We eat a lot of stir-fry in our house. It is a quick, healthy, delicious and versatile dish to fix. I love making stir-fry the night before I head to the grocery store. It helps me use up what is left before I purchase new things for the week.
I just love a good stir-fry. They are so easy to make and can be put together a million and one ways. They’re an excellent way to use up those random vegetables in your fridge that you’re just not sure what to do with before they start going bad.
A lot of times I will use frozen veggies, especially during the winter. I typically use broccoli, peas, a bell pepper, carrots, onions, and cauliflower. The options are really endless though. My husband loves it when I add bok choy and water chestnuts for a little extra crunch.
If you don’t have stir-fry on your regular meal rotation you have got to start adding them in! It’s one of my family’s favorite meals. Stir-fry is such a versatile meal. You can literally use whatever veggies and protein you have on hand. It is such a great way to help clean out the refrigerator and freezer.
For nights that are really busy, or you get home late, stir-fry is a perfect choice. You can put this whole meal together in about 30 minutes. No need to grab takeout! If you want to really to give yourself a leg up on dinner, make a big batch of rice the next time you are making rice and then freeze in 2 c. portions. The rice reheats so well and you’re only doing the work and clean up once.
Pin it
This recipe is for just a basic stir-fry sauce. You can obviously doctor it up and add or subtract as you feel necessary. I realize not everyone is going to love their sauce the same way that my family loves our sauce. That’s another perk of stir-fry, you can totally make it your own!
To make this stir-fry, start by making your sauce. You can use Bragg’s Liquid aminos, soy sauce or even tamari (for you gluten-free folks) for the base of your sauce. In a 2 cup measuring cup or a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Set it aside.
Next dice the protein of your choice into bite size pieces. I typically use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can always use steak or shrimp too. The shrimp you can leave whole.
In a large skillet or wok (if you have one) heat up 1 t. oil over medium-highheat. When the oil starts popping add your meat. Saute until the meat is done, stirring frequently. The smaller the chunks of meat, the quicker this will go.
If you are using frozen vegetables place them in a strainer and rinse under hot water. This will defrost them just enough so they don’t take forever to warm up in the pan. I’m all about getting dinner done as fast as possible! I’ve got five hungry kids to feed!
Once the meat is done cooking, add thevegetables to the pan. If you are using fresh vegetables, you will need to stir them around for 4-5 minutes so they start cooking before you add your sauce. When they are starting to feel tender, but still have a lot of bite to them, add the sauce.
Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve your stir-fry over brown rice or quinoa. If you choose to serve it over quinoa make sure you rinse it very very well. If you do not it will have a terrible bitter taste and it will ruin your dish.
I always try to make enough of the stir-fry so that there are leftovers the next day. It makes the perfect light lunch option!
Basic Stir-fry Sauce (THM: FP, low-carb, low-fat, sugar-free)
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. chicken or beef broth (depending on which meat is in your stir-fry)
- 1/4 c. Bragg's Liquid Aminos, soy sauce or tamari
- 1 T. olive oil (for another oil to your taste)
- 1/4 t.THM Super Sweet or if not eating THM, sugarto taste
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients well and pour over meat and stir-fry vegetables ofyour choice.
Notes
***For a spicier version you could add 1-2 t. of Sriracha. This is VERY spicy, so start with a small quantity and add more if needed.
FAQs
How do I make stir fry like in an asian restaurant?
- Use a hot seasoned wok. ...
- tenderize/velvet your meat by letting it sit in a egg white/corn starch mixture before boiling/deep frying. ...
- Cook your meals on high heat and do not add too much at once.
Stir fry sauce is a combination of sauces that is used to bring out the flavors of an Asian stir fry. It usually contains a combination of ingredients such as soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and garlic.
Do you cook in stir-fry sauce or add it after? ›
Once the meat is done cooking, add the vegetables to the pan. If you are using fresh vegetables, you will need to stir them around for 4-5 minutes so they start cooking before you add your sauce. When they are starting to feel tender, but still have a lot of bite to them, add the sauce.
What are the 3 rules of stir frying? ›
Food & Dining
The first is to cook your protein and your vegetable separately, and combine them only after both are fully cooked. A second rule of thumb for stir-frying: Choose one vegetable per stir-fry. Finally, always remember to add liquid only after everything is more or less finished cooking.
Is hoisin the same as stir fry sauce? ›
Hoisin is very bitter. Stir-fry sauce is very salty. It may be true that both are fermented, though hoisin maybe comes from bean curd and soy sauce is from wheat I think.
What gives stir fry flavor? ›
acid- lemon or lime juice add a touch of sourness, building in flavor complexity that balances the salty and sweetness. aromatics- ginger and garlic are commonly used to build aroma and depth of flavor into your stir fry sauce.
What goes first in stir fry? ›
Stir-fry onions first, then add hard vegetables such as carrot and broccoli. Quick-cooking vegetables, such as snow peas, leafy greens and bean sprouts, should be added towards the end of cooking. If using vegies that have a combination of both textures, such as gai laan, add the stems first and the leaves later.
How much stir fry sauce should I use? ›
For a basic stir fry, you'll want about 3 tablespoons of sauce. Most of the liquid will cook off, leaving you with just the flavors. If you'll be serving the stir fry over rice or other grains, you'll want about 1/3 cup of sauce and may want to thicken it up with a bit of cornstarch or flour.
What spices to use in stir fry? ›
Best Herbs And Spices For Stir Fry
- Ginger. Ginger root is one of the most popular spices used in stir frys. ...
- Cumin. Cumin has an intense aroma with warm, earthy flavours and tart undertones. ...
- Galangal. ...
- Chilli. ...
- Turmeric. ...
- Coriander. ...
- Mint. ...
- Basil.
So many different oils, the good news is you can stick with what you know – canola is great! The best oils for stir frys are the oils with the higher smoke points. These tend to be the “thinner” oils such as peanut, grapeseed or canola.
Start with the hard vegetables like carrots and broccoli. Stir and scoop vegetables to the side to make room for more. Then add the softer vegetables, like sliced mushrooms and zucchini. Pour in some stock or water and always keep the veggies moving in the pan.
What are the best vegetables for stir fry? ›
Aromatics in first- onion, leeks, garlic, ginger, chilli. Firm vegetables in second – like carrot, capsicum/bell peppers, stems of Asian Greens (Buk Choy in this recipe), zucchini / courgettes, eggplant, asparagus, canned baby corn, green beans, okra. Quicker cooking vegetables added next- snow peas, kale, cabbage.
What makes stir fry taste authentic? ›
When creating a stir-fry recipe, consider the following additions:
- Aromatic ingredients like garlic, ginger, green onions, chilies and spices. ...
- Proteins like beef sirloin, chicken, shrimp, pork loin or tofu, sliced into small, bite-sized pieces. ...
- Vegetables, fresh or frozen.
Restaurants often use a variety of techniques and ingredients to create complex and flavorful dishes, including salt, herbs, spices, and fats. They may also use sugar or other sweeteners to balance out sour or bitter flavors or to enhance the natural sweetness of certain ingredients.
How do you make homemade food taste like restaurant? ›
5 Hacks to make your home food taste like it's from a restaurant
- Hack #1: Base gravies all the way!
- Hack #2: Cook on a high flame.
- Hack #3: Brown your onions, golden brown!
- Hack #4: Cook like calories don't count.
- Hack #5: Combinations matter and presentation goes a long way!
The basis of wok hei is the smoky flavour resulting from caramelisation of sugars, maillard reactions, and smoking of oil — all at temperatures well in excess of traditional western cooking techniques.
