woks can be used to create delicious and nutritious meals using methods such as stir frying, deep frying and steaming.
Wok Prawns with a Spicy Sauce
The prawns in this recipe are left unpeeled. You peel them when you eat them so plenty of paper napkins or paper towel is a must.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
The following quantities will serve four
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 500g green prawns, unpeeled
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 green shallots, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp chilli sauce or chilli bean sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the unpeeled prawns and stir fry for a couple of minutes or so until the prawns turn pink. Remove them from the wok and place on a plate to one side.
Put the ginger and garlic into the hot wok in which you cooked the prawns and stir fry until fragrant. Then add the green shallots and chilli sauce (or chilli bean sauce). Stir together and then return the prawns to the wok.
Lower the heat to medium and add the cooking wine, sugar, soy sauce and chicken stock. Stir gently to combine and then cook for a further minute.
Your Wok Prawns are now ready to serve.
Beef with Onions and Broccoli
The following recipe uses three different types of onions to provide a rich flavour.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
The following quantities will serve four
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
- 200g rump steak, sliced thinly
- 2 onions, peeled and finely sliced
- 4 green shallots, cut into 2cm lengths
- 2 golden shallots, peeled and sliced (optional)
- 200g broccoli, cut into small florets
- 400ml coconut milk (low fat/light if you prefer)
- Zest of 1 lime
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
Heat the vegetable oil in your wok over a medium-high heat. Add the Thai green curry paste to the hot oil and stir fry for a couple of minutes.
Now add the sliced steak (in batches so the curry-flavoured oil stays hot) and stir fry until the steak starts to brown. Add the sliced onion, green shallot pieces and sliced golden shallots and stir fry the steak and onions for about three minutes.
Add the broccoli florets to the wok and stir fry for a further three minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk, add the lime zest and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for about five minutes or until the steak is tender and the liquid has thickened slightly. Stir in the chopped coriander leaves.
Serve the Beef with Onions and Broccoli with either steamed rice or noodles.
Stir Fry Vegetables with Spicy Peanut Sauce
This recipe can be served as a meal by itself or as a side dish to barbecued meat or seafood.
Preparation time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
The following quantities will serve four
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 green shallots, finely sliced
- 1 carrot, cut into small batons (or julienned)
- 2 zucchini, cut into cubes
- 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
- 250g mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp crunchy peanut paste
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 2-3 tbsp water
Heat the oil in the wok over a medium-high heat. Add the green shallots to the wok and stir fry for a minute before adding the carrot and zucchini. Stir fry together for another minute and then add the broccoli. Continue to stir fry for another minute. If you are going to add tofu, do so at this point.
Add the mushrooms to the wok and stir fry until they have softened and at least half of the liquid the mushrooms produce has evaporated. It may seem like a heap of mushrooms but they cook down considerably.
Now add the peanut paste to the wok and stir gently through. Pop in the dried chilli flakes and water, stir gently and continue to cook for a further minute.
Serve with either steamed rice or noodles.
The full feature appeared in Caravan World #553 July 2016. Subscribe today for the latest caravan reviews and news every month!