How To Stir-Fry Vegetables
Stir-fried vegetables is one of the fastest, easiest, tastiest dishes to make when you’re in a mood for Asian dish but don’t want to order takeout. Take a look at your fridge, and you may find some leftover vegetables that you still need to use. To ensure the vegetables retain their crunch when you stir-fry them, cookbook author Grace Young shares tips on how to do a basic stir-fry. The technique for a vegetable stir-fry is the same no matter which vegetables you use.
Tips For Stir-Frying Vegetables
- Don’t crowd the pan. Grace advises that we stick to no more than four cups of chopped hard or medium-hard vegetables or eight to 12 cups chopped leafy greens in a 14-inch wok in order to avoid crowding the pan. (A sauté pan is find for some stir-fying, but not great for greens like in this recipe; it’s simple not deep enough to hold greens the way a wok is.)
- Dry the vegetables. When stir-frying anything from snow peas to lettuce, it’s important that the vegetables are very dry. Otherwise, the vegetables will steam and braise in the pan and lose their crisp texture. Giving the vegetables a whirl in a salad spinner is the easiest solution, but you can also pat them thoroughly with kitchen towels.
- Pay close attention. All stir-frying is quick, but a stir-fry of just vegetables goes even quicker. Don’t walk away from the stove or pause to answer a text. Once the oil is in the pan, a stir-fry needs your full attention. For a two to three minute recipe, we think we can handle that.
What Vegetables To Stir-Fry
You can use a type of vegetable or a mix of vegetables to stir-fry. The stir-fry technique can be adapted to just about any vegetables you can find in the fridge. For this recipe, you can use the following either romaine lettuce leaves or baby bok choy tossed in a sauce of garlic and chilies. You could also add the following:
- Red bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Asparagus
- Snow peas
- Green beans
- Red onions
- Baby corn
- Broccolli
What To Serve with Stir-Fried Vegetables
- Rice or noodles
- A main dish like General Tso’s chicken or sweet and sour pork
- A protein such as shrimp, chicken, or beef for a hearty meal
If you’re adding a protein, you may want to double up the sauce so it coats all the ingredients well.
Stir-Fried Vegetables with Garlic Chiles
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1
medium head of romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide pieces, about 8 cups, OR 8 to 12 cups baby bok choy, sliced in half lengthwise
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons
dry sherry or Shao Hsing rice wine
- 1 tablespoon
chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons
soy sauce
Aromatics
- 3
medium cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 teaspoon
minced jalapeño chiles, with seeds (optional)
- 2 tablespoons
peanut or vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon
salt
- 1/8 teaspoon
ground white pepper
Equipment
14" flat-bottom carbon steel wok or 12" stainless steel skillet
Fish spatula or other thin, flexible spatula
Lid to cover the wok
Instructions
Cut Up the Ingredients: It is very important that all the ingredients are cut as directed in the ingredient list. The most important key to making a good stir-fry is cutting each ingredient to a uniform size as specified above. Cut the vegetables and set them aside in a bowl. Cut the aromatics as directed and set them aside as well.
Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the sherry (or rice wine), broth, and soy sauce.
Prepare Your Wok Space: Set the bowls of vegetables, aromatics, and sauce near your stove. Also, have a very small bowl of water next to the stove.
Heat the Wok: Turn on a stove burner, as high as it will go. Set a 14-inch wok over this high heat burner. To determine when the wok is hot enough, start flicking droplets of water from the small bowl into the pan after 30 seconds. As soon as a bead of water evaporates within 1 to 2 seconds of contact, the wok is heated and ready for stir-frying. Do not overheat the wok.
Pull Wok off the Heat and Add Oil: Pull the wok off the heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Pick up the pan and carefully swirl it to coat the bottom and sides. (If the wok smokes wildly the moment you add the oil you've overheated the wok. Remove the wok from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. When it's cool enough to handle carefully remove the oil with paper towels, wash the wok, and start again.)
Add the Aromatics to the Wok: Put the wok back on the heat. Add the garlic and chiles (if using), and stir them for 10 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the Vegetables: Push the garlic up the sides of the wok and add the lettuce (or bok choy, or whatever else you're using).
Season the Vegetables: Sprinkle the salt and pepper over top.
Set a Timer for 2 Minutes: It's helpful for newbie stir-fry cooks to set a timer to give them a rough idea of how long this dish will cook and to learn a sense of rhythm. But your main benchmark should be how the food looks and tastes. From this point on the vegetables will cook for approximately 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
Stir-Fry the Vegetables for 1 Minute: Stir-fry for 1 minute or until the lettuce or vegetables begin to wilt.
Add the Sauce: Pour the sauce mixture around and down the sides of the pan instead of directly into the center (to prevent cooling the pan and lowering the cooking temperature). Stir-fry and toss to coat the lettuce.
Cover and Cook for 15 Seconds: Cover and cook for 15 seconds.
Uncover and Stir-Fry: Uncover and stir-fry for another 30 to 60 seconds, or until the lettuce is crisp-tender and bright green.
Recipe Notes
Recipe from Grace Young, author of Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge
Substituting Other Vegetables: Substitute up to 4 cups of chopped firm vegetables or 8 to 12 cups of another leafy green for the lettuce or baby bok choy in this recipe.
Find Grace Young’s Books
• Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories
• The Breath of a Wok: Unlocking the Spirit of Chinese Wok Cooking Through Recipes and Lore
• The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen: Classic Family Recipes for Celebration and Healing