Mix & Match Stir-Fry Recipe

My cousin, Chris, is getting married next month (on 9.10.11 - how cool is that?) and my mom is throwing him and his fiancée a shower this weekend. As part of a collaborative family present, we were all asked to submit a favorite recipe - that's all I'll say, since the rest is a (very easily logically deduced) surprise, but the relevant point is that it forced me to finally write down my I'd-starve-without-it, super-simple stir-fry recipe/technique. While I'm typing away, I figured I'd post it here, as promised months ago. 

It looks complicated on paper, but once you get the technique down (which doesn't take long), it becomes second nature, and is a really easy, tasty, and cheap way to pack in lots of veggies and protein. It's also great for entertaining, and you can seriously stretch the protein simply by adding more (and a greater variety of) veggies. Also, feel free to play around with the proportions of the aromatics - I *love* ginger, so I always add almost double what's called for here; I have friends that go crazy with the sriracha, but I can't handle that much heat. It's really versatile!

It is truly a super versatile, incredibly easy, amazingly cheap alternative to boxed meals, fast food or takeout. If you cut up and marinate the protein the night before, and pre-cut all your veggies and store them in zippie bags (or buy them pre-cut), you can seriously have this ready in about 15 minutes. Start-to-finish, it can easily be done in an hour - including marinating, and including clean-up time. This can also easily be converted to a veggie side dish by simply omitting the protein (or using tofu, for a vegetarian main dish). 

I use the awesome refrigerated herbs-in-a-tube, especially for the ginger (which - full disclosure - I could probably eat straight out of the tube). I also use a rice cooker and make a MASSIVE batch of jasmine rice at the beginning of the week, because I have been obsessed with rice since toddlerhood* so I don't have to worry about adding an extra step there**. 

* No joke - I buy a 25lb bag of jasmine rice at Costco about every 3 months.

** Sidebar - I also make homemade fried rice at least as often as this dish, if not more so, and will add that recipe soon as well, now that I'm thinking about it. It's actually really healthy - and yes, legitimately fried - and can be a great balanced, meatless option as long as you have eggs on hand.

So. Drumroll - the recipe itself. Let me know what combinations and variations you try!

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Mix and Match Ginger-Soy Stir-Fry

First, chose and prepare:

• 1 lb protein, cut into 1-in cubes (chicken/tofu) or thin strips (beef/pork)

(boneless, skinless chicken, pork, lean beef, drained/pressed extra firm tofu)

• At least 2-3 cups veggies, cut in bite-sized pieces - you can certainly add more, to stretch your protein dollars, add in more veggies, or simply serve more people/have more leftovers - just be sure to adjust the sauce mixture accordingly. 

(zucchini, broccoli, baby corn, carrots, mushrooms, water chestnuts, mung bean sprouts) 

• 1 large onion, sliced

Then, in a glass mixing bowl or gallon ziploc bag, mix:

• 2 Tbsp light oil (peanut, canola, etc - NOT olive oil)
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch 
• 4 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp crushed fresh garlic
• 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger 
• 2 tsp sugar or agave nectar
• small squirt of sriracha sauce (or pinch red pepper flakes)

Add cubed protein and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but as long as 24 hours (except tofu; don't push it much past an hour).

When ready to cook:

Remove protein and from refrigerator and set aside. 

In a small bowl, mix:

• 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• splash of white wine or sherry
• a little extra garlic and/or ginger and/or sriracha, depending upon the flavor(s) you wish to highlight (optional)

In a large wok, stir-fry the onion and vegetables in roughly 1 Tbsp of the same oil used in the marinade (I use peanut) over high heat. It's perfectly OK and recommended to add a little extra garlic and/or ginger here, too. When onions are translucent and veggies are mostly cooked, but still a touch crisper than you like, remove them all from the wok and set aside. 

Add protein and marinade to wok and stir-fry until lightly browned on the outside and fully cooked. Add back vegetables and stir to mix. Turn heat down to medium, and add the sauce mixture. Stir to coat and allow sauce to thicken - be careful here, the sauce can go from "nice and thick" to "congealed mess" very quickly.

Remove from heat and serve over rice, rice noodles, on a salad, or by itself. Enjoy!