November 22, 2017
This week I wanted to share with you all my go-to stir fry recipe. I tend to cook stir fry a lot, I think because it was something we always had growing up. It is an easy meal for any weeknight that also uses up whatever vegetables you happen to have on hand. I love this about stir fry as you can’t really go wrong – just chuck in whatever you have in the fridge! That’s how my mum used to always do it when I was a kid. I guess this is why I always cook them, because I know the flavours really well, and how easy they are to prepare. Oh, and absolutely delicious! I’ve never really bothered to write the recipe I use down because it’s a result of many times cooking, and I’ve just never got it from a cook book, it has just been automatic. I realised that I kept going back to the same flavours and so I figured it was about time I put it on the blog, because it is so damn tasty!
The main problem that I have with stir fry is my new living situation. You see, I recently bought an amazing Scanpan wok because I was cooking so much stir fry, and I figured it was worth the investment. The only problem is that I used to have a gas cooktop which worked perfectly with the wok. But when we moved into our new place, I found out that we had induction, and out of all the Ikea and Kmart fry pans we have, the Scanpan one is the only one that doesn’t work on induction. Go figure! So I have had a bit of a sore spot when it comes to stir fry because I can’t use my new pretty wok for them, which has meant I’ve been a bit hesitant to cook them!
However, lucky for all you readers, my partner has realised how much he loves stir fry, and so has been requesting that we make them each week consistently. So due to popular demand in our household, I’ve had to learn to improvise, and as a result have gotten really good at making tasty stir fry in the fry pan. It isn’t quite the same as using a wok, but hey, it definitely does the trick. And it means that you can use this recipe even if you don’t have a wok! I myself can tell you it works a treat!
- 500 grams skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 brown onion, sliced
- 2 cm fresh ginger, minced
- 1 fresh chilli, chopped (optional)
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 1/2 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
- 1/4 purple cabbage, chopped roughly
- 1 large capsicum, sliced and seeds removed
- 1/2 bunch of kale, roughly chopped with stems removed
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp sesame oil
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In a small bowl, mix the sliced chicken with the ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric powder and salt and pepper, ensuring it is evenly coated.
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Heat a wok (or large saucepan) over a high heat. Add the coconut oil and allow to melt completely. Place the chicken in the wok or frypan, and allow to brown on all sides (about 4-5 minutes). If you are using a wok, push the chicken to the sides of the wok as this is the hottest part.
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Meanwhile, steam the carrot and broccoli for a couple of minutes in the microwave. It should still be crunchy but slightly softened.
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Once the chicken is browned, remove from the pan, place in a bowl and set aside. Add the brown onion, garlic and chilli to the wok or fry pan, and allow to cook for about 2 minutes.
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Add the carrot, broccoli, cabbage and capsicum to the wok or fry pan. Cook, stirring every minute or so, until the vegetables have cooked down and started to soften - about 5 minutes
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Add the chicken back into the wok or fry pan, along with the kale, and stir to combine. Pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce and water, stirring to coat all the stir fry. Cook for a couple of minutes until the vegetables are tender.
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Before serving, add the sesame oil and stir to coat. Serve over jasmine rice or by itself.
This stir fry recipe is my absolute favourite, and it is so simple to make! I love how quick and easy a stir fry is. Despite the extensive list of ingredients, once you have them all chopped you are basically good to go, and all you need to do is whack them on to cook before having an awesome meal on the table! I love how versatile it is too; you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand. Seriously, pretty much all vegetables work (except for, you know, tomato and avocado…don’t do that), and in the end they come together into a delicious meal. My tip is if you are using harder vegetables such as carrot, make sure you steam first to get the cooking process finished quicker. It will save you so much time!
You can also use any meat that you want. I have made this stir fry with pork and it is delicious. The trick is to cut the meat into really thin strips so that it gets maximum flavour and cooks super quickly. The name of the game with stir fry is quick, so keep your ingredients as thin as possible to ensure it cooks in no time!
What I love about this recipe is that it is actually quite healthy. Stir fry in it’s nature is meant to be fresh and full of vegetables, and so you know you are getting a meal packed full of the good stuff with it! If you are worried about soy sauce, use tamari instead or a coconut substitute. It’s also a great option if you are not eating complex carbs like rice, but have a partner who needs a bit more of a hearty meal. I make some rice for my partner to have his with, and then just have it on its own myself. You could also pair it with cauliflower rice if you wanted to soak up the juices. This recipe is seriously so easy like that – just make it to your liking!
Until next time, happy eating!
Ella xx
