| Ingredients: 3/4 Pound(s) sliced in strips beef stew meat 1 Tablespoon(s) soy sauce 1 Tablespoon(s) sherry, dry 1 Pinch(s) salt 1 1/2 Pound(s) sliced in strips cabbage 3 Tablespoon(s) oil, peanut 1 Tablespoon(s) minced garlic 2 Teaspoon(s) minced ginger 2 Tablespoon(s) chopped onion, green 1 Tablespoon(s) corn starch 2 Tablespoon(s) chicken broth |
Directions:
The challenge: The stir-fry is everything we like and need in an everyday dish -- it's attractive, healthy, economical, quick and complete. Yet, the truth is, many home cooks don't know how to do it right. The meat can easily end up stewed or stuck instead of stir-fried. Ginger and garlic seem to readily burn. The sauce can often end up too gloppy or too thin. We decided to look closely at all the components to a stir-fry to come up with a master recipe that lets you make stir-fries with whatever ingredients you have on hand. The solution: Home stoves do not have enough Btu (British thermal units) to get the high heat of a commercial wok, but we found a couple ways around this. First off, we blanched the vegetables beforehand that are harder to cook, such as carrots, asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower. Secondly, we stir-fried in batches of no more than three-quarters of a pound of raw vegetables, so that the pan does not lose its high heat from the addition of too many vegetables. We found that meat, which is also best cooked in batches, carried the best flavor and had fewer problems sticking when lightly marinated in soy sauce and sherry before stir-frying. Add garlic and ginger to the pan just seconds before tossing in the first batch of vegetables to best infuse their flavors without their burning into bits. With these basics down the dish is simply and quickly varied with one of the below flavoring sauces. MASTER RECIPE FOR STIR-FRY Serves 4 This recipe is easily halved (in fact it’s even better, because you avoid the batch-cooking that you encounter with the full recipe). The typical wok holds up to 3 quarts water, which will comfortably cook 1 pound of vegetables. If you are blanching all the vegetables, you may want to use a large pot. 3/4 pound of meat or seafood, cubed, diced, sliced thin, or julienned 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry Salt 1 1/2 pounds vegetables, cut in approximate size of the selected meat or seafood 1 recipe flavoring sauce (see “ChineseFlavoring Sauces" below) 3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons minced ginger 2 tablespoons chopped scallions 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water or chicken broth 1. Toss first ingredient with soy sauce and sherry in a medium bowl; set aside. 2. Meanwhile, heat enough water in the wok to blanch harder vegetables. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt per quart of water, then add hard vegetables. Simmer until vegetables brighten in color and soften slightly. Time will vary based on type and cut of vegetables. Drain vegetables under cold, running water; set aside. 3. Prepare sauce. 4. Heat wok over high heat until it begins to smoke; drizzle 1 tablespoon oil around lower circumference of pan to lightly coat sides. Scatter 1/2 of meat or seafood around bottom and up sides of wok and stir-fry until meat is seared and just cooked through. Shovel or spoon cooked meat or seafood into serving dish; add another tablespoon oil, and repeat cooking process with remaining meat; transfer second batch of meat or seafood to serving dish. 5. Drizzle in remaining tablespoon oil; add garlic and ginger and almost immediately add raw vegetables and scallions. Stir-fry until vegetables are just tender-crisp. Add cooked vegetables and stir-fry until all vegetables are sizzling hot. 6. Return cooked meat or seafood to wok, stir in sauce, and stir-fry to coat all ingredients. Stir cornstarch mixture and add; stir-fry until wok juices become saucy and glossy. If wok juices look too thick, stir in a tablespoon or so more water or chicken stock. Serve immediately with steamed rice. |
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Tomato fireworks sauce (
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2 Tablespoon(s) sherry, dry 3 Tablespoon(s) tomato sauce 1 Tablespoon(s) oyster sauce 1 Tablespoon(s) soy sauce 1/2 Teaspoon(s) sugar 1 Teaspoon(s) oil, sesame |
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Lemon sauce (
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1/4 Cup(s) lemon juice 1 Tablespoon(s) sugar 2 Tablespoon(s) chicken broth 1 Tablespoon(s) soy sauce 1/4 Teaspoon(s) salt 2 Teaspoon(s) zest from lemon peel |
Directions: |
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Sweet and sour sauce (
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1/4 Cup(s) vinegar, red wine 1/4 Cup(s) sugar 2 Tablespoon(s) tomato sauce 2 Tablespoon(s) pineapple juice 1/4 Teaspoon(s) salt |
Directions: |
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Black bean sauce (
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1 Tablespoon(s) salted beans, black 3 Tablespoon(s) sherry, dry 2 Tablespoon(s) chicken broth 1 Tablespoon(s) soy sauce 1/2 Teaspoon(s) sugar 1 Teaspoon(s) oil, sesame 1/4 Teaspoon(s) pepper, black |
Directions: Rinse and chop beans, adding garlic and ginger. |
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Oyster flavored sauce (
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2 Tablespoon(s) oyster sauce 3 Tablespoon(s) sherry, dry 1 Tablespoon(s) oil, sesame 1/2 Teaspoon(s) sugar 1/4 Teaspoon(s) pepper, black |
Directions: |
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Coconut curry sauce (
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2 Tablespoon(s) chicken broth 2 Tablespoon(s) sherry, dry 1 Tablespoon(s) soy sauce 1 Tablespoon(s) powder curry 1/2 Teaspoon(s) sugar 1/2 Teaspoon(s) salt 1/2 Cup(s) coconut milk, thin |
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Spicy tangerine sauce (
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1 Tablespoon(s) chili jam 1 Tablespoon(s) zest with garlic and ginger tangerine 1 1/2 Tablespoon(s) soy sauce, black 3 Tablespoon(s) sherry, dry 1 Teaspoon(s) vinegar, red wine 1/2 Teaspoon(s) roasted Szechwan peppercorns 1/4 Teaspoon(s) sugar 1/4 Teaspoon(s) salt |
Directions: |
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Szechwan Chili Sauce (
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3 Tablespoon(s) soy sauce 1 Tablespoon(s) oil, sesame 3 Tablespoon(s) sherry, dry 1 Tablespoon(s) chili jam 1/4 Teaspoon(s) roasted ground szechwan peppercorns 1/4 Teaspoon(s) sugar 1/4 Teaspoon(s) salt |
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