Budget Bites: How to Make Awesome Stir Fry Like a Rockstar—So Quick and Easy!
I can’t think of a more perfect food than stir-fry. It makes good use of leftovers; it’s healthy and, when prepared well, tastes fantastic!Â
Pam Anderson, author of How to Cook Without a Book, says most home stir-fry comes out a soggy mess because our home stovetops don’t get as hot as restaurant woks.
Cooking everything in small batches and removing the batches from the skillet or wok until the end is Anderson’s secret for making great stir-fry at home.
You can make stir-fry, start to finish in less than 30 minutes. The secret is to get all of your ingredients ready and within easy reach, before you start and your skillet as hot as possible.
Heat a skillet
Set your wok or a heavy skillet (cast iron is ideal) on low heat.
Ready the protein
While it’s heating, get about one pound of protein ready and place the skillet within easy reach. You can use shrimp (raw and peeled or canned, drained), fresh scallops, boneless chicken cut into strips, any type of red meat sliced thin or cubed tofu. Pour 2 tablespoons of soy sauce over the protein. Toss so all of the pieces are coated.
Prep onion, vegetables, ginger
Next cut one onion into about 16 wedges and set to the side. Prepare one pound of vegetables—about four cups of any combination of sliced carrots, celery, scallions, mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini; snow peas stringed and canned water chestnuts and or baby corn, drained. Place the onion wedges and vegetables close to the skillet. Peel and mince 1 tablespoon each fresh ginger and garlic and place alongside the vegetables.
Stir-fry sauce
In a small dish combine 2 teaspoons corn starch with 2 tablespoons cold water or chicken broth. Stir until smooth and place close to the other ingredients along with 1 cup stir-fry sauce (available in the supermarket Asian aisle, Â online or make it yourself)Â and cooking oil.
Oil and protein
Once your ingredients are all ready, turn the skillet up to high and turn on the exhaust fan. Quickly pour in 1 tablespoon oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Follow quickly with half the protein. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and stir-fry the remaining protein, removing it as well when done.Â
Next the vegetables
Pour another 2 tablespoons oil into the skillet and follow quickly with the onion wedges, all the while leaving the temperature on high.
Stir and cook the onion for about one minute. Add the minced ginger and garlic and continue to stir. Quickly follow with no more than 1 cup of vegetables and continue to stir-fry. After about 2 minutes, remove these items from the skillet to the protein plate. Continue cooking the vegetables in small batches until done. Do not overcook.
Everyone in the pool
Return all of the protein and vegetables to the sizzling hot skillet. Stir in the stir-fry sauce a little at a time until everything is nicely coated. You don’t want this to turn to soup, so go easy.
Stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue stirring until the sauce thickens and everything is coated with this glaze. If it gets too thick add a little water or chicken broth and continue to stir. You’re done!
Serve immediately
Serve over steamed rice. Serves 4. Yum!
.
How to Stir-Fry Like a Rockstar—Quick & Easy
Ingredients
- 1 pound protein, shrimp, scallops, boneless chicken, beef, tofu
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 onion, large cut into 16 wedges
- 1 pound vegetables any combination of carrots, celery, scallions, mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini, snow peas, water chestnuts, baby corn, etc. cut and sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons chicken broth , or cold water
- 1 cup stir-fry sauce store-bought or make it yourself, link to recipe in NOTES
Instructions
- Set your wok or a heavy skillet (cast iron is ideal) on low heat.
- While it’s heating, get about one pound of protein ready and place within easy reach of the skillet. You can use shrimp (raw and peeled or canned, drained), fresh scallops, boneless chicken cut into strips; any type of red meat sliced thin or cubed tofu. Pour 2 tablespoons of soy sauce over the protein. Toss so all of the pieces are coated.
- Next cut one onion into about 16 wedges and set to the side. Prepare one pound of vegetables—about four cups of any combination of sliced carrots, celery, scallions, mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini; snow peas stringed and canned water chestnuts and or baby corn, drained. Place the onion wedges and vegetables close to the skillet. Peel and mince 1 tablespoon each fresh ginger and garlic and place alongside the vegetables.
- In a small dish combine 2 teaspoons corn starch with 2 tablespoons cold water or chicken broth. Stir until smooth and place close to the other ingredients along with 1 cup stir-fry sauce (available in the supermarket Asian aisle,  online or make it ahead, yourself) and cooking oil.Â
- Once your ingredients are all at the ready turn the skillet up to the high and turn on the exhaust fan. Quickly pour in 1 tablespoon oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Follow with half the protein. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and stir-fry the remaining protein, removing it as well when done.Â
- Pour another 2 tablespoons oil into the skillet and follow quickly with the onion wedges, all the while leaving the temperature on high. Stir and cook the onion for about one minute. Add the minced ginger and garlic and continue to stir. Quickly follow with no more than 1 cup of vegetables and continue to stir-fry. After about 2 minutes remove these items from the skillet to the protein plate. Continue cooking the vegetables in small batches until done. Do not overcook.
- Return all of the protein and vegetables to the sizzling hot skillet. Stir in the stir-fry sauce a little at a time until everything is nicely coated. You don’t want this to turn to soup, so go easy.Â
- Stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue stirring until the sauce thickens and everything is coated with this glaze. If it gets too thick add a little water or chicken broth and continue to stir. You’re done!
- Serve over steamed rice. Serves 4. Yum!
Notes
yum!
Thank you! I love that you gave us so many options!!!
Love it!!!!