THE EVERYTHING® STIR-FRY COOKBOOK
Page 19
Cut the pork into thin strips about 1½ inches long.
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 pork. Stir-fry the pork until it is no longer pink, then add the chile paste and garlic. Stir-fry briefly, then push the pork to the sides of the pan.
Add the red bell peppers to the wok or skillet. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the sauce. Bring to a boil and continue stir-frying until the red bell peppers are tender but still crisp and the pork is cooked through. Remove from the pan and garnish with the toasted sesame seeds.
Serves 2 to 4
1 pound lean pork
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Korean chile paste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into thin strips
2 portions Korean-Inspired Sesame Sauce (page 26)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Serves 2 to 4
¾ pound lean pork
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 leeks, cut on the diagonal into ½-inch pieces
½ teaspoon salt, optional Peking Sauce (page 22)
Peking Pork
Serve Peking Pork with Stir-Fried Bok Choy (page 264) and plenty of cooked rice for a complete meal.
Cut the pork into thin strips about 1½ inches long. Place the pork in a bowl and add the soy sauce, rice wine or dry sherry, and cornstarch. Marinate the pork for 15 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the pork. Stir-fry the pork until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked through.
Push the pork to the sides of the pan. Add the leeks and salt in the middle. Stir-fry the leeks for 1 minute, until they turn a darker green.
Add the Peking Sauce. Bring to a boil. Continue stir-frying for 1 to 2 more minutes, to blend the flavors and make sure the pork is cooked through. Serve hot.
Choosing Oil for Stir-Frying When stir-frying, it's important to choose an oil that won't break down at high temperatures. Chinese cooks traditionally use peanut oil, both because of its high smoke point and its nutty flavor. Canola oil and olive oil, which both contain a high degree of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, are also good choices. Another option is coconut oil, commonly used in Thai stir-fry dishes.
7
Stir-Fry Classics
Beef with Broccoli
Moo Goo Gai Pan
Sesame Chicken
Friday Night Kung Pao Chicken
Beef with Orange Peel
Sweet and Sour Pork
Beef Chop Suey
Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
Shrimp Egg Foo Yung
Egg Foo Yung with Brown Sauce
Restaurant-Style Mu Shu Pork
General Tso's Chicken
Chicken Chop Suey
Beef with Dried Tangerine Peel
Pork Chow Mein
Grandmother Bean Curd (Mapo Doufu)
Mu Shu Tofu
Pad Thai
Spring Rolls
Beef Lettuce Wraps
Crisped Szechuan Beef
Black Bean Beef with Asparagus
Almond Gai Ding
Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps
Serves 2 to 4
1 pound flank steak
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 egg white
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup plus
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
2 thin slices ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, peeled and cut into wedges
2 cups broccoli florets
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
1–2 tablespoons water, if needed
Oyster-Flavored Brown Sauce (page 21)
Beef with Broccoli
It's hard to go wrong with this popular restaurant dish. If you'd like to add extra color to the dish, add a carrot, cut on the diagonal into thin slices.
Cut the steak across the grain into thin strips 1½ to 2 inches long. Place the beef strips in a bowl and add the rice wine or sherry, egg white, salt, and cornstarch. Marinate the beef for 15 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking and add 1 cup oil. When the oil is hot, carefully slide half the beef into the hot oil. Cook the beef until it is no longer pink (about 1 minute), using a spatula to separate the strips. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander or on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the beef. Clean out the pan.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the onion. Stir-fry the onion for about 2 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the broccoli and sprinkle the sugar over the mixture. Stir-fry the broccoli until it turns a darker green and is tender but still crisp (about 3 minutes). Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water if the broccoli begins to dry out during stir-frying.
Push the vegetables to the sides of the wok or skillet. Stir the brown sauce and add it into the middle of the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring quickly to thicken. When the sauce has thickened, add the beef back into the pan. Stir-fry for 2 more minutes to mix everything together and make sure the beef is cooked. Serve hot over rice.
Moo Goo Gai Pan
To enhance the savory flavor of this dish, replace half of the fresh mushrooms with Chinese dried mushrooms. Don't forget to soften the dried mushrooms in hot water before using.
Cut the chicken breast into thin strips 2 to 3 inches long. Place the chicken strips in a bowl and add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, black pepper, and 1½ teaspoons cornstarch. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Combine the oyster sauce and water or chicken broth in a bowl. Whisk in 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet 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 onion. Stir-fry the onion for about 2 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute, adding the rice wine or dry sherry. Add the celery, sprinkle the salt over, and stir-fry for another minute. Remove the vegetables from the pan.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the chicken. Let brown for a minute, then stir-fry until the chicken strips are white and nearly cooked through.
Push the chicken to the sides of the wok or skillet. Add the sauce in the middle of the pan and bring to a boil, stirring quickly to thicken. Add the vegetables back into the pan. Stir-fry for another minute to mix all the ingredients together and make sure the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot.
Moo Goo Gai Pan The name Moo Goo Gai Pan means “sliced chicken with fresh mushrooms.” There are no hard-and-fast rules about what vegetables should accompany the chicken and mushrooms; while this recipe calls for peas, celery, onion, or red bell pepper could all be used instead.
Serves 2 to 4
¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1½ tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce Black pepper to taste
3½ teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1½ tablespoons oyster sauce
cup water or chicken broth
4 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 onion, chopped
1 cup fresh button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 ribs celery, cut thinly on the diagonal Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Serves 4
1¼–1½ pounds bo
neless, skinless chicken breasts
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
cup plus ¼ cup water, divided
3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1½ tablespoons dark soy sauce
1½ tablespoons sesame oil
½ teaspoon chile paste, or to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into cubes
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Sesame Chicken
The richness of dark soy sauce lends extra flavor to a standard sweet-and-sour sauce in this popular dish. The toasted sesame seeds are a nice final touch, but you can leave them out if desired.
Cut the chicken into cubes (it's easiest to do this if the chicken is partially frozen). Place the chicken cubes in a bowl and add the soy sauce, rice wine or dry sherry, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.
Combine cup water, vinegar, sugar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and chile paste in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons cornstarch into ¼ cup water. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add half the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add half the chicken. Stir-fry the chicken until it turns white and is nearly cooked through. Remove the chicken and drain in a colander or on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. Add the remainder of the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the bell pepper. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the bell pepper is tender but still crisp. Add the chicken back into the pan and stir-fry briefly.
Add the sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Stir the cornstarch and water mixture and add to the sauce, stirring to thicken. Stir-fry for about 2 more minutes to blend the flavors. Remove from the pan and garnish with the toasted sesame seeds.
Friday Night Kung Pao Chicken
Although this dish is traditionally made with peanuts, heart-healthy cashews can be used instead. The bell peppers can be left out if desired.
Chop the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Place the chicken cubes in a bowl and mix in the light soy sauce, egg white, and cornstarch. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, roast the cashews in a heavy frying pan over medium heat, shaking the pan continuously so that the nuts do not burn. Roast until the cashews are browned (about 5 minutes). Remove the cashews from the pan to cool. Combine the dark soy sauce, water, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add half the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the chicken. Let the chicken brown briefly, then stir-fry until it is nearly cooked. Remove from the wok and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the remainder of the garlic, and the chopped chili peppers. Stir-fry for 15 seconds, then add the bell peppers. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the chicken. Stir-fry for another minute, combining the ingredients, then add the dark soy sauce mixture. Stir in the cashews. Stir-fry for another minute to combine the ingredients and serve hot.
A Dish with Two Names Kung Pao Chicken is named after a nineteenth-century Chinese official whose exact identity is unknown. Some claim he was an officer, while others claim he was the governor of Szechuan Province. Because of the dish's association with imperialism, revolutionaries during the Cultural Revolution renamed the dish Gong Bao Ji Ding, or “fast-fried chicken cubes.”
Serves 3 to 4
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup unsalted cashews
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1½ tablespoons water
1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped red chili peppers
1½ sweet bell peppers, any color, chopped into cubes
Serves 2 to 4
¾ pound flank or sirloin steak
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 orange
Orange Sauce (page 17)
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon chile paste, or to taste
2 shallots, chopped
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Beef with Orange Peel
Orange peel enhances the powerful orange flavor of this dish. To turn this into a one-dish meal, you can add other vegetables, such as colorful bell peppers.
Cut the beef across the grain into thin strips 1½ to 2 inches long. Place the beef strips in a bowl and add the rice wine or sherry, salt, and cornstarch. Marinate the beef for 15 minutes.
Peel the orange and use a paring knife to remove the white pith from the inside of the orange peel. Cut the orange peel into thin strips and stir it into the Orange Sauce.
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 and garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the beef. Let sear briefly, then stir-fry the beef until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked. Remove and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok. When the oil is hot, add the remainder of the garlic and ginger and the chile paste. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the shallots. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, until they begin to soften.
Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the beef back into the pan. Stir in the green onions. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 more minutes to heat through. Serve hot, garnished with orange segments if desired.
Sweet and Sour Pork
Deep-frying the pork before stir-frying seals in the flavor and makes it extra crispy. The amount of oil needed will depend on the size and shape of the pan — make sure there is enough oil to cover the pork.
In a small bowl, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in the water and set aside. Cut the pork into bite-sized cubes.
Heat oil for deep-frying in a deep-fat fryer or wok to 360°F to 375°F. Dredge the pork in the cornstarch. Deep-fry the pork until it is browned and crispy. Carefully remove the pork from the deep-fat fryer. Drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry until it is aromatic, then add the carrot and green bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until they are tender but still crisp.
Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch and water mixture to the sauce, stirring to thicken. When the sauce thickens, add the pork and the pineapple into the pan. Stir-fry for 2 more minutes or until all the ingredients are heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper if desired. Serve hot.
Restaurant-Style Sweet and Sour Pork It takes only a few simple adjustments to make this recipe taste like it came straight from your favorite Chinese restaurant. Instead of dredging the pork in cornstarch, dip it in a batter consisting of egg and equal parts flour, cornstarch, and water. After deep-frying the pork, reheat the oil and deep-fry the pork a second time to make it extra crispy.
Serves 4 to 6
½ cup cornstarch, or as needed, divided
4 tablespoons water
1 pound boneless pork
4 cups oil, or as needed
2 cloves garlic, crushed<
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1 carrot, cut on the diagonal into ½-inch slices
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-sized chunks
Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce (page 25)
½ cup canned pineapple chunks, drained
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Serves 3 to 4
1 pound lean beef
¼ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 thin slices ginger, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
6–8 ounces snow peas, trimmed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup mung bean sprouts
Salt and pepper to taste
Beef Chop Suey
To add extra flavor to this dish, season the vegetables with salt or sugar while stir-frying. If you run out of oil, add a bit of water or chicken broth to keep the vegetables from drying out.
Cut the beef across the grain into thin strips about 1½ to 2 inches long. Set aside.
Combine the chicken broth and oyster sauce in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch into the water.
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 the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the beef, laying it flat in the pan. Let sear (brown) briefly, then stir-fry the meat, stirring and tossing until it is no longer pink. Remove the meat and drain in a colander or on paper towels.