xào nấu
Definition
- Verb:
- To stir-fry: A primary cooking method where ingredients are quickly fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred or tossed in a wok or pan.
- To cook (generally): More broadly, it can refer to the act of cooking, especially involving frying or sautéing techniques.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Cô ấy đang xào nấu rau củ trong bếp. (She is stir-frying vegetables in the kitchen.)
- Xào nấu cần có lửa to. (Stir-frying requires high heat.)
- Anh ấy rất thích xào nấu các món ăn Việt Nam. (He really enjoys cooking Vietnamese dishes.)
Advanced Usage
- The term can be used figuratively to imply manipulating or "cooking up" plans, stories, or schemes, though this is less common.
- Họ ngồi xào nấu một kế hoạch mới. (They sat and cooked up a new plan.)
Variants and Related Words
Xào (v): Specifically to stir-fry. This is the core action within "xào nấu."
- Xào thịt bò với hành tây. (Stir-fry beef with onions.)
Nấu nướng (v): To cook, to do general cooking tasks. This is a broader term.
- Cô ấy dành cả buổi chiều để nấu nướng. (She spent the whole afternoon cooking.)
Synonyms
- Stir-fry: To fry quickly while stirring.
- Sauté: To fry quickly in a little fat.
- Cook: To prepare food using heat.
Related Idioms
- Đầu bếp xào nấu: A chef cooks. This is a literal phrase, not a strong idiom, but it demonstrates common usage.
- Đầu bếp xào nấu rất điêu luyện. (The chef cooks very skillfully.)