5 Steps to the Perfect Stir Fry

by Christine Chan — April 26, 2008

With spring veggies glistening at the farmers market, it's easy to be overzealous in buying. At the end of the week, you find yourself with a crown of broccoli, a carrot, a handful of snap peas, and some tofu. What to do? Throw them together in a healthy and versatile stir- fry!

First, choose a variety of colors, shapes, and textures for your ingredients. The Chinese consider presentation to be almost as important as taste. If you have a lot of greens, add some baby corn and bright red peppers for a visual zing. Some people say that you should chop everything to a uniform size, but that's boring. Cut vegetables at an angle to maximize cooking surface area.

Next, mix up a sauce according to how salty you like your dish. The basic ratio I use is:

2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce (vegetarian mushroom sauce can be substituted)
2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
½ teaspoon black pepper

Third, coat the wok or pan with oil (canola or vegetable oil works best) to prevent sticking. Heat the oil with garlic and slices of ginger for a minute to get a nice flavor. Cook the meat or tofu with half of the sauce. Set aside.

Next, blanch the vegetables in boiling water until 75% cooked. This seals in the bright colors and crunch. Vary the cooking times according to the density of the vegetable. Vegetables like broccoli and carrots need more time to cook than a leafy green like spinach.

Finally, stir fry the meat, vegetables, and remaining sauce in the wok on high heat until the sauce has coated all the ingredients. Serve hot over white or brown rice. Yum!