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Showing posts with label Stir-Fry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stir-Fry. Show all posts

Monday, April 22, 2013

Pork-Asparagus Stir Fry

Cooking with seasonal produce is a great way to find fruits and vegetables at their peak of freshness and also save a little money.  One of my favorite vegetables to cook with is asparagus, and I couldn't wait to try a new stir fry with it.


This is a quick and easy stir fry recipe that combines fresh asparagus, sliced red pepper and red onion with lean pieces of pork loin.  The finishing touch is a mild glaze of red curry paste, soy sauce and fish sauce.  If you like your stir fry a bit spicier, just add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to the oil for an extra layer of heat.

1 TB  + 2 tsp  Peanut Oil, divided
1/4 tsp  Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
1-1/2 lbs  Boneless Pork Loin, cut into thin 1-inch long pieces
1/3 cup  Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 tsp  Red Curry Paste
1 tsp  Fish Sauce
1 TB  Cornstarch
1 tsp  Sugar
1-1/2 cups  Chopped Fresh Asparagus Pieces
1 cup  Sliced Red Onion
1 cup  Sliced Red Pepper Strips
Cooked Brown Rice

Place the pork in a glass bowl and add the soy sauce, curry paste, fish sauce, cornstarch and sugar.  Stir to combine and let marinade for 20 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  (Add red pepper flakes at this point, stir fry for 30 seconds for extra spice.)  Add the pork and sauce to the wok and stir fry for 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until nearly cooked through.  (If needed, cook the pork in 2 batches.)  Remove the pork to a plate and keep warm.

Add 2 teaspoons peanut oil to the wok, then add the asparagus, onion and red pepper.  Cook for 3 - 4 minutes or until the vegetables are softened slightly.

Return the pork to the wok and stir to combine.  Continue to heat for 2 - 3 or until the pork is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.  Serve over cooked brown rice with a side of steamed edamame.  Enjoy!!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Garlic-Sweet Chili Chicken Stir-Fry

Tonight we made a yummy chicken stir fry with a bit of a Thai influence from red pepper and lime, and it was a great way to use lots of ingredients I already had on hand.  That's the best thing about a stir fry, it's not an exact recipe, but more of a guideline that you can adjust and remix the flavors that work best for you.

 

We started with a selection of colorful veggies, shredded cabbage, onions, carrots, red and green peppers, and snow peas and sauteed them in peanut oil with ginger and red pepper flakes.  You could also use broccoli, celery, bean sprouts or mushrooms.  Next, we sliced up some chicken breasts and gave them a quick marinade in soy sauce and garlic.  For a simple sauce we used sweet chili sauce blended with lime juice and just a touch of cornstarch.  This wasn't a heavy sauce dish at all, the sauce was more of a compliment to the veggies and other flavors, and that helped keep the dish light.

The flavors were amazing and I loved how the hint of lime balanced with the spiciness of the red pepper flakes.  It wasn't hot and spicy, just a bit of heat to round out the citrus.  Everyone gave this recipe a thumbs up, and the picky eater in our family even tried the red peppers and snow peas. There is hope for her!  Enjoy!!

1 3/4 lb  Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, thinly sliced
1/4 cup  Soy Sauce
2 TB  Minced Garlic
1 TB + 1 tsp  Peanut Oil, divided
1/2 tsp  Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp  Grated Fresh Ginger
1 small Onion, thinly sliced
2  Carrots, julienned
1 cup  Snow Peas, trimmed
1  Green, Yellow or Red  Bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 cups  Shredded Green Cabbage
1/2 cup  Sweet Chili Sauce
3 TB  Lime Juice
1 tsp  Salt
1 TB  Cornstarch

Place the chicken in a glass bowl and add the soy sauce and garlic.  Stir to combine and marinate for 1 hour.

Add the peanut oil to a large skillet or a wok set to medium-high heat.  When oil shimmers, add the red pepper flakes and ginger and stir fry for 1 minute.  Add the chicken to the pan, reserve the marinade from the chicken and set aside, and stir fry the chicken until browned.  (You might need to work in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan.)  Remove the cooked chicken from the pan, and cover to keep warm.

Add 1 tsp peanut oil to the pan, heat until warm, then add the onion, carrots, and peppers.  Stir fry 2 minutes over medium-high heat, then add the snow peas and cabbage, stirring to combine.

When the cabbage has softened slightly, add the chicken back to the pan, stirring to blend in the chicken.

Combine the reserved marinade with the sweet chili sauce, lime juice, salt and cornstarch and stir.  Pour the mixture into the pan and stir, cooking 2 - 3 minutes until the sauce has thickened.  Serve with or without rice.  Serves 6.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Lemon Marinade Chicken Stir-Fry

Lemon Chicken is a popular dish that's available on almost any Chinese take-out menu.  The problem with the restaurant version is that it can be a very heavy meal because of the coating on the chicken.  With this recipe, we discovered a way to infuse a bright lemon flavor into the chicken, while keeping it light.

Instead of breading and frying the chicken pieces, we used a citrusy lemon marinade to coat the chicken, followed by a quick skillet saute.  If you are a fan of lemon and citrus flavor, this is one dish you are going to love.  We served this with two varieties of rice, Jasmati and brown, and both tasted great.


The prep time for this dish was only and 10 minutes, followed by a quick 10-20 minutes to marinate,  and cook time is right around 15 minutes.  Super fast, with a light and bright flavor.  Enjoy!!

Zest and Juice of 1 Whole Lemon
1/3 cup  Chicken Stock
1/3 cup  Soy Sauce
2 TB Brown Sugar
2 TB Honey
2 tsp Sriracha Chili Sauce
2 TB  Cornstarch
2 lbs  Chicken Breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp  Peanut Oil
2 tsp Fresh Ginger, minced
1 TB  Minced Garlic
2 Green Onions, chopped for garnish
1 TB Toasted Sesame Seeds for garnish

Mix the lemon zest, juice, chicken stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, chili sauce and cornstarch in a glass bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the mixture and marinate for 10-20 minutes.

Heat the sesame and peanut oils in a large skillet. Add ginger and garlic and saute about 1 minute. Add the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade, and saute the chicken until cooked through , about 5 minutes.

Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 5 - 6 minutes.  If the sauce is too thick, add one or two tablespoons of chicken broth and stir to combine.

Serve on Jasmati or brown rice and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Serves 6-8.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Indonesian Nasi Goreng

Don't let the tricky name scare you away, because this is a delicious stir fry dish that's actually quite easy to make.

The name, Nasi Goreng, translates into "fried rice" in Indonesia, and the dish has many variations.  It can be served as a breakfast dish by serving the rice with more egg, it can be made suitable for vegetarians by omitting the chicken and/or shrimp, or you can prepare the dish with just chicken.  Either way, it is a quick and simple stir fry and makes a great weeknight dinner.


Cooking with a wok (or a large skillet will work too) the first thing to do is prepare all of your ingredients.  Have everything ready in advance and this meal will come together very quickly.

First, prepare a sauce of red chilies, chili paste, lobster or shrimp base, minced garlic and soy sauce. (You can use a small food processor to puree this if you would like a smooth mixture, but I liked having the pieces of garlic and chili in the sauce.)  Next chop the cucumbers and tomatoes and place in smalls bowls.  Then slice the chicken into strips and you're ready to go.

You can also vary the amount of heat in this dish, since this dish as written was not overly spicy. The chilies I used were a little mild, and next time I might try using Thai chilies for a more intense heat, or maybe add a teaspoon or two of Srirachi Sauce for extra heat. You can easily adjust the spice up or down for this recipe according to personal preference.  This dish got a thumbs up from the kids, even the picky eater, so I'm sure it will be added to our list of Go-To weeknight recipes.  Enjoy!!

4 - 6  Red Chilies, seeded and thinly sliced
1 TB  Roasted Red Chili Paste
2 tsp  Lobster or Shrimp Base
2 TB  Minced Garlic
1 TB  Soy Sauce
Peanut Oil for Stir-Frying
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/3 lb  Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, cut into strips
1 lb  Medium Raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 cups  Cooked Rice (Jasmati, Long Grain or Brown Rice will work)
1/3 cup  Soy Sauce
1 cup  Diced Cucumber
1  Large Tomato, chopped
Lime Wedges for garnish

In a small bowl combine the minced chilies, chili paste, lobster or shrimp base, garlic and soy sauce.  Stir and set aside.

Heat the wok (or large skillet) until very hot, add 2 tsp peanut oil and swirl around the wok.  Add the beaten eggs and gently swirl the eggs so they spread out in the wok, to create a large thin crepe.  Carefully flip the eggs over, cook for 1 minute until set, then transfer the eggs to a plate to cool, then slice the eggs into thin strips.

Reheat the wok and add 2 teaspoons of peanut oil, then add the chicken and half of the chili and garlic mixture.  Stir to coat and cook the chicken until it is no longer pink.  Remove the chicken from the wok and keep warm in a large bowl.

Reheat the wok, add 1 teaspoon oil, then the shrimp and the remaining chili and garlic mixture.  Stir and cook until the shrimp are cooked through and pink.  Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the chicken and keep warm.

Reheat the wok and add 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the cooked rice, and stir constantly over medium-high heat for 4 minutes.  Add the soy sauce to the rice, stir, then add the chicken and shrimp to the wok.  Continue to turn the mixture until everything is warmed through.  Season with salt and pepper, as needed. 

Spoon the mixture into serving bowls and sprinkle with the strips of egg, then a spoonful of cucumber and finally the tomato on top.  Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over the dish. 

Monday, November 12, 2012

Szechuan Pork Stir Fry

One of my favorite time saving appliances is my electric wok.  You can combine almost any protein with a handful of vegetables (anything you have on hand will work just fine), and a quick sauce and you have dinner on the table in no time. 

  

Another reason I love to cook in the wok is that it's so much fun to experiment with different ingredients and see how close I can get to the flavors you find in a traditional Chinese take-out meal. For example, tonight I wanted to make a Szechuan-style spicy sauce and I happened to have some pork on hand, so I started there.  After thinly slicing the pork, I added cornstarch, soy sauce and garlic powder for a marinade.  Next, I sliced a green pepper into strips and placed those in a small bowl. (Using small bowls for the ingredients is ideal for cooking with a wok.  Just line up all of the bowls in order as they are called for in the recipe, then you are ready to toss everything into the wok as needed.)

The Szechuan sauce gets its heat from crushed red pepper, which is infused into the dry roasted peanuts with a quick stir-fry.  This step is very "aromatic" to say the least.  The heat of the wok really brings out the full strength of the red pepper and the smell is spicy and delicious.

After quickly stir-frying the pork and peppers, a blend of chicken broth, vinegar and white wine add a nice balance to the spicy red pepper.

Cooking with a wok is super easy, but you could also use a large non-stick skillet with equally good results.  This is also a great recipe to start with if you are new to stir-frying.  It's super easy, fast and the taste is even better than take-out Chinese.  Enjoy!!

1 3/4 lbs  Boneless Pork, cut into thin strips
5 TB  Soy Sauce
4 TB  Cornstarch, divided
1 tsp  Garlic Powder
3 TB  Water
2 tsp  Peanut Oil
1/2 cup  Dry Roasted Peanuts
1/2 tsp  Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 tsp  Minced Fresh Ginger
1 medium Green or Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 cup  Chicken Broth
2 TB  Rice Vinegar
2 TB  Dry White Wine
1 tsp  Sugar

In a medium glass bowl, combine the soy sauce, 1 TB cornstarch and garlic powder, add the pork strips and marinate for 15 - 20 minutes.

Heat 2 tsp peanut oil in a large wok over medium-high heat.  Add the peanuts, crushed red pepper and ginger to the wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Remove peanuts to a bowl and set aside.

Add 1 tsp peanut oil to the wok, then add the pork, and stir-fry for 3 minutes.  Add the green pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes longer, stirring and turning frequently to cook evenly.

Combine the broth, vinegar, wine and sugar in a small glass bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Add mixture to the wok, stir well, cover and simmer for 3 minutes.

In a small bowl combine 3 TB cornstarch and water, stir, then add the mixture to the wok and stir until the broth thickens, about 3 - 5 minutes.

Serve over steamed brown rice with a bowl of steamed edamame.  Serves 6.  Enjoy!!

Friday, July 30, 2010

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

1 pound Beef Boneless Sirloin or Round Steak, trimmed of fat and cut into strips
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dash White Pepper
1 pound Broccoli, cut into flowerets (about 4 cups)
1 tsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 tsp Vegetable Oil
6 cloves Garlic, pressed
1 tsp Ginger Root, finely chopped
1 (8 oz) can Sliced Bamboo Shoots, drained

Toss beef with salt and pepper, and a dash of white pepper.

Heat a little over an inch of water in a saucepan and place broccoli in the boiling water; heat to boiling. Cover and cook 2 minutes to blanch the broccoli. The broccoli should be bright green. Immediately rinse with cold water; drain and set aside.

In the meantime, in a small bowl, mix cornstarch and soy sauce, then stir in sesame oil and broth.

In a wok or skillet, heat your oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and ginger root and stir for a few seconds. Quickly add bamboo shoots, then stir in the beef and broccoli and cook until beef is done.

Last, add the cornstarch mixture; cooking and stirring for about 30 seconds or until thickened.  Serve on top of brown or white rice or noodles.

This is a really great wok. Easy to use and easy to clean up.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Sweet 'n Sour Chicken Stir-Fry

This recipe tastes so much like takeout Sweet-n-Sour Chicken, you will never order it again!

2 TB Rice Vinegar
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 TB Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Minced Fresh Ginger
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
8 oz Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, thinly sliced
1 tsp Peanut Oil
3 Green Onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 cup Snow Peas
1 TB Cornstarch
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
2 TB Apricot Fruit Spread
1 can (20 oz) Pineapple Chunks
2 cup Hot Cooked Rice

Combine vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, ginger and red pepper flakes in medium bowl. Toss chicken with vinegar mixture. Marinate 20 minutes at room temperature.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain chicken; reserve marinade. Add chicken to wok and stir fry 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in onions, green pepper and snow peas. Stir fry 3 minutes longer.

Stir cornstarch into the reserved marinade. Stir broth, fruit spread and marinade mixture into wok. Cook and stir 1 minute or until sauce boils and thickens. Add pineapple and heat through. Serve over rice.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Chicken Stir-Fry with Green Beans

This recipe, adapted from an Emeril recipe, has an amazing garlic and hoisin sauce and is a great way to use fresh green beans from your home garden. We added extra veggies for a bit more variety.

1-3/4 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1/8-inch strips
6 TB Soy Sauce
1-1/2 tsp Asian 5-Spice Blend (this can be found in the spice aisle)
Peanut Oil
2 cups Green Beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup Snow Peas, ends cut off and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 Medium Carrots, cut into thin julienne strips
2 TB Minced Garlic
1/2 cup Chopped Cashews
4 TB Hoisin Sauce
2 tsp Sesame Oil
3 tsp Sriracha Oriental Hot Sauce (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes, crushed (or more to taste)
Chopped Green Onions for Garnish

In a glass bowl, combine the chicken strips, 3 tablespoons soy sauce and the 5-spice powder. Toss chicken to coat and let sit for 15 minutes.

In a large wok or saute pan, heat 2 - 3 tablespoons peanut oil until shimmering. Add the chicken, working in batches if needed. Cook just until brown about 2 - 3 minutes. Add the green beans, snow peas and carrots and stir-fry 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cook 1 minute longer. Add the cashews, hoisin and 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper sauce and red pepper flakes. Stir well and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve over white or brown rice and a sprinkle of chopped green onions.

Spicy Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

This is a great recipe to make when asparagus is in season. For even more spice, add 1 minced chili pepper or thai chili to the wok with the garlic.

2 TB Soy Sauce
1 tsp Cooking Sherry
1 TB Grated and Peeled Fresh Ginger
1 tsp Peanut Oil
1 pound Asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
1 tsp Dark Sesame Oil
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 lb Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a glass bowl combine soy sauce, sherry and ginger; set aside.

In a wok or large skillet, heat peanut oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add asparagus and stir fry 4 - 5 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring frequently. Add sesame oil, garlic and pepper flakes and stir fry another minute.

Move vegetables to sides of wok or skillet and add shrimp to center of pan. Cook until shrimp turns pink, about 3 minutes.

Pour sauce over veggetables and shrimp and heat through 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over brown or white rice.  Serves 4.