I make no claim on authenticity, here -- just the opposite, in fact. The key to a proper stir fry (so I've heard) is searing heat evenly
distributed over a big wide surface -- hence the
big ass wok mounted over an industrial-flame-thrower burner they've got set up at your local Chinese joint. Lacking a similar set-up, you and I have got to work with what we've got. In this case, what we do got dictates what we don't: that intense and widely-diffused heat. I've even got a big cast iron wok, but I've never been able to make it quite hot enough, even with the burner on high. So it's time to improvise. First and foremost, this means bringing out the grill pan.
It's a scientific fact: chicken tastes better when you grill it. It tastes even better if you marinate it first. So marinate the chicken (here I used peanut oil, a little sushi vinegar, soy sauce, and lime juice), and grill it on up. Then cut it into stir fry style strips.
While that's doing, you can prep your other ingredients, which we're going to assemble at the last minute. At these lower heats, everything is going to take a different amount of time to cook, so rather than doing it all at once, we're going to take it in steps to make sure nothing's cooked all to mush. Chicken and broccoli is a classic, so steam up some florets, stopping them when their just this side of being done. Meanwhile, chop up some garlic, soften it in a bit of peanut oil, and saute some mushrooms like we've done before. (If you've got some on hand, add a drop or two of sesame oil to Chinese up the flavor a little bit. Careful with that stuff, though -- it's potent shit.)
Once those are nearly done, add in the broccoli and a little soy sauce, and stir to coat in the mushroom-and-peanut-oil juice that's collected in the pan. Let that cook for a bit until the broccoli is al dente.
Finally add in your grilled chicken strips, and add some soy to taste. Stir that around till the chicken is heated through, and you're done -- everything's still got some bite to it, and the flavors will meld together as it sits.
After that you're ready to plate and serve -- throw it along side some green beans tossed in some store-bought sweet chili sauce, and the kids will go crazy for it.
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