Stir-Fry Sauces
Preheat the pan as the secret to good stir-frying is lots of heat.
Meat, Seafood, or Tofu
¾ pound meat, seafood, or tofu cut into small, even-sized pieces and drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon dry sherry
Vegetables
1½ pounds vegetables, cut into small pieces (none bigger than a quarter) and divided into two or three batches
2 tablespoons chopped scallions, white part only
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Sauce
1 recipe flavoring sauce – listed below
2–4 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
1.
Toss
meat, seafood, or tofu with soy sauce and sherry in medium bowl; set aside.
2.
Prepare
flavoring sauce.
3.
Divide
vegetables into two or three batches.
4.
Heat
12- or 14-inch nonstick skillet over high heat, 4 minutes (pan should be so
hot, you can hold your outstretched hand 1 inch above its surface for no more
than 3 seconds).
5.
Add
1 tablespoon oil (add 2 tablespoons for tofu or fish) and rotate pan so that
bottom is evenly coated. Let oil heat until it just starts to shimmer and
smoke. Check heat with hand.
6.
Drain
meat, seafood, or tofu, then add to pan and stir-fry until seared and about
three-quarters cooked (about 20 seconds for fish, 60 seconds for meat, 2
minutes for tofu, 2½ to 3 minutes for chicken).
7.
Spoon
cooked meat or seafood into serving dish. Cover and keep warm.
8.
Let
pan come back up to temperature, 1 or 2 minutes. When hot, drizzle in 2
teaspoons of oil, and when oil just starts to smoke, and add vegetables in
batches. Stir-fry until vegetables are just tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Leaving
first batch in pan, repeat with remaining vegetables, cooking each set of
vegetables until tender yet crisp. Add about a teaspoon of oil for each new
batch.
9.
Clear
center of pan and add garlic, ginger, and scallions. Drizzle with ½ teaspoon of
oil. Mash into pan with back of a spatula. Cook for 10 seconds. Remove pan from
heat and stir garlic/ginger mixture into vegetables for 20 seconds.
10.
Return
pan to heat and add cooked meat, seafood, or tofu. Stir in sauce and stir-fry
to coat all ingredients, about 1 minute. Serve immediately with rice.
Flavoring Sauces
Ginger Sauce (my favorite)
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon dry sherry
¼ cup minced fresh gingerroot
2 scallions, minced
2 tablespoons chicken stock
Orange Sauce
2 teaspoons minced zest and ¼ cup juice from 1 large orange
½ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Pinch salt
Lemon Sauce
2 teaspoons minced zest and
3 tablespoons juice from
1 large lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Pinch salt
Curry Sauce
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 scallions, minced
2 tablespoons chicken stock
Hot-and-Sour-Sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons minced hot chiles
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Pinch salt