THE EVERYTHING® STIR-FRY COOKBOOK
Page 14
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 cup baby corn, halved
1 cup sliced water chestnuts
2 green onions, quartered
Black pepper to taste
½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Prawns with Two Kinds of Vegetables
If you're using canned baby corn and water chestnuts, be sure to rinse them under running water to remove any “tin” taste from the can. Thicken the chicken broth mixture by whisking in 2 teaspoons cornstarch if desired.
Rinse the prawns under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the chicken broth, rice wine or sherry, and sugar in a bowl.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the salt and the prawns. Stir-fry the prawns until they turn pink and the edges begin to curl.
Push the prawns to the sides of the wok or skillet. Add the ginger, baby corn, and water chestnuts in the middle. Stir-fry briefly, then stir in the green onions.
Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the black pepper and stir-fry for another minute to blend the flavors. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Serve hot.
Coconut Shrimp
For an extra touch, garnish the shrimp with 3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes that have been toasted in the oven at 350°F until they turn golden brown.
Rinse the shrimp in cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the shrimp in a bowl and toss with the salt.
Combine the coconut milk, chicken broth, and palm or brown sugar in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch into 4 teaspoons water.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry the shrimp until they turn pink, taking care not to overcook. Remove the shrimp from the pan and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and the chile paste. Stir-fry for 10 seconds and add the shallots. Stir-fry the shallot until softened, then add the bell pepper. Stir-fry the bell pepper for 2 minutes, or until it is tender but still crisp.
Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan. Add the coconut milk and chicken broth mixture in the middle and bring to a boil. Stir the cornstarch and water mixture, and pour into the coconut milk and broth, stirring to thicken. When the sauce has thickened, add the shrimp back into the pan. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 more minutes to combine all the ingredients. Serve hot.
Why Devein Shrimp at All? If you look closely at a shrimp, you'll see a gray thread running down its back. This is the shrimp's digestive tract or “vein.” While eating the vein can't harm you, removing it improves the appearance of the dish. In addition, the veins of larger-sized shrimp may contain dirt or grit.
Serves 3 to 4
1 pound large shrimp
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 teaspoons water, or as needed
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
½ teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon chile paste with garlic
2 shallots, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-sized cubes
Serves 3 to 4
1 pound large prawns
1 sprig fresh curry leaves (about 15 leaves)
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons butter
2 large green chilies, or to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic ¼ cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sweetened coconut flakes, for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Butter Prawns
The indescribable aroma of fresh curry leaves is the secret behind many Indian dishes. You can either leave the curry leaves in the stir-fry or remove them before serving.
Rinse the prawns under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. (Do not remove the shells.) If using fresh curry leaves, strip the sprigs from the stem.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the prawns. Stir-fry the prawns briefly, until the shells turn a bright pink. Splash the prawns with the rice wine or sherry during stir-frying.
Push the prawns to the sides of the wok or skillet. Add the butter, green chilies, curry leaves, and the garlic in the middle of the pan. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, mixing the seasonings with the butter. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar and fish sauce. Stir-fry for another minute to mix the prawns with the coconut milk and seasonings. Garnish with the coconut flakes and cilantro before serving.
Curry Leaves Curry leaves play a prominent role as a flavor enhancer in Indian cuisine, in the same way that bay leaves do in the West. While dried curry leaves can be used in long-simmered dishes, it's best to stick with fresh curry leaves for stir-fries. If the fresh leaves are unavailable, you can substitute fresh basil.
Scallops with Black Beans
Chinese fermented black beans are available at Asian markets. If unavailable, Chinese black bean sauce can be used instead — follow the instructions for adding the sauce in Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce (page 113).
Rinse the scallops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Rinse the black beans under cold running water for 10 minutes, drain, and chop. Place the black beans in a bowl and mash with a fork.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the scallops. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the scallops are white but not too firm. Splash the scallops with the rice wine or sherry while stir-frying. Remove the scallops and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and the mashed black beans. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, mixing the garlic with the beans. Add the tomato. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
Add the scallops back into the pan. Stir in the soy sauce and brown sugar. Stir in the green onions. Stir-fry briefly to blend the flavors and serve hot.
Serves 2 to 4
1 pound bay scallops
2 tablespoons fermented black beans
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 tomato, cut into thin wedges, each wedge halved
¼ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon brown sugar
2 green onions, chopped on the diagonal into 1-inch sections
Serves 2 to 4
1 pound (16–20) extra-large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons cornstarch, or as needed
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons chopped red chilies
1 tablespoon five-spice powder
Five-Spiced Shrimp
This spicy shrimp dish is especially tasty when served with plain cooked white rice and a salad.
Rinse the shrimp under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the shrimp in a bowl and dust with the cornstarch.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium
-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry briefly until they turn pink. Remove from the pan and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the chopped chilies and the five-spice powder. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the shrimp back into the pan. Stir-fry briefly, coating the shrimp with the five-spice powder. Serve hot.
Classifying Shrimp The seafood industry uses a combination of size and number to classify shrimp. Whether shrimp are classified as medium, large, or jumbo depends on the number of that type of shrimp that is needed to make up 1 pound. A 1-pound bag of jumbo shrimp will contain only 16 to 20 shrimp, while a 1-pound bag of medium shrimp will hold between 35 and 40 shrimp.
Shrimp and Asparagus
For an extra touch, try garnishing the shrimp and asparagus with 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds before serving. Toast the seeds first if you want to add a nutty flavor to the dish.
Rinse the shrimp under cold running water and pat dry. Place the shrimp in a bowl and add the rice wine or sherry, salt, and cornstarch. Marinate the shrimp for 15 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger. Let the ginger brown for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove it from the pan.
Add the shrimp into the wok or skillet. Stir-fry briefly until the shrimp turns pink and the edges begin to curl. Push the shrimp to the sides of the pan, and add the asparagus in the middle. Stir-fry for a minute, stirring in ½ teaspoon salt if desired. Stir-fry the asparagus until it is tender but still crisp (about 2 minutes total).
Stir the Sesame Sauce and add in the middle of the pan, stirring to thicken. Stir-fry briefly to combine all the ingredients and allow the flavors to blend and serve hot.
Serves 2 to 4
1 pound large shrimp, shelled, deveined
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
2 slices fresh ginger
½ pound fresh asparagus, sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
½ teaspoon salt, optional
½ recipe Sesame Sauce (page 19)
Serves 3 to 4
1 pound fish fillets
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
3 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
4 teaspoons water
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced ginger, divided
2 ribs celery, cut on the diagonal into ½-inch pieces
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-sized cubes
1–2 tablespoons additional water, optional
Stir-Fried Fish
Firm fish fillets that hold their shape during stir-frying, such as cod or whitefish, work best in this recipe.
Cut the fish into cubes. Place the cubes in a bowl, and add the light soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, Asian sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Marinate the fish for 15 minutes.
Combine the chicken broth, oyster sauce, and sugar in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon cornstarch into the water. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking, and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add half the ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the fish cubes. Stir-fry the fish cubes for about 2 minutes or until they begin to brown. Remove the fish and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the remainder of the ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the celery. Stir-fry the celery for 1 minute, sprinkling with the salt. Add the red bell pepper, and stir-fry for another minute. Splash the vegetables with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if they begin to dry out.
Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan. Add the chicken broth mixture and bring to a boil. Stir the cornstarch and water and add into the sauce, stirring quickly to thicken. Once the sauce has thickened, add the fish back into the pan. Stir-fry for another minute to mix the ingredients. Serve hot.
Fresh Fish Facts Nothing beats a meal prepared with freshly caught fish. To make sure the fish doesn't lose that fresh flavor by the time you're ready to stir-fry, store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Leave the fish refrigerated until you're ready to use it in the recipe.
Salt and Pepper Shrimp
Leaving the shells on the shrimp enhances the attractiveness of this dish, as the shrimp shells turn a vivid orange color. It also helps prevent the shrimp from overcooking.
Rinse the shrimp under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Dredge the shrimp with the cornstarch. Place the dredged shrimp on a plate next to the stove. Combine the salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, carefully add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp turns pink and the edges begin to curl (about 1 minute). Remove the shrimp and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Remove all but 1½ tablespoons oil from the wok or skillet. Add the ginger, garlic, and shallot. Stir-fry until the shallot begins to soften, then add the shrimp. Stir in the salt and pepper mixture. Stir in the green onion. Stir-fry for another minute to combine the ingredients. Serve hot.
Serves 2 to 4
1 pound medium to large shrimp, shells on
2 tablespoons cornstarch, or as needed
¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups vegetable or peanut oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 shallot, chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
Serves 2 to 4
1 pound fish fillets
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg white
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
3 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
cup plus
4 teaspoons water, divided
4½ teaspoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
2 thin slices ginger
1 teaspoon minced ginger
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 green onion, finely chopped
¼ pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon black pepper, optional
Stir-Fried Fish with Oyster Sauce
Ginger and green onion are frequently added to seafood stir-fries to remove any “fishy” odor that may arise as you cook the fish.
Cut the fish fillets into 1½- to 2-inch squares that are about ½ inch thick. Place the fish cubes in a bowl and add the salt, egg white, rice wine or sherry, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Marinate the fish for 15 minutes.
Combine cup water, oyster sauce, and dark soy sauce in a bowl. In a separate bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon cornstarch into 4 teaspoons water.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced ginger. Let brown for 2 to 3 minutes, and remove from the pan. Add the minced ginger, stir-fry for 10 seconds, and then add the fish. Let the fish sit in the pan briefly, then gently stir-fry the fish cubes until they turn white and are firm. Remove the fish and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and the green onion. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the mushrooms. Stir-fry the mushrooms for 2 minutes or until they begin to darken. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon black pepper over the mushrooms while stir
-frying if desired.
Push the mushrooms to the sides of the pan. Add the sauce in the middle of the pan and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch and water mixture into the sauce, stirring quickly to thicken. When the sauce has thickened, add the fish back into the pan. Stir-fry for another minute to mix everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Serve hot.
How to Separate an Egg First, start with eggs that are still cold from the refrigerator. Lightly crack the middle of the egg against the side of a bowl, and use both hands to pull the shell apart so that you are holding half of the shell in each hand. Then, simply move the egg yolk back and forth from one half shell to the other, letting the egg white fall into the bowl.
Shrimp and Spinach Stir-Fry
Dried shrimp is more than able to hold its own against the pungent flavor of garlic in this recipe. Be sure not to overcook the spinach.
Reconstitute the dried shrimp by placing them in a bowl with hot water to soften. Drain the shrimp.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry briefly (30 seconds to 1 minute), until they release their flavor.
Push the shrimp to the sides of the wok or skillet. Add the spinach leaves in the middle of the pan. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, then add the soy sauce and sugar. Continue stir-frying until the spinach turns a bright green, mixing the spinach in with the shrimp. Serve immediately.
Serves 2 to 4
1 ounce dried shrimp
1½ tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil for stir-frying
3 garlic cloves, chopped
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 pound fresh spinach leaves, trimmed
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or fish sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar