Early ingredient prep makes for an easy stir-fry meal

I recently found myself craving stir fry for lunch. Not an overly salty and oily pile of limp veggies, but a well-seasoned mound of high-fiber, high-flavor, still-crunchy (and recognizable) fresh vegetables. Rummaging through the crisper drawer in the refrigerator was a success – a broccoli crown, cremini mushrooms and red bell pepper – a nice combination of color and texture.

There are some ground rules for preparing a stir fry, the most important of which is the basic definition. Typically, you would use a wok, which is a flat-bottomed, high-sided metal pan, designed to offer extensive surface area for the ingredients to cook. However, this isn’t a requirement; a heavy, wide skillet will work fine.

You’ll want to get the oil in the pan fairly hot before adding anything. I like to use a combination of vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil to add flavor interest. Set the pan over high heat and wait until the oil is starting to shimmer. Always cook the protein (meat, chicken, tofu, etc.) first. Allow the pieces to remain undisturbed long enough to acquire a nice sear. Remove the protein from the hot pan before cooking the additional ingredients, so it doesn’t become chewy or overcooked.

When you’re ready to cook the vegetables, begin with onions and denser vegetables like carrots, cauliflower and broccoli. Don’t crowd the pan, or the veggies will steam instead of staying crisp. During this step you’ll want to stir often to allow them to cook without becoming mushy. Some purists insist that the best way to make a stir fry is to select only a single vegetable. I believe you need onions and mushrooms in every stir fry and often will combine two colors, as in the red bell pepper and broccoli.

Toward the end of the vegetable stir-frying, add your all-important aromatics: minced or pressed garlic, grated ginger and a pinch of red pepper flakes. These will keep the dish from tasting “flat,” as they add a nice combination of sharp and heat to the mild vegetables. For your sauce, a mixture of sweet and salty works best. Rice wine is my choice for sweet notes, while soy sauce or fish sauce will give you saltiness. These liquids should be added at the very end of the cooking, just after the vegetables are ready and you have returned the protein to the pan, so that everything gets covered in sauce. Garnishes can include sliced green onion or sesame seeds.

Stir-fry dishes are typically considered quick and easy, but with all the ingredients that go into them, that may seem counterintuitive. One way to help things come together swiftly is to have all the ingredients prepped beforehand, so you don’t overcook the vegetables while you look for the bottle of soy sauce in the back of the cupboard.

For the stir fry in the photo, I didn’t include any protein, because the block of tofu in the refrigerator had been pushed back into the coldest corner and was frozen solid. I also didn’t spoon the mixture over rice, which is a traditional way to serve a stir fry. My personal approach to stir fry is to celebrate what you have on hand and cook it quickly, with a balanced sauce to pull everything together.

Broccoli Stir Fry

1 T vegetable oil

1 T toasted sesame oil

1 halved, sliced onion

2 C broccoli florets

1/3 C sliced cremini mushrooms

1/3 C chopped red bell pepper

1 pressed garlic clove

1 T grated ginger

crushed red pepper flakes

1 T soy sauce

1 T rice wine

3 T vegetable broth

2 t sesame seeds

sliced green onion

Heat the oils in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add onion and broccoli. Cook, stirring often, until softened. Add mushrooms, bell pepper; continue stirring and shaking the pan. Stir in garlic, ginger and red pepper. Deglaze the pan with soy sauce, rice wine and broth, stirring to coat everything with the sauce. Serve over rice, garnished with sesame seeds and green onion.

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cubed

1 T cornstarch

1 T vegetable oil

1 T toasted sesame oil

1 halved, sliced onion

2 C broccoli florets

4 minced garlic cloves

2 T rice wine vinegar

3 T chicken broth

2 T hoisin sauce

2/3 C unsalted cashews

3 sliced green onions

Place chicken pieces in a non-reactive bowl; sprinkle with cornstarch and toss to coat. Heat oils in a large skillet or wok over high. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil. Add onion and broccoli to the pan and cook until softened, stirring often, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Return chicken pieces to the pan and add cashews. Deglaze the pan with vinegar, broth and hoisin sauce, stirring to coat evenly. Serve over rice, garnished with green onions.

Shrimp Stir Fry

1/3 C soy sauce

1 T toasted sesame oil

2 t chili sauce

1 t brown sugar

4 minced garlic cloves

1 T cornstarch

1 T water

1 T olive oil

1 sliced shallot

1 thinly sliced red bell pepper

1/2 lb trimmed asparagus

1 C snow peas

1 lb shelled, deveined shrimp

sesame seeds

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce, brown sugar, garlic, cornstarch and water; set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high. Add shallot, bell pepper, asparagus and snow peas. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add shrimp and cook another 3 minutes. Pour in sauce and stir to combine. Cook until shrimp are done and sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve over rice, garnished with sesame seeds.