Chinese Garlic and Ginger Stir-Fry

Garlic and ginger stir fry

Serves 2: 15-20 minutes

This is one of my favourite things to cook. I based it on a recipe I found online for garlic and ginger broccoli stir fry, and then just added bits that I had. The wall of aroma that hits you when you add the garlic, ginger, and chilli to the hot wok is incredible. The dish can be made using either meat or tofu, and is lovely both ways.

Ingredients

Noodles

200g egg or rice noodles, pre-cooked

Sauce

5x tbsp. light soy sauce

4x tbsp. sugar (or honey – but honey is sweeter, so use less)

1-2x tbsp. lime juice

Meat/tofu (one of the below)

2x chicken breasts (sliced small), or

2x small pork steaks (sliced small), or

Block tofu (small cubes, smoked tofu is good)

Dry rub for meat (Not essential but makes it good. Use 5-spice as base then any combination of these)

2x tsp. 5-spice or 7-spice

1x tsp. smoked paprika

1x tsp. dried garlic powder

1x tsp. cracked black pepper

1x tsp. dried basil

½ tsp. salt

Vegetables (Note: you can use any/all of these. Always include the spring onions)

1x small head of broccoli (cut to small florets)

1x medium carrot (Halved then thinly sliced lengthways. A mandolin works well)

1x bell pepper (roughly chopped)

Few mushrooms (quartered)

1x bunch spring onions (cut to 2cm pieces, tops of leaves shredded and set aside)

Aromatics

2x cloves garlic (thinly sliced)

2x tbsp. fresh ginger (julienned into small matchsticks)

1x hot chilli (chopped), or ½ tsp dried chilli flakes

Method

1. Start by chopping the meat and combining with the dry spices. Mix together well by hand and leave to sit whilst you continue prep. Note: If using tofu, the dry spice mix doesn’t work so well, so instead, chop the tofu into cubes, press out the excess moisture using kitchen towel and a chopping board for weight, and then put in the oven at gas 5 for 30-40 mins, turning once, until crisped up. Then set aside.

2. Cook the noodles according to packet. Dunk in cold water, drain, and toss in a tbsp. of oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

3. Chop all the vegetables and the aromatics so everything is prepared beforehand. Have each element in a separate bowl ready to go. Aromatics can all go in the same bowl as they go into the wok together.

4. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. The amounts for this sauce are approximate, so adjust and taste until you have a balance of salt, sweet, and sour that you like.

5. Get a wok on a very high heat and add a couple of tbsp. of oil – sesame if you have it but vegetable is fine. Get the wok really smoking hot.

6. If using meat. Cook this hot and fast now for about 2 mins until it is well cooked on all sides. Remove from wok to bowl, wipe wok clean, and add more oil. Get wok back to temperature.

7. Add the most solid veg first (broccoli and carrots). Cook in the hot wok for 1 - 2 mins, stirring constantly.

8. Add the less solid veg (pepper and mushrooms). Cook for 1 min, stirring constantly.

9. Add the chopped spring onions (but not the shredded leaves), the aromatics, and the pre-cooked meat/tofu. Cook for 1 min, stirring constantly.

10. Add the pre-cooked noodles. Cook for 1 min, stirring constantly. Alternatively here you can just cook and serve the noodles separately if you prefer not to have them mixed in. If so, just continue to cook the stir fry for 30 seconds instead of adding noodles.

11. Add the sauce. Cook for 1 min, stirring, to coat. Cut the heat, and serve. Top with shredded spring onion leaves and sesame seeds, if you have them.

Link to PDF of recipe on Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nliyCyA_Q0g2UJPPMkbowJbpWk_zOhzx/view?usp=sharing

bon appetit