Frywall Recipes

Frywall Fridays has returned! After a brief hiatus to spruce up our test kitchen (can you believe the reno ran late?! Who ever heard of contractors missing a deadline?!), we're back with a bang. Or rather a pao.

Kung Pao Chicken is a staple of Chinese restaurants in America, but don't be fooled. It's the real deal that traces back to China. The heat in the dish comes from fiery dried red chiles and the singular, mentholated bite of Sichuan peppercorns. Throw in some soy sauce for saltiness, a hint of honey for sweetness, and black vinegar and rice wine for sourness, and you have a balanced and aromatic dish that's done in under 30 minutes. But how spicy is it? Well, you decide. Use five chiles for relatively mild, ten chiles for relatively painful, fifteen chiles for call the relatives, I'm dying.

Yair's mother came to visit and showed us how to make her original Hungarian-inspired chicken dish. Crispy, browned chicken thighssimmer and stew with fresh cabbage and pungent sauerkraut. Dinner is served.

Pad Thai is the national dish of Thailand and a favorite at Thai restaurants everywhere. Like most Thai dishes, Pad Thai is all about the balance of contrasting flavors: sweet, sour, savory, and funky–or whichever adjective you prefer for the singular punch of fish sauce that gives this dish its signature pungency. Though the list of ingredients here is rather long, the technique isn't difficult, and it's customizable to suit your tastes. Our version here is made with chicken, but don't be shy about substituting in shrimp, beef, or tofu. We love making it at home because we can control how much oil and sugar go into the recipe. And, of course, because we love to cook!

Chinese fried rice is a brilliant way to transform leftover rice and a few fresh ingredients into something delectable. This recipe provides a basic blueprint with lots of opportunity to customize based on your tastes and what you have in the fridge. Whether or not you have a wok, you'll want to use a Frywall so you can stir and mix without making a mess.

Mushrooms are to early fall what tomatoes are to summer, and few dishes put mushrooms on more fulsome display than poulet chasseur – hunter’s chicken. Fungi give body and depth to this rich braise, but retain their own bite-size integrity. We used shiitake this time around, but you can use crimini, porcini, maitake, or any other fleshy mushroom. The recipe’s other key is pan-sautéing the chicken on high heat. This splatters a ton, so you definitely want to deploy your Frywall.