Vegetable Stir-Fry with Garlic Sauce

Name: Vegetable Stir-Fry with Garlic Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 3 tbsp (45 ml) low-sodium soy sauce; 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine or dry sherry; 1 tbsp (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 1 tbsp (12 g) light brown sugar, packed; 2 tsp (6 g) cornstarch; ⅓ cup (80 ml) cold water; 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil; 6 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced (about 2 tablespoons); 1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, halved (quartered if large); 3 cups (225 g) broccoli florets, cut into bite-size florets about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide, washed and dried; 2 medium (150 g) medium carrots, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick on the diagonal; 1 large (180 g) large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 6 oz (170 g) sugar snap peas, strings removed, left whole; 3 tbsp (45 ml) avocado or peanut oil, divided: 1 tablespoon for the mushrooms, 1 tablespoon for the carrots and broccoli, 1 tablespoon for the pepper and snap peas; 2 tbsp (30 ml) water; 2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced; 1⅓ cups (260 g) long-grain white rice, uncooked, rinsed and cooked per package directions to make about 4 cups (660 g) cooked rice, kept warm (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp-tender broccoli, carrots, snap peas, bell pepper and browned mushrooms in a glossy, savory garlic sauce. It comes together in about 30 minutes in one wok or large skillet, served over about 1 cup of rice per person.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 12 min
Total: 32 min
Makes: About 6 cups stir-fry (4 main-dish servings, each over about 1 cup cooked rice)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the garlic sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 tbsp (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp (12 g) light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp (6 g) cornstarch
⅓ cup (80 ml) cold water
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
6 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
For the stir-fry
8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, halved (quartered if large)
3 cups (225 g) broccoli florets, cut into bite-size florets about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide, washed and dried
2 medium (150 g) medium carrots, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick on the diagonal
1 large (180 g) large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
6 oz (170 g) sugar snap peas, strings removed, left whole
3 tbsp (45 ml) avocado or peanut oil, divided: 1 tablespoon for the mushrooms, 1 tablespoon for the carrots and broccoli, 1 tablespoon for the pepper and snap peas
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
To serve
2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced
1⅓ cups (260 g) long-grain white rice, uncooked, rinsed and cooked per package directions to make about 4 cups (660 g) cooked rice, kept warm (optional)

Equipment (6)

14-inch (35 cm) flat-bottom wok or 12-inch (30 cm) large heavy skillet with a lid
Medium saucepan with lid for the rice
Large cutting board and sharp chef's knife
Small bowl or liquid measuring cup for the sauce
Wok spatula or wide wooden spoon
Large plate for holding the mushrooms

Steps

Before you start

Start the rice first. Cook 1⅓ cups (260 g) uncooked long-grain white rice (or brown rice, which takes longer) following the package directions. This yields about 4 cups (660 g) cooked rice, or about 1 cup per person. Keep it covered and warm. The rice time is not included in the 32-minute total.
Stir-frying moves fast. Cut every vegetable and mix the sauce before you turn on the heat.
Dry the vegetables well after washing. Wet vegetables steam instead of sear.
Use a 14-inch (35 cm) wok or a 12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet. A smaller pan crowds the vegetables and they turn soft.

1
Prep the vegetables
- If serving with rice, put it on to cook now (see Before you start).
- Wash and thoroughly dry all the vegetables.
- Cut the broccoli into florets about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide.
- Slice the carrots ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick on the diagonal.
- Cut the bell pepper into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.
- Pull the strings off the snap peas.
- Halve the mushrooms, or quarter any large ones.
- Mince the garlic and ginger and slice the scallions.
- Group the vegetables by cooking time: mushrooms; carrots and broccoli; pepper and snap peas.
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Ready when: Carrot slices are uniformly thin and all vegetables are dry to the touch.
Tip: Uniform thickness is what makes everything finish at the same time.
2
Mix the sauce
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, ⅓ cup (80 ml) cold water and sesame oil.
- Whisk until the cornstarch and sugar dissolve and no powder is left at the bottom.
- Set the bowl, with a spoon in it, next to the stove.
- Keep the minced garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes (if using) together on a small plate.
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Ready when: The sauce looks uniform and slightly cloudy, with no cornstarch settled on the bottom.
Tip: Cornstarch sinks quickly, so give the sauce a final stir right before pouring it in.
3
Sear the mushrooms
- Set the wok over high heat for about 2 minutes, until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates at once.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat.
- Add the mushrooms in a single layer and leave them untouched for 1 minute to brown.
- Then stir and toss for 2 to 3 more minutes.
- Transfer to a large plate.
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Ready when: Mushrooms are deep golden-brown at the edges and have released and reabsorbed their liquid.
Tip: Don't salt the mushrooms. The soy sauce provides enough salt later, and salting early draws out water.
4
Cook carrots and broccoli
- Return the wok to high heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil, then the carrots and broccoli.
- Stir-fry constantly for 2 minutes.
- Pour in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water, cover immediately and cook for 1 minute to steam.
- Uncover and stir-fry for 30 seconds more to evaporate the water.
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Ready when: Broccoli is bright green and a knife tip pierces a stem with slight resistance; carrots are barely tender.
Tip: If the pan smokes heavily or the vegetables scorch, lower the heat to medium-high.
5
Add pepper and snap peas
- Push the vegetables to the side.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the empty space, then add the bell pepper and snap peas.
- Stir-fry everything together for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Snap peas are bright green and glossy, and the pepper pieces are slightly blistered but still crisp.
Tip: Pull the pan off the heat for a moment if anything browns too quickly.
6
Bloom garlic and ginger
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Clear a space in the center of the wok and add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Stir them in that space for 20 to 30 seconds, then toss them through the vegetables.
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Ready when: The garlic smells fragrant and is pale gold, not brown.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter. If it darkens, add the sauce right away.
7
Thicken the sauce
- Return the mushrooms and any juices on the plate to the wok.
- Whisk the sauce once more and pour it around the edge of the pan.
- Increase the heat to high and stir constantly for 45 to 60 seconds.
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Ready when: The sauce bubbles, turns glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and clings to the vegetables.
Tip: Don't boil longer than a minute or the vegetables will go soft.
8
Garnish and serve
- Remove the wok from the heat.
- Taste a piece of broccoli and add a splash of soy sauce if you'd like it saltier.
- Scatter the scallions over the top.
- Spoon about 1 cup (165 g) of the warm cooked rice into each of 4 bowls and top with about 1½ cups of stir-fry.
- Serve at once.
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Ready when: Vegetables are crisp-tender and steaming, with a shiny coating of sauce.
Tip: Serve right away. The vegetables keep cooking in the hot wok.

Good to know

Tips

Heat the pan until it's very hot before adding the oil. Browning and a slightly smoky flavor come from high heat.
Cook in the order given, from the longest-cooking vegetables to the shortest, so every piece stays crisp-tender.
Don't crowd the pan. If your skillet is smaller than 12 inches (30 cm), cook the vegetables in two batches.
For extra protein, add 8 ounces (225 g) pressed, cubed extra-firm tofu. Pan-fry it until golden before the mushrooms, then set it aside with them.

Make ahead

Cut the vegetables, mince the garlic and ginger, and mix the sauce up to 24 hours ahead. Store each group in its own container in the refrigerator. Whisk the sauce again before using, because the cornstarch settles. Cooked rice can also be made a day ahead and reheated with a splash of water.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 1 hour. Refrigerator: up to 3 days in an airtight container (store rice separately). Freezer: not recommended for the stir-fry, because the vegetables turn mushy when thawed. Reheat in a hot skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot. Avoid the microwave if you can, as it softens the vegetables.

Substitutions

low-sodium soy sauce → tamari or coconut aminos. Tamari makes the dish gluten-free. Coconut aminos are sweeter, so reduce the brown sugar to 2 teaspoons.
Shaoxing wine or dry sherry → dry sherry, or additional rice vinegar plus 1 teaspoon water. For an alcohol-free version, use the vinegar and water. Flavor will be slightly sharper.
sugar snap peas → green beans, trimmed and halved. Add them with the carrots and broccoli, since they need about 1 minute longer.
cremini mushrooms → sliced shiitake mushroom caps. They give a deeper flavor. Discard the tough stems.