The primary liquids in stir-fry are usually part of a prepared sauce, most commonly a combination of broth (chicken or vegetable stock), soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine). Water is also used to add volume and control saltiness.
For 1 four-serving batch of stir-fry, my go-to is:
Some popular additions include:
What is stir fry sauce made of? Soy sauce, chicken stock, sesame oil, rice vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, fresh minced garlic, fresh minced ginger, brown sugar and red pepper flakes.
It's how to make stir-fry 101: the sauce has to be rich and bold. For maximum deliciousness, you want your sauce to be super concentrated and bold – you'll often have juices and watery liquid coming out of the protein and/or vegetables anyway.
The three core rules of stir-frying are: Mise en Place (prep everything first), use High Heat, and maintain constant Movement (stirring/tossing), ensuring you don't crowd the pan and cook ingredients in order of density to achieve tender-crisp results, adding liquids like sauces only at the end for a glossy finish, not a stew.
Soy Sauce (low sodium recommended): this is the base of the stir fry sauce, adding the dark color to it (replace a tablespoon or so with dark soy sauce that we use in vegetable lo mein for an even deeper flavor!). There is quite a bit of soy sauce in the base, so I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce.
stir-fry—all you have to do is avoid these common mistakes.
Nutrition
I can't get enough! As with stir-frying, because you get to high temperatures with this cooking method, you want something that has a high smoke point. So vegetable oil, rice bran and sunflower are all favourable types of oil.
If possible, a stir-fry is always more delicious with fresh vegetables and ingredients. While you can use frozen or canned vegetables, fresh ingredients tend to provide a better taste to your meal. Once you are ready to cook your stir-fry, place all the ingredients on your counter and begin prepping.
Stir Fry Spices
Sriracha Sauce
Made from chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and more, sriracha is bold and fiery, with savory and sweet notes. The ultimate sauce for rice bowls, sriracha can be used with soy for loads of layers of flavor.
Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients
Look for a low sodium soy sauce to limit the sodium in your meal. Honey: A little honey balances out the salty and savory flavors. Sesame Oil: Just a little bit of sesame oil brings big flavor. Fresh Ginger and Garlic: Don't be tempted to substitute ground ginger or garlic powder.
chicken, beef, pork, lamb, fish and shellfish are all obvious choices. For non-meat eaters, there is tofu, seitan and tempeh. You could even use halved hard-boiled eggs, canned chickpeas or lentils. Because stir-fries are so quick to cook, you've got to have all the ingredients prepped before turning on the pan.
Indian five-spice is a special blend of cumin, fenugreek, onion seeds, mustard and fennel seeds, which you can buy already mixed or you can mix yourself. The trick to a good stir fry is to prepare all the vegetables beforehand and then it's just a matter of stirring and serving up.
The three core rules of stir-frying are: Mise en Place (prep everything first), use High Heat, and maintain constant Movement (stirring/tossing), ensuring you don't crowd the pan and cook ingredients in order of density to achieve tender-crisp results, adding liquids like sauces only at the end for a glossy finish, not a stew.
INGREDIENTS: Sugar, hydrolyzed soy protein, corn starch-modified, maltodextrin, soy sauce powder (fermented soybeans, salt), salt, spice, garlic powder, natural flavor.
If you do not want your stir-fry to be bland, you can also enhance the flavor by adding wok sauce or utilizing ingredients like fresh chilies, Sriracha sauce, fresh lime juice, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass.
Stir fries are delicious, but can sometimes be high in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats.
A good stir-fry is defined by high heat, fast cooking, crisp-tender ingredients, and balanced aromatics and sauce, achieved by prepping everything ahead (mise en place), cooking in batches, using a hot wok or skillet with high smoke point oil, and layering ingredients from hard to soft, finishing with sauce and fresh herbs.
Starchy vegetables (e.g. potatoes, corn) and acidic vegetables (e.g. tomatoes, bell peppers): this combination is believed to lead to digestive discomfort and potential acid reflux.
Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is one of the main ingredients that you'll find in nearly every version of Chinese brown sauce. There are many different types of soy sauce, and you'll find some recipes call for more than one soy sauce in the mix.
Loaded with lots of chicken, broccoli, bell peppers and carrots this is a delicious, filling meal on its own - or add noodles or rice to serve more people. Use homemade or store bought Teriyaki sauce - and you can even use frozen veggies!
Stir-fry sauces
Add your sauce of choice to bring your protein and veggies together. Make sure to do so when the stir-fry is nearly finished cooking and be fairly conservative with the amount to avoid soggy veg.