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Essential Stir-fry
By Ann | September 12, 2008
Bonjour mes amis! We’re back again with another edition of Cooking the Books; this time we tried the “stir-fried vegetables” from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman.
After a lifetime of eating Chinese food, not to mention four solid years of living in Beijing, stir-fry is no stranger to me. But, this recipe was included on the book’s list of “20 Essential Vegetarian Dishes,” so I felt compelled to try it. I had my doubts — it is very basic and simple — but to my surprise, it was excellent.
You start with the basics — minced garlic, minced ginger, minced scallion — sizzled in some neutral oil. To this you add your veggies, all cut into similarly sized pieces; Mark B. calls for carrot, celery and snow peas (but he is flexible) — I opted for green beans. Cook over high heat for about 7 minutes — I cooked a little longer because I don’t like squeaky green beans. Add a dash of water (or other liquid), soy sauce, and (optional) a shot of hot sauce (in my case, Sriracha), and a drizzle of sesame oil. And that’s it. The result is a simple and fast plate of veggies that are savory with ginger and garlic, and fragrant with sesame oil. If you add cubes of tofu, or (as I did) bits of chicken or turkey, and serve it over white rice, it’s a satisfying meal. Who knew stir-fry could be exciting? Mark B., that’s who.
Topics: Cooking the Books |
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