STIR FRY

SUPER-EASY STIR-FRY

By: Pam Anderson
There's a reason most Chinese takeout restaurants thrive: after a long day, most of us don't feel like tackling a lengthy stir-fry recipe. Even though it cooks lightning-fast, preparing the ingredients can be overwhelming.
Recipes
I occasionally need to peek at the flavoring sauce recipes to jog my memory, but I don't need a recipe to make a stir-fry anymore. Reread these steps, try making a stir-fry this way a few times, and I'll bet you soon won't need a recipe either. Make one of these sauces in Step 6, then use it in Step 9.

LEMON STIR-FRY SAUCE
1/4 cup lemon juice plus 1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
Combine all in a 1-cup measuring cup.

SOY-SESAME STIR-FRY SAUCE
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp sugar
Combine all in a 1-cup measuring cup.

FRESH HERB STIR-FRY SAUCE
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup shredded basil leaves or minced cilantro leaves
Combine all in a 1-cup measuring cup.

SWEET & SOUR STIR-FRY SAUCE
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp cider, balsamic or rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
Combine all in a 1-cup measuring cup.

To help you understand stir-fry and free you from recipes, I've developed a simple formula that will get dinner for four on the table in as little as 30 minutes. And because our home stovetops don't get as hot as restaurant woks, I'll explain my work-around method for getting food nicely seared.
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1. Heat your pan
As soon as you walk into the kitchen, set a 12-inch non-stick or cast-iron skillet over low heat.

2. Prepare protein
Prep one pound of the following proteins: peeled raw medium shrimp, bay or sea scallops (halve large sea scallops crosswise); boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into bite-size strips; firm tofu cut in 3/4-inch chunks; or red meat thinly sliced across the grain (try pork tenderloin, sirloin, rib-eye, tenderloin, or flank or skirt steak).

3. Marinate protein
Use 1 Tbsp each soy sauce and dry or sweet sherry. The protein doesn't need to marinate long--just make sure you do it soon after putting the skillet over low heat.

4. Prepare produce
First cut a peeled medium-large onion in half (pole-to-pole), then cut each half into about 8 wedges. Set aside. Then select two of the vegetables listed below, totaling 1 pound.
There are no "wrong" combinations. I've picked these particular vegetables because they can be bought ready to use, or they can be prepared and stir-fried quickly. They'll be added to the pan at different times, so keep the two vegetables separated on a plate.

Super-fast fresh produce might include
• Shredded carrots
• Coleslaw mix
• Bite-sized pineapple chunks (for sweet and sour only)
• Sliced mushrooms and bell peppers or stringed snow peas--all of which can be purchased packaged or prepared yourself.
Other good choices: celery, scallions, fresh bean sprouts (avoid canned), haricots verts (thin French green beans), pencil-thin asparagus, zucchini or yellow squash in 1/2-inch-thick rounds or eggplant in 3/4-inch cubes. And don't forget drained water chestnuts or baby corn, drained (calculate drained weight to determine amounts needed).

5. Prepare aromatics
Mince 1 Tbsp each of fresh garlic and ginger root. Bottled ginger and garlic taste strong and distinct, so they muddy the stir-fry's otherwise fresh, clear flavors. Stick with fresh. ________________________________________

6. Make a quick stir-fry sauce and glaze
I give four stir-fry sauce recipes here. You'll also need to make a glaze to ensure a nice body and glossy sheen. Just mix 2 tsp cornstarch with 2 Tbsp chicken broth or water. A few minutes before you're ready to stir-fry, turn on the exhaust fan and turn up the heat under the skillet to high. Make sure all your ingredients are close at hand.________________________________________

7. Add 1 Tbsp of oil, then half the protein, to the pan
Stir-fry until well-browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl and repeat stir-frying with remaining protein. Most home stoves don't have the power to stir-fry a large quantity of protein at the same time, so cook it in batches--otherwise the skillet will cool down, and the food will stew instead.________________________________________

8. Drizzle another 2 Tbsp oil into the hot skillet
Add the onion and stir-fry until browned but still crisp, about 1 minute. Add the minced garlic and ginger next so they'll have a chance to flavor the entire dish. (If you add them to the pan any sooner, they'll burn.) Next, immediately add the vegetable you think will take longer to cook. If it's not obvious, just pick a vegetable and start--you're not going to ruin the stir-fry. Staggering vegetables is more about keeping the skillet hot. After stir-frying the first vegetable for a few minutes, add the second and continue to stir-fry until all vegetables are tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minute longer.
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9. Return protein to pan and stir in your flavoring sauce
Make sure all the ingredients are well coated with the sauce. Finally, stir in the cornstarch mixture until juices become saucy and glossy. If the wok juices look too thick at this point, thin with a few more tablespoons of chicken broth or water, then serve the stir-fry immediately with noodles or steamed rice. 
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BEEF AND CORIANDER STIR FRY.
Ingredients:

sunflower oil for frying
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 ml minced ginger
4 stalks celery, cut into matchsticks
1 bunch spring onions, thickly sliced
400 g beef strips
45 ml chopped fresh coriander
85 ml apricot juice
30 ml soy sauce
5 ml ground coriander
60 ml canned bamboo shoots (optional)
Bean sprouts and fresh coriander to garnish
Boiled Chinese noodles
15 ml extra soy sauce

Method:

Heat oil in a large wok or frying pan. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add celery and onions and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add beef and coriander and cook over a high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except garnish, and stir-fry on high for about 5 minutes. Remove from stove and serve immediately, garnished with bean sprouts and fresh coriander and accompanied by boiled Chinese noodles and extra soy sauce.
(Food 24)
Foto: Geleen
*Lekker Resepte vir die Jongergeslag
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Chicken and pineapple rice stir fry:

Ingredients:

15 ml freshly grated ginger or 50 ml white vinegar
5 ml dried ginger
500 ml cooked rice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
30 ml soya sauce
60 ml sunflower oil
100 ml pineapple juice from the can
500 ml shredded cabbage
2 chicken breast fillets, cut into small pieces
3 carrots, peeled and cut into strips
100 g green beans, cut into strips
2 large eggs 1 onion, halved and sliced
400 g can pineapple rings, diced

Method:

Heat half the oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the onion, garlic and ginger for one minute.
Add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked. Remove from the wok and set aside.
Heat remaining oil and fry the carrots and beans for one minute.
Add the cabbage and stir-fry until tender, but still crisp.
Add the eggs and stir-fry for a minute.
Add remaining ingredients and return onion and chicken mixture to the pan.
Stir-fry for a minute or until heated through. Season to taste and serve immediately.
(Food24)
*Lekker Resepte vir die Jongergeslag* 

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Pork stir-fry with fresh herbs:           

Ingredients:
350 g pork strips 

125 g chopped bacon 

olive oil 

green beans 

carrot strips
stoned olives chopped 

green peppers 

halved cherry tomatoes 

60 ml mixed fresh herbs 

couscous to serve

Method:

Stir-fry pork strips and bacon in olive oil until browned.
Add green pepper and halved cherry tomatoes.
Stir-fry until the vegetables are done but still crisp and brightly coloured.
Stir in herbs.
Serve immediately with couscous prepared according to packet instructions.
(Food 24)
*Lekker Resepte vir die Jongergeslag* 

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Mia Donoghue 
MIA SE STIR FRY

Hier is die spesiale roerbraairesep:
700g rump steak, dun gesny in repe (marineer oornag in 'n mengsel van 

60ml balsamiese asyn, 

30ml olyfolie, 

2 fyngekapte knoffelhuisies, \

1 teelepel suiker)

Wanneer jy dit gaarmaak: verhit olyfolie in 'n wok of groot pan, braai die steakrepe 'n handvol op 'n slag tot net geseël. Hou die vleis eenkant. Smoor 'n ui (in ringe gesny) in die vleissappe tot deurskynend en sag. Hou eenkant saam met die vleis. Gooi die vleiswater in die wok af, verhit nou 'n eetlepel olyfolie, 'n eetlepel balsamiese asyn, 'n knippie gedroogte mint en 'n teelepel gedroogte basil. Skroei 2 groot tamaties (grof gekap) in die oliemengsel, en voeg dan die vleis en uie by. Roer deur terwyl die mengsel verhit. Knummel 'n wiel Fetakaas bo-oor net voordat jy dit van die hitte verwyder. Bedien op rys of noedels.http://lekkerreseptevirdiejongergeslag.blogspot.com/2013/07/stir-fry.html