Tag: rice vinegar
Vegetable Stir Fry
I can’t think of a better way to use up a bunch of left over vegetables in the fridge. I had half a cauliflower head, yellow and red pepper, asparagus and most importantly, I had green onions. I love using them for their mild oniony flavor and beautiful green color.
I doused the cauliflower florets with some tamari and roasted them. I then sauteed the vegetables with ginger and garlic. I went through my pantry and hoisin sauce stood out. I added some rice vinegar and honey to finish off the sauce.
It was simple, quick and most of all delicious. It was a perfect pairing with the sausage fried rice. My daughter ate all the vegetables except the peppers- she does not like them. I have learnt to pick my battles with her. She is such a good eater and everyone is allowed not to like a few things.
Next time you have left over vegetables, try this delicious stir fry.
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Top Ten Asian Ingredients…
I am a big believer in a well stocked pantry. Since I cook all the time and thing about food 24/7, I make sure my fridge and pantry are full with the right ingredients. I love to be able to conjure something up in my mind and make it happen in the kitchen without going to the store.
Many people ask me constantly what I have in my pantry and fridge, and what they should have in theirs. I feel you need to think about your cooking repertoire and what kind of cuisines you make. Once you have a handle on the kinds of dishes you normally make- you can make a list of all the ingredients you need.
When I go grocery shopping- which I am ashamed (not really) to admit is almost every day- I go through the isles to remind me if I need anything to replenish my pantry.
Since I am doing top ten lists- yes I feel like David Letterman once again, I decided to start with listing the top ten Asian ingredients.
- Rice Vinegar– I love having this in my pantry. Great for stir fries, salads and curries.
- Tamari– I use this instead of soy sauce. This is a more concentrated version of it so a little goes a long way and it doesn’t make the dishes too watery.
- Toasted Sesame Oil– This has a delicious nutty flavor. I start my stir fries with a teaspoon of this oil. It is also great for salad dressings. Store it in the fridge.
- Fish Sauce– It has a wonderful underlying nutty, salty flavor. Don’t smell it while using it and you will love it.
- Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce– It can be found in any grocery store in the Asian isle. Great as a dipping sauce or part of a stir fry sauce.
- Honey- I love, love honey. I have all sorts in my pantry. It is great to sweeten anything from sauces, to salad dressings.
- Fresh Ginger- What a versatile ingredient. Stays forever in your fridge. Great for curries, stir fries and desserts.
- Garlic- I would be lost without garlic. I need to have lots of it in my vegetable basket. I put it in everything.
- Green Onions- They have a great, light onion flavor AND they look pretty. Excellent as a garnish on top.
- Light Coconut Meal- Great for Thai dishes and desserts. I use the light version since there is no difference in flavor. I always have a few cans in my pantry.
I would love to hear your top ten Asian ingredients….
Beef Stir Fry with Apricot Sauce
I love making a stir fry at home. We all love Chinese food and our favorite is Hunan Spring in Springfield, NJ. We go there quite often and Sia loves the Chicken and Corn Soup. The food is delicious but it is quite greasy and there is really no way for me to know what all is in the food. I especially love the sweet and sour or tangy sauces that go with the different meats they serve. Mostly we get Mango Chicken and Shredded Pork in a Garlic Sauce. When I make the dishes at home, the sauces usually include brown sugar or honey for the sweetness and rice vinegar to add the sourness.
Lately I have been into cooking with apricots and nectarines. Since they are in season now, I see them every where I go. I had seen a stir fry recipe that used nectarines with beef. I read the recipe and envisioned a sauce made out of apricot jam mixed with soy sauce and chili sauce- hmm, yum! I couldn’t wait to make it. I went to Whole Foods to buy some beef suitable for a stir fry and decided to buy a red pepper as well. I love the bright colors in a stir fry- and you eat with your eyes first. I marinated the beef in the afternoon thinking I would cook the dish in the evening. We ended up going out to eat that evening so the beef sat in the fridge overnight. I cooked it the next evening and I have to say, it was extra tasty because of the extra long marination time. I am sure it would be tasty even if it is marinated for a few hours- I think the key is to get the right cut for a stir fry, I used top round and it worked out very well- great beef flavor.
For the sauce I used the apricot jam and paired it with rice vinegar, soy sauce and the chili garlic sauce. That’s all it really needed- well I definitely had to add the ginger and the garlic- you can’t have Chinese food or really any food without them! It was a delicious sauce- great to use as a pan sauce for chicken or a pork tenderloin.
One of the reasons I love making a stir fry is that it can be prepped for in advance- I usually cut and marinate everything in the morning; I put the sauce together as well- I even cook the rice in advance. All I have to do in the evening is put the ingredients in the wok or frying pan and add the sauce. A few things to remember when making a stir fry: first- cut everything into the same small size- so it all cooks at the same time and really fast. Second-Saute everything separately- it keeps all the vegetables crisp- and third- have everything ready since the cooking process doesn’t take very long.
I cooked brown rice with this dish. I buy the basmati brown rice from Trader Joes which is delicious. The thing to remember with brown rice is that it takes almost double the amount of cooking time than white rice. Also, white rice gets double the amount of liquid- for brown rice, I use a little bit more. For example: I used one cup of uncooked rice with three cups of liquid. Since the rice takes longer, more liquid is necessary.
My daughter loved the stir fry especially with the brown rice. I thought it was absolutely delicious- especially the tangy sauce. We had our usual Malbec Rose with the dinner and it was fabulous as usual!