Ginger-Garlic Stir Fry

I adore Chinese food but shudder at the thought of the quantities of oil and sodium in the average take-out variety. Ever notice that you can barely fit a ring on your swollen fingers the next morning?? (Sorry to burst your bubble if you weren't aware.) I am not very well schooled in Asian cuisine or wok-technique however this is my version of a pretty versatile and tasty stir fry. You can use your favorite combination of proteins and/or veggies (Its relatively low salt and low fat too...)

Serves 4 Ingredients:

1 pound of meat or fish (shrimp, chicken tenders, beef, etc)
3-4 cups of chopped vegetables
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon of ginger, grated (I use the jarred pulp you can find in the produce section)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/3 cup of chicken stock
1 teaspoon of cornstarch
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons of oyster sauce (can substitute hoisin)
1 tablespoon of chili garlic paste (can use 1/2 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes instead)
¼ cup of toasted cashews or peanuts (optional)

In this case I used one package (about one pound) of chicken tenderloins cut into one inch pieces. I seasoned them lightly with salt and pepper. I also used a whole slew of veggies that I had on hand in the fridge. The ticket is to cut everything into similar, size pieces so that they cook evenly. You can use anything you like- consider broccoli, snow peas, asparagus, bell peppers, scallions, carrots, celery, shelled edamame (pre-cooked per package directions), sliced water chestnuts, etc. Clean and chop everything and set aside.

(crazy colored pic from my phone...)

Mince the shallot, garlic and ginger and set aside in a small bowl. In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the stock, cornstarch, soy, rice wine vinegar, oyster sauce and chile paste. Whisk to combine. Heat a large non stick skillet or wok to medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of the oil and one teaspoon of the garlic, shallot, ginger mixture to the pan and then immediately add the chicken or protein. Toss together and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl.

Heat two tablespoons of the oil in the pan and then add the remaining garlic, shallot, ginger mixture just before adding all of the vegetables. Toss the vegetables to coat and cook for 5-6 minutes until starting to become tender. Lastly, pour the sauce mixture in and toss everything together. Cook 3-4 minutes longer until the sauce begins to thicken and vegetables are cooked to your liking. Add the chicken back in for the last minute or so, tossing to coat with the sauce.


Taste first and add additional salt and pepper as necessary. Serve over steamed brown rice garnished with toasted cashews or peanuts if you like.

I promise it’s ALMOST as good as the greasy take-out and a MUCH better for you.