This may be the only recipe you will ever need for a delicious stir-fry dinner. By changing the liquid and adding different meat, vegetables, flavourings and seasonings you will have many different options. Just be sure to write down combinations your family especially likes – if it’s really good you will want to be able to make it again.
Sauce:
1/2 cup chicken or beef stock (can use all or ½ orange or pineapple juice)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 – 2 tbsp. brown sugar or honey (to taste)
1 tbsp. fresh minced ginger or ¾ tsp. ginger powder – can use both for great ginger flavour
1 clove garlic, minced – can add with vegetables or ½ tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
Optional additions: Thai sweet chili sauce, hoisin sauce. dark sesame oil – use 1 or 2 tbsp. of these
Stir-Fry:
1 lb. (approximately) boneless chicken breasts, beef sirloin or other steaks, or pork tenderloin
vegetable oil for stir-frying
8 cups (approximately) sliced or chopped mixed fresh vegetables of your choice: onions (cut lengthwise in wedges), carrots, celery, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, bell peppers, sugar or snow peas, zucchini, bok choy or other Oriental vegetables
To Serve:
rice or Oriental noodles
toasted sesame seeds
Stir all sauce ingredients together and let stand while preparing stir-fry. You can taste this sauce and it will give you a good idea of how it will taste in the stir-fry. Adjust to taste. Sesame oil should be added at the end to preserve it’s flavour.
For easy slicing, firm meat slightly by placing it in the freezer for about 30 minutes or use partially defrosted meat. With a sharp knife, thinly slice meat into 1/4 inch wide strips. Then cut meat into bite size pieces. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle meat with a little soy sauce to add more flavour, if you wish.
Prepare vegetables by cutting in bite size pieces – not too small. Some vegetables, like broccoli, I prefer to blanch or steam separately then add to the stir-fry with the meat.
Heat oil in a large wok or deep frying pan set over medium-high heat. Stir-fry meat quickly until lightly browned and just cooked through – about 3 minutes. Remove from wok to a plate.
Add a bit more oil if necessary and stir-fry vegetables adding the vegetables which take longer to cook first then adding the remaining. Cover pan between stirring to steam (you may need to add a tablespoon or so of water to create steam) vegetables that need more cooking. You will get better at this with experience. Many of the vegetables do not need much cooking and will taste great as long as they are hot. Do not overcook.
Stir in sauce and browned meat. Cook until comes to a boil and thickens. If you would prefer a thicker sauce, stir more cornstarch into a little stock and slowly add to the stir-fry. Do not overthicken.
Serve over rice or Oriental style noodles. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.