Vegetable Stir-Fry

This simple stir-fry may be made with whatever vegetable you have. It’s a wonderful method of consuming many colorful vegetables and using up the scraps of vegetables you have lying around.

In light of the recipe’s adaptability, we refer to this stir-fry as “everyday” because it is so simple to make and serves as a versatile staple.

In this variation, we use mushrooms, carrots, celery, asparagus, and peppers; however, you may also use broccoli (with the stems), cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, snap peas, and/or snow peas.

While traditional Chinese ingredients like lotus root, wood ears, celtuce, and so on are welcome additions, you won’t need them for this dish. It’s simple to prepare and calls for only readily available vegetables.

Our family has been enjoying this stir-fry in one version or another for decades. Why?

Because we frequently use this recipe to make a quick and easy side dish out of the leftover bits and pieces of vegetables that we find in the back of the fridge at the end of the week.

I have no doubt that you can relate to this. How to use the last few mushrooms before they go bad if you don’t use them in the following few days. Or the leftover half of a bell pepper you have lying around. Or the limp celery that has been sitting in the fridge for too long.

The solution is in this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of ginger
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 pinch of ground white pepper
• 1 cup of thinly sliced celery (on a diagonal)
• 1 cup of asparagus (cut into 2-inch lengths on the diagonal)
• 1 cup of sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup of thinly sliced carrots (on a diagonal)
• 1 cup of de-seeded and thinly sliced long hot pepper (red or green)
• 1 cup of de-seeded and thinly sliced bell pepper 1/3 cup of water or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons of cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon/15 ml water)1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Add the water (or chicken stock), oyster sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, salt, sugar, and white pepper to a liquid measuring cup.
2. The oil and ginger should be heated in a wok over medium heat. When the ginger begins to turn golden around the edges, add the mushrooms. Fry in a wok for 1–2 minutes or until the mushrooms are fork-tender.
3. Include the vegetables (carrot, celery, asparagus, bell pepper, and long hot pepper) in the dish. Add the garlic and the seasoning blend you made previously and continue to stir-fry for an additional minute. The vegetables can be cooked in a mixture of the above for 1 minute at a simmer.
4. Thick the sauce by adding a slurry made from cornstarch and water to the pot. Toss the vegetables in the wok until they are evenly coated with the sauce, and there is very little liquid left standing. Serve.