The Stir-Fry Bible

I always wanted to make good stir-fry and finally could when I read the following directions from Cook's Illustrated. This is a great dish to make with our produce veggies and all of the accompanying sauces are delicious! I know it looks complicated, but if you take the time to read through and try it a couple of times you'll be a pro. Just keep some basic sauce ingredients and rice on hand and you will always have dinner at your fingertips.

The secret to good stir-frying is lots of heat, so preheating the pan is crucial. During cooking, there should be lots of smoke, lots of steam, and lots of sizzle. Otherwise, you are braising the food and it will not develop the proper texture or flavor. To give you as much surface area as possible, you should use a large (twelve- to fourteen-inch) nonstick skillet. This recipe can be halved to serve two (if you halve the recipe, the cooking times will decrease) but it cannot be increased (unless you're fond of soggy, uneven stir-fry--yuck!), as a home stove top has insufficient heat to cook greater quantities of vegetables. You can use an equal amounts of beef, seafood or tofu, keeping in mind they all need to be cut into small, even-sized pieces. The vegetables are grouped in batches, listed in the approximate order in which they should be added to the pan.

INGREDIENTS
Meat
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts , other meat, seafood, or tofu, cut into small, even-sized pieces and drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry (I substitute chicken stock)

Vegetable Categories: Use any combination from each of the four batch categories below for a total of 1 1/2 pounds)
1. carrots , cauliflower, onions, or peppers (first batch)
2. asparagus , green beans, broccoli, or butternut squash (second batch)
3. cabbage , celery, chard, fennel, mushrooms, peas, sugar snap peas, summer squash, or zucchini (third batch
4. scallions , fresh herbs, tender greens, or tomatoes (fourth batch)

Remaining Ingredients
2 tablespoons chopped scallion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 - 4 tablespoons canola oil or peanut oil

Sauce Options
Use one of the following for each full batch of stir-fry you make

Curry Sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce , light style if available
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dry sherry (again delete or substitute stock)
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 scallions , minced
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth

Lemon Sauce
1 large lemon , zested to yield 2 teaspoons minced zest, juiced to yield 3 tablespoons juice
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce , light style if available
Pinch table salt

Ginger Sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce , light style if available
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dry sherry (delete or substitute stock)
1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
2 scallions , minced
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth

Orange Sauce
1 large orange , zested to yield 2 teaspoons minced zest, juiced to yield 1/4 teaspoon juice
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce , preferably light style
Pinch table salt

Hot and Sour Sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons minced hot chiles
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce , light style if available
Pinch table salt

Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1/4 teaspoon table salt

DIRECTIONS
1. Toss meat, seafood, or tofu with soy sauce and sherry in medium bowl; set aside. Combine all sauce ingredients in a second small bowl. Divide vegetables into two or three batches according to ingredient list.

2. Heat 12- or 14-inch nonstick skillet over high heat, 4 minutes (pan should be so hot, you can hold your outstretched hand 1 inch above its surface for no more than 3 seconds); add 1 tablespoon oil (add 2 tablespoons for tofu or fish) and rotate pan so that bottom is evenly coated. Let oil heat until it just starts to shimmer and smoke. Check heat with hand. Drain meat, seafood, or tofu, then add to pan and stir-fry until seared and about three-quarters cooked (about 20 seconds for fish, 60 seconds for meat, 2 minutes for tofu, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes for chicken). Spoon cooked meat or seafood into serving dish. Cover and keep warm.

3. Let pan come back up to temperature, 1 or 2 minutes. When hot, drizzle in 2 teaspoons of oil, and when oil just starts to smoke, add vegetables from first category. Stir-fry until vegetables are just tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Leaving first batch in pan, repeat with remaining vegetables, cooking each set of vegetables until tender-crisp, or for fourth category, wilted. Add about a teaspoon of oil for each new batch (amount of oil will depend on skillet you are using—nonstick pans require about a teaspoon; other pans may require 2 teaspoons). Clear center of pan and add garlic, ginger, and scallions. Drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of oil. Mash into pan with back of a spatula. Cook for 10 seconds. Remove pan from heat and stir garlic/ginger mixture into vegetables for 20 seconds.

4. Return pan to heat and add cooked meat, seafood, or tofu. Stir in sauce and stir-fry to coat all ingredients, about 1 minute. Serve immediately with rice.