Colorful stir fries are healthy, delicious and very customizable. They can be enjoyed year round with seasonal veggies and easy homemade sauces. Stir fries make a well balanced and practical weeknight meal. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when putting together your next stir fry.
- A little prep work goes a long way. The beauty of a stir fry is that it cooks fast, so if you have all your veggies and meat chopped and sliced in advance your meal could come together in about 10 minutes. The prep work of chopping carrots, cabbage and your desired vegetables can take 15 to 20 minutes. However, it can be done the day before or several hours before cooking. Prepping your sauce in advance can also save time, especially if you’re entertaining.
- Stick to high smoke point oils. Since a good stir-fry is cooked using the highest heat possible you want to stick with canola oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil or avocado oil.
- Use fresh aromatics. Fresh ginger, garlic and shallots add a delightful smell and deep flavor to any stir fry.
- Cook in batches. Start by cooking just your protein, then remove your meat and set it aside. Cook the veggies on their own then add the meat and sauce to the veggies once they reached their desired doneness.
- Sauce is key. A flavorful sauce can be the key ingredient to your stir fry. It usually includes soy sauce, broth, corn starch, a little oil, rice vinegar and a some ginger and garlic if desired. The sauce can be made in advance in larger batches and used as needed.
