Basics

The core concept of stir-fry is to cook protein and vegetables in a yummy sauce at high heat, bringing out a lot of flavor from your ingredients! Because stir-fry is so loosely defined, it can be used in a lot of different recipes and combinations.

Velveting your protein

Velveting (or as my mother calls it, "satining") is an important practice in making at home stir-fry with a nice tender texture. It is a cornstarch based marinade that really ups the ante on your stir-fry protein of choice. All it takes is some corn starch and some time. 

To velvet your meat of choice, you will first want to cut it into pieces that are just a bit bigger than bite sized, as they will shrink when cooked. Once the meat is chopped, you can put it in a bowl. 

In a different bowl, put some luke warm water and a bit of corn starch. The exact amount doesn't really matter all that much, I generally use maybe a tablespoon per pound of protein. Use your hands to break up the clumps of cornstarch that form in the water, and then add this mixture to your meat.

Once you have done that, you need to let it sit in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes, and up to a few hours. If you like, you can also use this time to infuse your protein with some flavor by adding salt, soy sauce, or any other flavorings you enjoy! To do so, simply add them to the velveting marinade. 

What goes into a stir-fry sauce?

The stir-fry sauce is arguably the most important part of a stir-fry dish. My stir-fry sauces usually contain the following:

• Honey - Adds sweetness, thickness, and a honey flavor

• Soy sauce - Adds saltiness and color

• Salt - Adds saltiness

• Garlic powder - Adds a concentrated garlic flavor that can be evenly distributed

• Rice wine vinegar - Brightens up your sauce and gives a pleasant sour flavor

• Sugar - Adds sweetness and lets the sauce get a bit of caramelization

• Hoisin sauce - Adds thickness to the sauce  and adds a nice umami flavor

• Corn starch - Thickens up the sauce when cooked

• Water  - Helps the other ingredients dissolve
  
  

One of the fun parts of stir-fry sauce is that the amount of each ingredient that you use does not really matter, what matters is how it tastes to you! My recipes will include a few example sauces you can make, but it is always fun to experiment.

Veggies

Many different types of veggies can be used in a stir-fry. My personal favorites are carrots and broccoli, but you could use bell pepper, sugar snap peas, any greens you would like, or whatever you happen to have in your fridge! I usually like to steam my veggies a bit before I stir-fry them. It is important to remember that the actual stir-frying part is very fast, and does not "cook" your food as much as it flavors it.  

Recipe #1: Basic Chicken Stir-fry

WIP

Recipe #2: Popcorn Chicken Stir-fry

Equipment

• Stove

• Rice cooker or small pot

• Air fryer or oven

• Medium to large skillet

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white rice

• 1/2 cup of stir-fry sauce (see below for what I used)

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 .5 tablespoons water

  • 1/2 tablespoon corn starch

  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • Salt to taste

  • Sprinkle of chili flakes

• 2 cups popcorn chicken 

• 1 tablespoon of neutral cooking oil (I use canola)

• Smidge of green onion for garnish :)

Instructions

1. Use a rice cooker to cook your rice. If you do not have a rice cooker, cook your rice on the stove top. 

2. Use an air fryer or an oven to get your popcorn chicken nice and crispy. For an air fryer, I recommend cooking at about 375 F for 8 or so minutes.

3. Mix your sauce ingredients together until combined. You can use your hands to break up any clumps of corn starch that form.

4. Pre-plate your rice either in a bowl or on a plate so it is ready for your chicken.

5. Put a large skillet (or wok if you have it) on your stove and set the heat to high and add your oil.

6. Once the pan and oil is hot, add your sauce and quickly stir. I like to stir with either chopsticks or a wooden spatula, but you can use whatever is safe to use on your pan.

7. After about 30-45 seconds, your sauce should start to thicken. Now is the time to add your chicken. Once your chicken is in the pan, everything has to keep moving, so stir constantly to avoid burning. 

8. Once the sauce is thickened and your chicken is fully coated, you can remove the pan from the heat and scoop your chicken onto your pre-plated rice.

9. Garnish with green onion and enjoy :)