Make-it-your-way Sweet & Sour Stir Fry!
Yesterday afternoon I did a little poll on my Facebook page about what kind of post you wanted to see today. The choices were a craft, a dinner under 1 hour or a treat. And almost all of you wanted to see a dinner recipe! Looks like we are all in the same boat…we all want/need quick, easy, nutritious and delicious meals!
So here it is! A dinner on your table in under 1 hour!
I’ve always shied away from making stir fries because of the whole sauce thing. I just never seemed to be able to make a sauce that was seasoned just right, or I never made enough…I don’t know, but they just never worked out for me. Much to the chagrin of my husband who could eat stir fry everyday.
I wanted to try again, so I went to my one of my new favourite cookbooks and found a recipe that worked out perfectly! What I loved most about this recipe is that you can add what ever you and your family like.
It’s so versatile. Versatility is a must when you are facing a fridge at 4:00 in the afternoon wondering what to make for dinner!
The sauce in this stir fry is great! It’s just the right amount to coat all the meat and veggies, and it’s not too sweet. And it was a hit with every member of my family…even my little pickiest eater who won’t normally eat meat or any veggies to speak of…so this was a major success!
Make-it-your-way Sweet & Sour Stir Fry
Recipe adapted from The Looneyspoons Collection This recipe works best if you make each part of the stir fry in this order…
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
The Sauce
- the juice from 1 can pineapple chunks (Set aside the pineapple chunks)
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup white or rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp of chili powder (More if you want it more spicy)
The Meat (see tips)
- 1 lb pork tenderloin or 1 lb sirloin steak or 4 chicken breast halves – cut into strips
- 2 tsp cooking oil
- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
The Veggies
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- 1 red pepper (sliced)
- 2 carrots (sliced thin)
- 2 celery stalks (sliced thin)
- 1 cup cauliflower (chopped into bite size pieces)
- 1 cup broccoli (chopped into bite size pieces)
- the pineapple chunks from the can you used in the sauce
- 1 cup green sugar snap peas
Instructions
The Sauce
- Combine all the above ingredient to make the sauce. (For the pineapple, just use the juice for the sauce, and set aside the pineapple chunks for later.)
- I found using a little hand blender worked great to mix this together really well.
- Set aside the sauce until you are ready to use it.
The Meat
- In a wok or deep frying pan, heat the oil.
- Add the meat of your choice, the ginger and the garlic.
- Cook for about 7 minutes until the meat is cooked through and slightly browned. Stir often.
- When the meat is cooked, remove it from the pan and set it aside in a bowl, and cover it with tin foil to keep it warm. Now it’s time to cook the veggies!
The Veggies
- To the wok, add all of the above veggies, except the pineapple chunks and the sugar snap peas. Note: You might have to add more oil to the pan.
- Stirring often, cook the veggies until they are tender but not over cooked, about 5 minutes. We say the crunchier the better!
Putting it all together
- Once the vegetables are cooked, add the cooked meat, pineapple chunks, sugar snap peas and the sauce.
- Cook until the sauce is bubbly and thickened.
- Serve over brown rice.
Recipe Tips!
- Adding meat is optional: you can substitute in tofu, or nuts like cashews instead. And load up on more veggies.
- You can use what ever vegetables suit your fancy: carrots, onions, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, any colour of bell pepper, snap peas, cabbage…the list is endless.
So, keep this in mind if you are looking for a quick and delicious dinner in under 1 hour! Plus it’s a great way to use up all those veggies sitting in your fridge!
Have a delicious day!
As usual, looks wonderful, Jo-Anna. I have a FB friend visiting from BC today. We have never met. I have made up a collection of 6 of my fav recipes to give to her, one being the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookie you had posted. Great day to you and yours.
This looks so good! I’m having it for dinner tomorrow night.
Delicious! Simple stir fry is one of my favorite things to make while studying in university. So easy and delicious. Great recipe!