Wok and Roll

Have you ever had to clean a Wok properly? Apparently I bought the proper type of Wok; however, they are kind of a pain to clean because you have to make sure you get the lacquers off before you can even use the thing. I followed the directions on my Wok: heat 1/4 cup cooking oil in the wok until it starts smoking...then, scrub your wok with steel wool using a wooden spoon while it's heating over the stove:

My God, I'm artsy.

Appetizing...I know.

Everything was going fine and dandy until I lifted my wok, proud as ever to find...

ABOH???!!!

GAH. I'm still trying to get this off my stove. What is it? Great question. I'm still figuring that out...

My advice? Check the bottom of your wok when you start heating it to make sure this isn't occurring underneath...and conclusively, if you're going to purchase a proper wok, don't say I didn't warn you.

But let's be for real...you're not here to listen to me vent about my wok debacle; you're here for the deliciousness! Last night's recipe-Chicken Stir Fry!

What you'll need:
-1 boneless, skinless chicken breast...or 2 breasts depending on how much chicken you want and what size the breasts are
-1/4 of a red bell pepper, diced
-4 cloves of garlic
-3 scallions, sliced on a bias
-1 carrot julienned
-1 small zucchini julienned
-Some asparagus cut up into 1" pieces
-1 small bag of Udon noodles cooked

If you don't have a wok, a regular pan will do. Before you even start cooking, portion out all your vegetables ahead of time; the prep work takes about as long, if not longer than the cooking itself.

Asparagus, zucchini, scallions, garlic, carrots, red bell pepper

Now, I'm one of those people that's an absolute freak about cleaning chicken for fear I will get poisoned or something. Everyone knows how to clean chicken, but my ritual is to wash it in cold water, then cut it up into long strips (you'll want it sliced thin for this recipe), and lastly dip it in lemon juice. The lemon juice is supposed to eliminate bacteria with it's acidity-I'm not entirely sure how much of that is true, but it helps me sleep knowing that I've "properly" cleaned the chicken.

Start heating your wok with about a tablespoon of oil. Once your chicken is cleaned and sliced you can throw it into the wok and start cooking it at medium temperature. Dad says to add one piece at a time so that they don't stick together. I just threw 'em all in and then separated them with my tongs. 

Bam!

As they are cooking, season with salt and pepper. Please feel free to get a handful of the salt/pepper at this point and pull an Emeril Lagasse, yelling "BAM!" When they are done, separate them onto a clean plate.

Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to the now empty wok and throw in your carrots and asparagus, stirring for about 2 mins. Add the bell pepper, garlic, and noodles to the wok and cook for 1 min. Add the remaining ingredients and stir fry for 1 min. Take that plate of chicken you put aside and add that to the wok, along with about a tablespoon of soy sauce. I personally like a little more soy sauce (2 tablespoons), so feel free to add as much as you would like. 

Stir fry so that everything is mixed together and lastly, add sesame seeds! (You can yell "BAM!" when you throw those in too...it will make your guests think you're more legit.)

Le finished product!

Dad says: "Can you feel the love? This dish will warm your soul and keep you healthy!"
I say: "Bring on the soy sauce."