The Prudent Pantry: The Secret to Stir Fry Recipes

A stir-fry is a quick, last-minute dinner. Made in one pot (plus a second pot for rice or noodles), it is the perfect solution to not knowing what to make. It's a great way to get your vegetables--and if you happen to belong to a CSA or just go a little overboard at the grocery or farmer's market, it's a good way to use up your vegetables before they go bad.

But until recently, I almost never made stir-fry. It turned out I was doing it wrong.

(Please note, there is really no such thing as "wrong" here—I was just doing it in an inefficient manner that frustrated me.)

Guessing when to add each vegetable often resulted in some things being overdone while others were barely cooked at all. I was not enjoying my stir-fry, and it was taking over-long for an inferior meal. A visit from my dad after my daughter was born and a meal he prepared for us, showed me the error of my ways.

So here's how to make a good stir-fry, my dad's way.

First, assemble your vegetables, chopped into bite-size pieces. I suggest a combination of your favorites such as:

• Broccoli
• Red bell pepper
• Carrots
• Mushrooms (white, crimini or wood ear)
• Bok choy
• Bean sprouts

You'll also want to assemble any extras, such as canned water chestnuts and bamboo shoots; your meat or tofu; fresh ginger if you have it; and ingredients for sauce. Some ideas:

• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Rice vinegar
• Mirin, marsala, or brandy
• Thickening agent such as cornstarch

For the sauce, mix together everything but the thickening agent and set aside. The exact amounts don't really matter--it just needs to taste good! You can use as many or few ingredients as you like. Just soy sauce would be lovely.

Now, using your wok or a large, heavy frying pan (such as cast iron), you're going to cook your ingredients one at a time in a neutral oil such as peanut, canola, or grape seed. Heat the pan, add just enough oil to coat the bottom, and toss in one vegetable, stirring with a wooden spoon until it is cooked, but not quite as soft as you like. Remove it to a large bowl and repeat with the next one. When all the vegetables and your meat have been cooked, it's time to make it all come together.

Saute your fresh ginger, if using, for about a minute, then add your sauce and any canned items (such as water chestnuts). Cook for one to two minutes, then add your thickening agent. Stir thoroughly, then add all your vegetables and meat back in. Stir to combine and continue cooking for about a minute, to get the flavor of the sauce through everything.

Serve over rice or noodles. A perfect, complete meal! And it only takes about half an hour—less if you prepare your vegetables ahead of time!

Annika Barranti is a writer living in Los Angeles and blogging at Through the Looking Glass. She and her husband are raising two children and trying to eat well on a tiny budget.