The key to stir-frying is preparing everything in advance, so that you have all ingredients ready & in front of you when you start to cook. Also, blanch or slightly pre-cook any veggies you like tender rather than crisp.
If you like your stir-fries over rice, remember to cook the rice in advance.
STEP 1: PICK A PROTEIN
3/4 lb flank steak, trimmed & thinly sliced against the grain
3/4 lb pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
3/4 lb medium or large shrimp, peeled & de-veined
3/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced against the grain
12 oz package extra firm silken tofu, cubed
STEP 2: MARINATE
Whisk 1 egg white, 1 tbls Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, and 1 tbls cornstarch. Toss with your protein; cover & refrigerate 1 hour.
STEP 3: PREP 3 CUPS VEGGIES (any combination)
thinly sliced carrots
sliced celery
sliced bell peppers
1" scallion pieces
sliced onions or shallots
quartered mushroom caps
sliced bok choy or cabbage
sliced leeks
whole snow peas
sliced asparagus
quartered plum tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
baby spinach
blanched broccoli or cauliflower florets
thawed frozen peas or edamame
STEP 4: CHOOSE A SAUCE
Clear Sauce
Mix together:
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbls cornstarch
2 tbls Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
Mix together:
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tsp soy sauce
3 tbls rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
Brown Sauce
Mix together:
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbls cornstarch
1 tbls soy sauce
1 tbls hoisin sauce
1 tbls Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
Oyster Sauce
Mix together:
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbls cornstarch
1 tbls Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tbls soy sauce
3 tbls oyster sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
Spicy Sauce
Mix together:
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbls cornstarch
2 tbls soy sauce
2 tbls rice vinegar
2 tbls Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbls sugar
2 tsp Asian chili sauce
STEP 5: STIR-FRY
Gather together:
peanut, olive, or vegetable oil
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tbls ginger, minced
2 scallion, minced
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
Optional garnishes:
sliced scallions
sesame seeds
peanuts
cilantro
sliced jalapenos
Procedure:
- Heat 1/4" oil in wok or skillet over medium heat until shimmering & just beginning to smoke. (I only used 1 tbls oil.)
- Drain excess marinade from the protein.
- Set all ingredients, including your chosen sauce, protein, & veggies near the stove.
- Stir-fry protein in pan until almost opaque (not cooked completely), about 30 seconds to 1 minute. For tofu, brown on both sides--do not stir. Transfer protein to a plate; discard oil & wipe out the pan. (Note: I would use a separate pan for the next step. It took quite a bit of work to clean out the skillet; next time I would soak the first skillet while cooking in the second. However, it is possible that using the increased amount of oil would prevent the marinate mixture from sticking so badly to the pan.)
- Heat pan over high heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tbls oil. Toss in garlic (4 cloves if making Spicy Sauce), ginger, scallions, salt & sugar. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the veggies, starting with the ones that take the longest to cook. Stir-fry until crisp-tender. (They will be cooked more, so do not overcook at this point.)
- Add protein and sauce, and stir until the sauce is thick and the vegetables & protein are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Thin w/additional chicken broth if necessary.
- Serve over rice (optional). Garnish as desired.
