Stir-Frying, Frying

You can use a wok or the woklike pan from the Subcontinent called a karhai (see karhai) or a deep skillet for stir-frying. The process (familiar to many from Chinese cooking) involves heating a small amount of oil, adding flavorings, and then frying the main ingredients in the hot oil, keeping them moving around with a shovel-shaped metal spatula, pressing them against the hot surface of the pan to cook them, then lifting and moving them to prevent scorching (see Tamarind Potatoes, for example). In many cases in the Subcontinent the process takes place over less intense heat and is actually a cross between panfrying and stir-frying: The ingredients are moved around the pan, but with moderate heat, there’s less risk of scorching. See also deep-frying.