Looking for a really good stir fry recipe

I am looking for a really good stir fry recipe that my family will eat. I love love love my chinese food, chicken stir fry with white steamed rice. My family does not like rice. I could get by with chicken but what veggies and/or marinade should I include that will look and taste great!!!

Replies

  • Huppmanj
    Huppmanj Posts: 60 Member
    Try this with fat free chicken broth; it's one of my favorties! And, there is no rice! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/shrimp-quinoa/
  • Ahh, didn't think about using quinoa
  • for what its worth, here is mine (from Jamie Oliver).

    cook your selected meat & veg in groundnut oil with a splash of toasted sesame seed oil. add of soy sauce, lime juice, honey and five spice plus seasoning (a good spinkle). balance the soy sauce, honey and lime juice to your preferred taste. add cornflour if sauce is too runny.
  • UnderCoverShyGirl
    UnderCoverShyGirl Posts: 254 Member
    I loved this recipe for Stir Fried Pork, Eggplant, and Onion with Garlic and Black Pepper. I trimmed it down/changed it up where i could (aka don't need all that oil, i usually cut down the salt/sugars, etc.to my personal taste or health guidelines, i don't love black pepper, sometimes sub chicken for pork, etc.).

    I'm posting it for you because it was delish and it teaches you how to make a stir fry. I've been trying forever (thinking i didn't need a recipe) and always wonder why mine tastes so overdone and mushy, etc..the secret is that you pretty much quickly do everything separately, then add things back together in the end. That and not having anything too "moist" and cooking on higher heat so you cook fast. This is from the book "The Best One Dish Suppers" from Cooks Illustrated. (eta to add "I hope it's okay to post a recipe from a book!")

    I find that once you get the "method" of how to stir fry down, you can use pretty much any veggie/meat...sometimes i drizzle a little hoisin if i don't want to make a sauce, or just some vinegar with soy and a touch of honey, etc...you could use this same recipe and add a crud of veggies, or leave the meat out altogether, etc...and it would still be good.

    Sauce
    ½ cup chicken broth
    ¼ c water
    2 ½ TB brown sugar
    4 tsp fish sauce
    4 tsp soy sauce
    2 tsp lime juice
    2 tsp cornstarch

    Stir – fry
    5 TB vegetable oil
    1 TB cornstarch
    1 TB flour
    1 tsp fish sauce
    1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and sliced thin
    12 garlic cloves, minced
    2 tsp black pepper
    1 lb eggplant, cut into ¾ inch cubes
    1 large onion, sliced into ¼ inch wedges
    ¼ c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

    For sauce: Whisk all ingredients together and set aside.
    For stir fry: Whisk 2 TB oil, cornstarch, flour and fish sauce together in medium bowl until smooth, then stir in the pork until evenly coated. In separate bowl, combine garlic, pepper and 1 TB oil.
    Heat 1 tsp oil in 12 inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork and cook until lightly browned (break up clumps, then don’t stir), about 1 minute. Transfer to clean bowl. Repeat with 1 tsp more oil and remaining pork. Transfer to bowl.
    Add 1 tsp more oil and heat until smoking. Add eggplant and cook, stirring often, until browned and no longer spongy, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl with pork. Add remaining 1 tsp oil and onion to skillet and cook over high until just soft and lightly brown, about 2 minutes.
    Clear center of skillet. Add garlic mixture and cook, mashing the mixture into the pan, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir the garlic mixture into the onions.
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
    You can use a ton of broccoli and other veggies instead of the rice. I do this all of the time because I love stir fry but don't like rice enough to eat the calories.

    And seriously, you can stir fry almost ANYTHING and it will be delicious. I've stir-fried in bbq sauce when I didn't have anything else and it was still super yummy
  • Tme2change
    Tme2change Posts: 185 Member
    I am looking for a really good stir fry recipe that my family will eat. I love love love my chinese food, chicken stir fry with white steamed rice. My family does not like rice. I could get by with chicken but what veggies and/or marinade should I include that will look and taste great!!!
    Does your family do spicy foods?
  • majikmiker
    majikmiker Posts: 291 Member
    bump
  • Cool. Thanks guys. Chicken is usually our go to meat of choice. However, I am stoked to try shrimp. I could eat Chinese every day of the week, but I know it would be healthier if I learned to do it at home (plus cheaper).
  • [[/quote]
    Does your family do spicy foods?
    [/quote]

    My husband does. I like a little spice but not alot.
  • Tme2change
    Tme2change Posts: 185 Member
    Here's a recipe
    You can adjust the spice according to your taste and the amount of veggies to your taste, I modified it from the Clean Eating magazine Kung Pao Chicken
    I can't eat rice, and my family doesn't like nuts so we left out the nuts
    It made 6 decent sized portions (although I calculated it out for 4)
    3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, divided
    1 tsp aji-mirin (Japanese rice wine)
    12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch dice
    1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
    1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
    4 1/4 tsp arrowroot
    1 tsp organic evaporated cane juice
    1 tsp toasted sesame oil
    1 tbsp peanut, safflower or sunflower oil
    6 to 10 small dried red chiles (preferably Szechuan chiles), halved crosswise and seeded
    2 tsp whole Szechuan peppercorns
    1 large red bell pepper, cut into
    3/4-inch dice
    6 scallions, white and light green parts only, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
    6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
    2 tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts
    Prepare rice according to package directions.
    Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 1 tbsp soy sauce and aji-mirin. Stir in chicken and set aside at room temperature.
    In a small bowl, combine broth, vinegar, 2 tbsp water, arrowroot, cane juice, sesame oil and remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce. Set aside.
    When rice is about 10 minutes from being done, heat peanut oil in a large wok or skillet on high. Add chiles and peppercorns and cook, stirring almost constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken mixture, spreading chicken in a single layer in wok, and cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Then stir chicken constantly for 1 minute.
    Add bell pepper, scallions, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until bell pepper begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add broth-vinegar mixture and stir until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Stir in peanuts. Serve chicken mixture over rice, dividing evenly.
    Cal: 215 Fat 18 Protein 22 Sug 11
  • If you put in red bellpeppers it gives you a "pepper" flavor without the heat. You can also seed jalepenos and chop them up fine for the same effect. I like to load my stir fry with broccoli, red and green bell peppers, slivers of carrots, mushrooms, onions, water chestnuts, and sugar snap peas. I put in some teriyaki sauce and some soy sauce. It's pretty good. Another Asian think you can try is to make lettuce rolls. Take big lettuce leaves and wrap them around a filling of finely chopped chicken, grapes, and onion. So fresh and tasty!
  • petstorekitty
    petstorekitty Posts: 592 Member
    I make stir-fry a lot. A LOT. It's easy and delicious.

    I usually buy frozen veggies. It's cheap and easy but they usually consist of broccoli, oinion, peppers, green beans, carrot, bean sprouts. Sometimes I add peas and corn squash & zucchini.

    I found the secret to stiry fry is the seasoning. Otherwise all you're doing is sauteeing.
    salt, pepper, garlic and ginger. Soy sayce (which has salt & sugar in it - if it's decent soy sauce But you only need a dash of it!)

    You can use chili sauce and hoisin sauce.

    I normally use grape seed oil but I love sesame oil. (My apartment is too small to cook with sesame oil though)

    I've also bought the Fresh & Easy brand of "Stir-Fry sauce to be lazy. It's pretty good actually and 40 cals for 2 TB which is plenty.

    I often toss eggs into the stir fry for added protein. I rarely make rice.
    I often eat it wrapped up in seaweed wraps (the kind you buy to make sushi with) like a taco.

    great seasonings for meat are cumin and any Old Bay-type seasoning.

    Don't forget the ginger! ;)
  • sarashiveley
    sarashiveley Posts: 25 Member
    scramble a couple eggs. cook your chicken make the rice or noodles. throw it all in a big wok or skillet with some frozen veggies walmart has some that says stir fry. has water chestnuts, the small corn, peppers and couple other veggies. throw some soy sauce, chilli pepper maybe some cajun in it with some olive oil as well. fry it up!!!!!!!!! delicious! the husband loves it!!!!!!!
  • kuntry_navy
    kuntry_navy Posts: 677 Member
    i made some a few weeks ago with ground buffalo(you could use turkey or beef to i'm sure), i used cinnamon and a little agave nectar on the meat to sweeten it up and a little teryaki with the veggies.
  • jmadams111
    jmadams111 Posts: 145 Member
    You can pretty much clean out the fridge as far as veggies go; I haven't found anything that didn't work.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    I love fermented black bean sauce. I make it from scratch (well, using jarred fermented beans), but this stuff is pretty good despite being a bit too high in sodium:
    0008034_600.jpeg
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    Any veggies you have, saute on high heat in a wok with maybe 1 tbsp coconut oil (great for high heat cooking because it doesn't break down and oxidate - and high heat cooks veggies but keeps them crisp which is perfect for stir fry), after your veggies are to the right crispness for you, remove from heat and add 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and 1-3 tbsp liquid aminios depending on your taste preference. Also, if you like garlic saute 1-2 cloves in the coconut oil before adding veggies until it browns a little to release flavor.

    For veggies I usually go with 1 carrot, half head of broccoli, 1/2 bell pepper, 1 zucchini, maybe some summer squash now that it's coming around for it. Add the veggies to the wok in that order as the carrots and broccoli take the longest to cook. I could eat it every day! Of course add whatever your choice of meat would be, cook the meat first then add veggies accordingly unless it's shrimp - i'd cook that alone and add with the oils after the fact since shrimp cook so fast.
  • Snoozypaws3000
    Snoozypaws3000 Posts: 133 Member
    If I'm in a hurry I cheat and stir fry the veggies and meat in a wok and then add a sachet of instant cuppa soup
    [Thai broth, Curried Muligatawny, Gumbo etc]
    They normally only work out about 80 cals for enough for 4 people....I just add a cup of boiling water to the soup mix as your veggies are sizzling, pour it over and stir it in
    I sometimes do egg noodles on the side if i have the cals or Ebly wheat and if I don't I stir in a pack of miracle noodles
    x
  • adfabus
    adfabus Posts: 178 Member
    I have been making this for a long time now. You double/triple/ or more the recipe to feed the family.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/607509-65-or-90-calorie-meal-snack
  • juicemoogan
    juicemoogan Posts: 994 Member
    Any veggies you like with chicken or pork or beef...

    Use the following
    My recipies are very vague.. no real measuring.. sorry.. do it as you prefer the taste.
    Fry in small amount of oil
    Veggies & Meat
    chopped garlic ( as much or little as you prefer)
    Chopped Ginger ( usally about a teaspoon)
    fry up until meat is almost cooked.

    Add 1 cup of bouillon of your choice - i prefer veggie and herb over chicken, the taste is better
    add - Hoisin sauce - 1 squirt
    Squirt of Shirachi - as much or little as you liek as per your tolerance for spicy..
    small drop of fish sauce
    Lots of basil and oregano sprinkled on

    Feel free to mix it up with the following add ons
    - Lime juice & brown sugar for a more thai flavour
    - flour or cornstarch to thicken the gravy
  • AnnInTexas
    AnnInTexas Posts: 75 Member
    I recently started dabbling with taking some foods out of my diet (soy, sodium, corn, etc).... so I've been doing a lot of stir fry dinners. I use all kinds of veggies, frozen, fresh, etc. I also alternate between shrimp and chicken. The key to doing the chicken like restaurants do it is to cut it up very thin. Otherwise, you almost need to cook the veggies, take them out and cook the chicken, then put it all back in to heat everything.

    I used coconut oil as well... and I started using something called "Bragg's Aminos" instead of soy sauce (remember, no soy or sodium!) Just a little drop or two will go a LONG way. It has a little smokier flavor than regular soy sauce.

    I also use brown rice with my dinner, but my hubby still likes old fashioned white.... so I usually cook them both and save the leftovers.

    Yum -- now I'm hungry!
  • bump. These all sound great!
  • kevinindelaware
    kevinindelaware Posts: 127 Member
    Try Pad Thai Vegetables with Tofu... I just made it last night and was excellent.
  • Thanks guys. I usually use chicken as my meat and I have tried the frozen veggies (they aren't bad, just not real "fresh" tasting IMO). It just gets bland and my kids won't eat it. Also wondering, what type of oil should I use to cook the chicken? I normally use just olive oil with soy sauce, but I am finding I add too much soy sauce to kind of take away from that olive oil taste.
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
    Thanks guys. I usually use chicken as my meat and I have tried the frozen veggies (they aren't bad, just not real "fresh" tasting IMO). It just gets bland and my kids won't eat it. Also wondering, what type of oil should I use to cook the chicken? I normally use just olive oil with soy sauce, but I am finding I add too much soy sauce to kind of take away from that olive oil taste.

    Use vegetable or canola oil (no olive or sesame as they dont get hot enough). Don't just use soy sauce! Heat the oil and add ginger & garlic (fresh!), then add the chicken, cook it & remove it from the pan, add the veggies and cook them & remove them from the pan, then add the sauce to the pan, once its hot & bubbly mix it with everything else and cook for a minute.

    I make sauce out of a variety of things, most commonly - soy, water or broth, sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and chili sauce. You can also try hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil & seeds, fish sauce, oyster sauce, honey, brown sugar etc - try these different combos out and see what you like.

    For veggies i like broccoli, water chesnuts, bamboo shoots, baby corn, green onions (add fresh at the end), carrots, sugar snap or snow peas, colorful peppers, cabbage, bean sprouts, etc.
  • Bejede
    Bejede Posts: 191 Member
    Bump-Bump!
  • Devourer1
    Devourer1 Posts: 4 Member
    Anyone use fresh and frozen veggies together? Frozen is broccoli, red peppers, and onion while I just bought some fresh zucchini.
  • tfisher0915
    tfisher0915 Posts: 32 Member
    Bump