Weekend Wok

Stir-fry sauce, rice & dumpling calculators

What goes in when

Stir-fry timing planner

Tick what you're cooking, how many you're feeding and the burner you have. You get cut sizes, the order things go into the wok, how many batches to cook and when everything is safely done.

Protein
Vegetables

Your burner
Order No. 04Table for 4

Your stir-fry plan

About 17–24 minutes at the stove (ordinary gas hob). Prep everything first: once the wok is hot there is no time to chop.

Prep · cut to size

  • Chicken thigh (boneless)500 g17¾ ozBite-size pieces, about 2 cm (¾ in)
  • Broccoli150 g5¼ ozSmall florets, about 3 cm (1¼ in); slice the stalk thinly
  • Onion150 g5¼ ozWedges or thick slices, about 1 cm (⅜ in)
  • Bell pepper150 g5¼ ozStrips or squares, about 2 cm (¾ in)
  • Spring onions (scallions)150 g5¼ ozLengths of about 4 cm (1½ in), whites and greens apart

Cooking order · running clock

  1. Starts at about 0:00

    Heat the wok

    Heat the empty carbon-steel or cast-iron wok until a drop of water vanishes in a second or two, then swirl in 1–2 tbsp of a high-smoke-point oil. (Non-stick pan? Add the oil first and use medium-high heat.)

    1–2 min

  2. Starts at about 1:00–2:00

    Cook the chicken thigh 2 batches

    in 2 batches of about 250 g, 4–5 min each, 165 °F (74 °C) in the thickest piece. Lift out onto a plate.

    9–11 min

  3. Starts at about 10:00–13:00

    Hard vegetables: broccoli

    Stir-fry until bright and just tender, 3–4 min. Add a splash (1–2 tbsp) of water and cover for a minute if they need help softening.

    3–4 min

  4. Starts at about 13:00–17:00

    Medium vegetables: onion and bell pepper

    Stir-fry until bright and just tender, 2–3 min.

    2–3 min

  5. Starts at about 15:00–20:00

    Garlic, ginger and spring onion whites

    Push the vegetables aside, add a little oil to the gap and stir the aromatics in it for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

    30 sec

  6. Starts at about 15:30–20:30

    Leafy greens and spring onions: spring onions

    Stems first, leaves and spring onion greens for the last 30 seconds. 30 sec–1 min in all.

    30 sec–1 min

  7. Starts at about 16:00–21:30

    Sauce, slurry and toss

    Return the cooked protein with its juices, pour in the sauce and let it bubble. Stir the slurry and add it a little at a time, tossing for about a minute until glossy and everything is piping hot.

    1–2 min

Done when

  • Chicken thigh (boneless): 165 °F (74 °C) in the thickest piece

How the plan works

The planner allows about 125 g (4½ oz) of raw protein and 150 g (5¼ oz) of vegetables per person, shared between whatever you tick. Make the sauce first with the sauce builder, and have everything cut before the wok goes on.

Why batches? A home burner can't keep a crowded wok hot, so meat stews in its own juices instead of browning. Anything over a sensible amount for your burner is split into batches, with a minute between them for the wok to heat up again.

The order follows one simple rule: protein first, then lifted out; hard vegetables next, then medium ones; garlic and ginger for 30 seconds; leafy greens last; then everything back in with the sauce. The running clock adds the steps up, so you know roughly when to start the rice.

Times are ranges for thin, even pieces in a hot pan. Thicker pieces take longer, so trust the thermometer and the doneness notes over the clock.

Safe cooking temperatures

Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest piece. With thin strips, check two or three pieces from each batch.

Safe minimum internal temperatures (USDA FSIS) and visual cues (FoodSafety.gov)
Food°F°CNotes
Poultry165 °F74 °CAll chicken and other poultry, pieces or mince. Measure the thickest piece.
Minced (ground) meat160 °F71 °CBeef, pork, lamb and veal mince, and fillings made with it.
Beef, pork, lamb (steaks, chops, strips)145 °F63 °CWhole cuts, including strips cut from them. Rest 3 minutes before eating.
Fish145 °F63 °COr cook until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.
Prawns and shrimp——Cook until the flesh is pearly and opaque. FSIS lists fish and shellfish at 145 °F (63 °C).
Eggs——Cook until the yolk and white are firm. Dishes made with egg: 160 °F (71 °C).

Sources

Questions

Why does my stir-fry go watery?

Usually too much in the pan at once, a wok that isn't hot enough, or wet vegetables. Cook in batches, dry washed vegetables well and add the sauce at the end.

Can I use a frying pan instead of a wok?

Yes. On electric, ceramic and induction hobs a wide, flat frying pan often works better than a round-bottomed wok, because more of it touches the heat. Choose the electric burner option to get smaller batches.

Do I really need a thermometer?

It is the only sure way to know chicken and mince are done. Check a few pieces from each batch: chicken at 165 °F (74 °C) and mince at 160 °F (71 °C), as the USDA chart says.