Easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipe - Build Your Bite (2024)

FAQs

What is the sauce for the stir fry made of? ›

Whisk the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sugar and red pepper flakes if using in a medium bowl until combined. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cornstarch! In his book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman recommends mixing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water, and tossing this into the stir fry just when it's almost done. It thickens in seconds, picking up the flavors of everything already in the dish and coating evenly.

The first is to cook your protein and your vegetable separately, and combine them only after both are fully cooked. A second rule of thumb for stir-frying: Choose one vegetable per stir-fry. Finally, always remember to add liquid only after everything is more or less finished cooking.

If possible, a stir-fry is always more delicious with fresh vegetables and ingredients. While you can use frozen or canned vegetables, fresh ingredients tend to provide a better taste to your meal. Once you are ready to cook your stir-fry, place all the ingredients on your counter and begin prepping.

Much like French food, which relies on a roux for a perfect bechamel sauce or beef bourguignon and involves butter cooked with flour, Chinese and Cantonese cuisines use cornstarch to thicken sauces. However, it's predominantly added at the end of the cooking process rather than at the start.

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

What spices to use in stir-fry? ›

To use the sauce, heat the oil in a wok, then add your choice of meat, vegetables or fish. Fry for a minute over a high heat to seal, and then add the stir fry sauce, before continuing to stir-fry for a further four minutes or so until the ingredients are fully cooked. Serve immediately.

Whisk together a tablespoon of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water until smooth, in a small bowl. This slurry can then be gradually introduced to your stir-fry sauce over medium heat, leading to a thicker, glossier consistency.

Stir-fry onions first, then add hard vegetables such as carrot and broccoli. Quick-cooking vegetables, such as snow peas, leafy greens and bean sprouts, should be added towards the end of cooking. If using vegies that have a combination of both textures, such as gai laan, add the stems first and the leaves later.

So many different oils, the good news is you can stick with what you know – canola is great! The best oils for stir frys are the oils with the higher smoke points. These tend to be the “thinner” oils such as peanut, grapeseed or canola.

Oyster sauce is commonly used in Chinese food and adds a savory, salty, umami flavor. Both can be found in most grocery stores. If you like, you can add grated or minced ginger or garlic. Serve your homemade brown sauce with a beef, chicken, or pork stir-fry or chow mein dish.

Soy sauce (jiàng yóu, 酱油), the most common of Chinese sauces, sounds simple, and for the most part, it is. However, there are many types, each unique to different Asian cuisines (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc.).

Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and a cornstarch slurry over medium heat for a simple, homemade teriyaki sauce. Can I use teriyaki sauce as a stir-fry sauce? Yes, teriyaki sauce can be used in stir-fries, but it will impart a sweeter taste compared to soy sauce.