EASY Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What vegetables are good in stir-fry? ›

Aromatics in first- onion, leeks, garlic, ginger, chilli. Firm vegetables in second – like carrot, capsicum/bell peppers, stems of Asian Greens (Buk Choy in this recipe), zucchini / courgettes, eggplant, asparagus, canned baby corn, green beans, okra. Quicker cooking vegetables added next- snow peas, kale, cabbage.

Adding Aromatics

Aromatics give additional flavor to your stir fry, but they must be added only in the last part of the cooking, before adding the sauce. You can use a small amount of finely chopped fresh ginger, garlic, lemongrass, chilies, or green onions (scallion).

Because stir-frying uses a very high heat, you want a cooking oil that has a high smoke point. Vegetable, canola or peanut oil are my trustee go-tos, and all have a neutral taste, so won't affect flavour. Do not – I repeat, DO NOT – use butter!

In addition to soy sauce, some popular stir-fry sauces include Teriyaki Sauce, Asian BBQ Sauce, Mongolian sauce or Korean BBQ Sauce. You may also enjoy Umami Tamari Splash, Sweet Tamari Splash and Citrus Tamari Splash. No matter the sauce you choose, it is sure to add a delicious flavor to your stir-fry.

Stir-fry onions first, then add hard vegetables such as carrot and broccoli. Quick-cooking vegetables, such as snow peas, leafy greens and bean sprouts, should be added towards the end of cooking. If using vegies that have a combination of both textures, such as gai laan, add the stems first and the leaves later.

Uniform Cooking: Pre-cooking can ensure that all vegetables in the stir-fry are cooked evenly. This can be useful when combining vegetables with different cooking times. Time and Convenience: Pre-cooking can add an extra step to the cooking process.

The first is to cook your protein and your vegetable separately, and combine them only after both are fully cooked. A second rule of thumb for stir-frying: Choose one vegetable per stir-fry. Finally, always remember to add liquid only after everything is more or less finished cooking.

Adding soy sauce too early can burn it. Remember, timing is key. Add soy sauce midway for that perfect cook.

Add liquid only after everything finishes cooking. Once the protein cooks through, add sauce to the pan, and heat through. Drizzle sauce down the sides of the pan with a ladle. If using tofu, simmer for several minutes in sauce before adding veggies.

What thickens stir-fry? ›

Cornstarch! In his book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman recommends mixing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water, and tossing this into the stir fry just when it's almost done. It thickens in seconds, picking up the flavors of everything already in the dish and coating evenly.

What are those crunchy things in your stir-fry? They're water chestnuts, and they're surprisingly good for you! You probably already know a few things about water chestnuts. They're white and crunchy, and you'll find them in a ton of Asian-style stir fry dishes.

Always start with a clean, dry wok. The wok should be very hot and lightly smoking before you add the oil. This prevents food from sticking and is the best way to put wok hei into your food. More often than not, the entire stir-fry process should be on high heat.

The first is to cook your protein and your vegetable separately, and combine them only after both are fully cooked. A second rule of thumb for stir-frying: Choose one vegetable per stir-fry. Finally, always remember to add liquid only after everything is more or less finished cooking.

Fresh ginger, chili and garlic will ALWAYS spice up whatever stir-fry you make. I like using a little bit of sesame oil. It adds a little extra something that gives a dish depth. Soy sauce is a good start but I always add: rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, sambal olek paste, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and onion.