SEAFOOD STIR-FRIES
FRESH SEAFOOD WORKS WELL WITH A variety of flavors and is well-suited to stir-fries. Shrimp, scallops, and squid are all good choices because they cook quickly. Buy medium-sized shrimp, which can be left whole in stir-fries. Choose either fresh (which has almost always been frozen and then defrosted at the store) or frozen shrimp. Shrimp may be stir-fried in the shell, but they are easier to eat when shelled (and deveined if necessary) before cooking. Shrimp should be stir-fried until bright pink, about one minute.
Scallops and squid shed a lot of water when stir-fried and should be cooked in batches to keep them from stewing in their own juices. If you can find good-quality bay scallops, use them whole in stir-fries. Otherwise, select sea scallops and cut them into 1-inch pieces. With either variety, remove the tendon that is attached to the side of each scallop. It becomes unpleasantly tough when cooked. Scallops will cook in just forty to sixty seconds. For optimum browning on the outside, turn scallops only once when stir-frying them.
Whole squid, either fresh or frozen, may be purchased cleaned at many fish markets. The tentacles may be stir-fried as is, while the bodies should be cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rings. Uncleaned squid is sold in many markets, and is considerably cheaper. See figures 32 through 36, for instructions on cleaning squid. Do not cook squid for more than one minute, or you risk toughening it.
When choosing fish for a stir-fry, we prefer a mild-tasting but firm white fish such as sea bass. Thin fillets, such as sole or flounder, will fall apart. We find that oily fish, such as tuna or salmon, taste too distinctive to blend well with many sauces. Our preferred choice is skinned sea bass fillets that are cut into cubes. They will not disintegrate when stir-fried and are mild enough to work with powerful flavors such as ginger, garlic, and chiles. Cod also can be prepared in this fashion. Cubed fish will brown extremely quickly, in no more than forty to sixty seconds.