The beauty of stir frying without a recipe is that it allows you to make the best use of fresh, seasonal vegetables. Keep it simple; use only two or three veggies in a dish; otherwise it will become “chop suey” (Chinese goulash).  To give your dish a visual punch, include a veggie that’s a contrasting color (e.g., a red bell pepper or a carrot).

The more you stir fry, the more you’ll develop your own intuitive style. With practice, you’ll get to know the characteristics of each vegetable. Firm, dense veggies like broccoli, asparagus and green beans will require a little “steam frying” to help them along (i.e., add a tablespoon of water and cover the wok). When you first begin stir frying, it’s a good idea to fry your firm veggies separately from the leafy veggies like spinach, bok choy, and napa cabbage. Firm and leafy veggies cook at different rates and the leafy vegetables release their own water. As you gain experience, you can stagger the entry of the veggies into the wok (from firm to leafy), and you’ll be able to achieve the exact crunchiness you prefer. Keep tasting as you go along!

This is my workspace layout. I always have my veggies on one chopping board (I use a different cutting board for the meat). The plastic bag on the right is where I place my scraps which I can wrap up all at once when I'm done chopping.

People always ask me for my recommendations of good veggie combinations. In my view, there are no BAD combinations. I prefer, however, to mix crunchy veggies with soft ones like mushrooms. Here are a few suggestions for those who are at a loss for ideas:

    • Snow peas, carrots and mushrooms  -- Dried Chinese mushrooms have a firm, chewy texture. (watch how to revive them on the "Ho Wok Mei" DVD).

     • Eggplant with red bell peppers. Chinese eggplant is smaller, more tender, and fries faster than the western kind.

     • Calabasa (or substitute pumpkin) with green beans  -- calabasa is very firm when it’s raw, but if you cut it into bite sized pieces, it’s excellent to fry and doesn’t take long.

© 2008 eleanor hoh

To season your vegetables, just add a squirt of tamari and a dash of sherry. Chinese restaurant chefs will also use chicken stock but that's because they have HIGH heat. When stir frying at home you've got to be careful about adding too much liquid otherwise you'll be boiling your vegetables and not frying them. You can substitute a pinch (only a SMALL pinch) of chicken stock cube (Knorr's is the best) or substitute a more natural (non-MSG) brand. Another alternative is to just leave it out.  

As you build your confidence and realize you can stir-fry ANY vegetable, make a trip to the Asian market for something new and adventurous. Chinese broccoli (guy laan), bitter gourd (fu gwa), and bok choy tips are some new flavors you’ll savor.

Fresh vegetables are an essential component for today’s healthy diets. One student told me the only way she could get her husband to eat the steamed veggies she had been serving him (he complained they were bland) was to put cheese all over them. Now that she stir fries her veggies with Asian ingredients, he actually enjoys eating them.