Quick Stir Fry

Quick Stir Fry

per person

The Chinese sure know a thing or two about quick cooking. If you’re new to stir frying, checkout ‘How to Stir Fry‘ on Stonesoup .

150g-200g (5-6oz) protein, finely sliced
1/2-1 tablespoon aromatics
250-300g (7-10oz) vegetables, chopped
1-3 tablespoons sauce
small handful garninsh / highlight

1. Heat a wok on a fierce heat.

2. Add a little oil and stir fry the protein and aromatics until no longer pink. Remove from the heat and place in a clean bowl.

3. Add the vegetables and stir fry until they are wilted or tender – a few minutes for leafy veg like bok choy, 5 minutes or more for crunchy veg like carrots.

4. Return the aromatics and protein to the pan. Add the sauce. Stir fry for another few seconds or until everything is hot. Taste. Season.

5. Remove from the heat. Serve sprinkled with the garnish / highlight.

Variations

protein -minced (ground) meat – beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, pork, veal, buffalo.

tender cuts of meat, finely sliced across the grain – steak, eye fillet of beef (fillet mignon), lamb fillet or backstraps, pork fillet, pork shoulder, chicken breast, chicken thighs.

veggie protein – tofu, cashews, almonds, setian, eggs (cook as an omelette in the base of the wok then slice and stir through at the end), cooked or canned lentils, cooked or canned beans.

aromatics – use one or a combo of finely chopped fresh red chilli, garlic and/or ginger. Deseed the chilli if you’re sensitive to heat. OR double it if you like it hot!

fresh veg – use one or a combo of zucchini, carrots, red capsicum (red bell peppers), bok choy, choy sum, other asian greens, spinach leaves, green beans, snow peas (mange tout), shaved cabbage, broccoli, broccolini, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, fennel, witlof (belgian endive), asparagus.

cooked veg – root veg are best pre-cooked – either simmered or roasted in bight sized chunks. Try beets, parsnip, swedes, sweet potato, pumpkin.

sauces (asian) – my go-to stir fry sauce is just soy or tamari (a gluten-free soy). Other times I use oyster sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce or sriracha (chilli sauce).

sauces (non-asian) – don’t feel like your stir fry has to have an asian vibe. Try worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce or pesto.

herby garnish / highlight – try fresh coriander (cilantro), basil, mint, parsley, oregano, chives, green onions or even thyme.

crunchy garnish / highlight – nuts especially cashews or almonds, super finely sliced red onion, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds.

other garnish / highlight – sesame oil, pesto, extra chilli.

serve – straight up in little bowls with chopsticks. Or with steamed rice or cauliflower ‘rice’.

fiery – serve a side dish of chilli sauce or chilli oil.

more substantial – toss in some cooked noodles, lentils, chickpeas or steamed rice. And cook until hot.

Leftover Potential?

OK. But best when hot from the wok. Just keep in the fridge for up to a week or two and reheat in the wok or frying pan. You could freeze but it’s not going to help the texture.

Problem Solving Guide

tough protein – it’s super important to use a tender cut of meat, or ground meat with stir frying. Cutting the meat as thinly as possible across the ‘grain’ (or muscle fibres) makes a big difference too. Over cooked meat will be tough and dry so make sure you only cook it for long enough to change the colour. Unfortunately there isn’t really anything you can do to ‘fix’ tough meat. Another cause is if the heat isn’t hot enough or if you add too much food to the wok and it ‘stews’ or simmers rather than being seared. If you find this happening, stop and remove the food from the wok. Start again and cook the food in batches.

burning – you’re not stirring fast enough! Adding the sauce too early can cause it to burn as well.

veg too crunchy – it’s important to finely slice your veg so they cook as quickly as possible.

too bland – season with more sauce or salt & pepper.

to dry – try adding a litte more oil or sauce or both.

Serving Suggestions

Best served HOT straight from the wok in bowls with chopsticks.

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