7 Steps to Creating a Summer Stir-fry
Are you looking for a delicious, quick and easy meal idea? Enjoy a delicious stir-fry made with a variety of colorful seasonal summer vegetables. Check out what's available at your grocery store, a farmers market or your own garden. In-season fresh vegetables are at their best quality and, often, best price. When you make a stir-fry, you do not heat up your oven, so your kitchen will stay cooler, too.
Photo used under license from www.istockphoto.com
1. Choose a protein.
- 1 pound chicken, beef, pork or tofu (soy curd) cut in small, bite-sized pieces for uniform cooking
2. Marinate protein in one of the following:
- 3 to 4 Tbsp. soy sauce or teriyaki sauce, reduced sodium
- 3 to 4 Tbsp. chicken broth
- 3 to 4 Tbsp. apple juice
3. Prepare produce.
- 1 onion, cut into wedges
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 c. seasonal fresh vegetables (broccoli, green beans, sliced carrots, snap peas, bell peppers, summer squash, zucchini) or substitute frozen stir-fry vegetables
4. Make a sauce and a glaze.
- Sauce: ¼ c. chicken broth, ¼ c. soy sauce, 1 to 2 tsp. sugar, 2 to 4 tsp. vinegar
- Glaze: 2 tsp. cornstarch plus 2 Tbsp. water or chicken broth
5. Cook the meat.
- Turn skillet on high, add 1 Tbsp. oil and half of the protein. Stir-fry until fully cooked, about two to three minutes. Transfer to bowl and cover. Stir-fry the remaining protein.
6. Cook the veggies.
- Add 2 Tbsp. oil. Stir-fry onion until tender, add garlic, then remaining vegetables. Cook the vegetables to the desired tenderness.
7. Combine the ingredients.
- Return the meat to the pan with the veggies. Add sauce and stir gently until everything is coated evenly.
- Stir in “glaze” and stir-fry until the sauce in the pan is glossy and thickened.
- Serve immediately over brown rice or whole-grain noodles.
Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist, NDSU Extension Service
Featured in Food Wise June 2015 newsletter (PDF)
