When you have far too many leftover vegetables in your refrigerator, a stir fry may be just what you need for dinner. Turn those veggies into a meal with this amazing sauce, that comes together in minutes with the whisk of a wrist. Or the twist of a whisk. Whatever.
The advantage of stir frying comes from the high heat and fast cooking that seals in flavor and preserves color and texture. While stir fried dishes are usually low in fat, they’re often high in salt. Best to use the low-sodium soy sauce.
Having vegetables cut up in advance, makes for easier preparation. Place slower cooking ingredients in the wok first and faster ones later.
Best Stir Fry Sauce
In the absence of rice, I served this stir fry over noodles.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 Tbs. cornstarch
- 1 Tbs. honey
- 1 tsp. sesame seed oil
- 1 tsp. rice vinegar
- 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled & grated or tsp. ginger paste
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Directions
Whisk all ingredient together. Use what you need for the amount of stir fry you’re making and reserve the rest in a jar with a screw-top lid. Mixture lasts about a week in refrigerator.
Add corn oil to skillet or wok and stir fry meat, if using, (ground beef, pork or chicken chunks). Remove meat and add more oil, if needed. Saute whatever fresh vegetables you’re including (onion, celery, broccoli, carrots, peppers, snow peas, cabbage, mushrooms, green peas, water chestnuts) till medium crisp. (Parboiling uncooked carrot slices or broccoli pieces for 1-2 minutes before adding to wok or skillet can speed up the cooking)
Add amount of sauce desired and heat through till smooth and thickened. Serve over rice or noodles.
Kitchen Note: Top with sliced almonds or crushed peanuts, some sliced green onions, and a squeeze of lemon, if desired.
