pretty by the bay

After using half of my homemade carnitas to make enchiladas, I found myself wondering what to do with the rest of the meat. Immediate thoughts were to whip up a second Mexican dish (tacos? burritos?) or to slather it in barbecue sauce and stick it on a bun. But both of those options would require a trip to the grocery store, so I opted for an old standby: stir fry!

When I first started cooking, I thought stir fry would be an easy thing to make. And really, it is, but it’s taken me a long time to perfect the sauce I use on just about every stir fry we make. Early attempts relied too heavily on soy sauce, meaning they were thin and salty. Then I discovered corn starch, and my sauce made the jump to thick and salty. After trying a ton of different stir fry recipes, I found that the best sauces came from a combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and hoisin, which is best described as Chinese barbecue sauce. The recipes also incorporated garlic and ginger, often calling for bottled versions to save time and reduce spoilage. (Does anyone ever use a full knob of fresh ginger?) Don’t be put off by the semi-long list of ingredients. It looks like a lot, but once you invest in these condiments, they will last for quite some time. Pour it over any combination of meat and veggies (or tofu and veggies, or just veggies if you’re so inclined) and dinner is served in less than 20 minutes. Note: This recipe is super fast because it uses leftover cooked meat. If you want to start from scratch with raw chicken, beef, etc, this recipe has a good method for working with raw meat.

No Fail Stir Fry

serves three to four

1 to 2 c cooked chicken, beef, pork, tofu or shrimp, chopped or shredded (I used leftover shredded pork)

2 c chopped vegetables of your choice (I love broccoli, onion, green beans and bell peppers, depending on the recipe; for this batch, I used green beans)

1 tsp bottled minced ginger

1 tsp bottled minced garlic

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 – 2 tbsp soy sauce (I usually taste it with one and add more if it’s not salty enough)

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp dark sesame oil

hot sauce, such as sriracha, to taste – optional

sesame seeds, for garnish

In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and hot sauce (if using) with a fork or small whisk. Set aside.

Heat a heavy skillet or wok to high heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil. When it begins to shimmer, add the vegetables in a single layer. Stir fry until they begin to appear spotty brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Add two to three tablespoons of water to the pan and cover the pan as it begins to steam. Continue to cook the vegetables, covered, for 2 minutes or until they are tender. (You may wish to adjust the heat to medium high if the steam appears excessive.)

Uncover the pan and add the ginger and garlic. Toss to combine and cook for one minute, then add the cooked meat/tofu/shrimp/etc. Toss again to combine and let the mixture stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until the meat is heated through and begins to brown. Pour the sauce over the stir fry and allow to cook for one minute more, then add the sesame seeds. Serve over cooked rice.