MARION GRASBY: 3 simple stir-fry recipes that'll rival your favourite takeaway.

Given the level of loving detail I've given to the subject of stir-frying in my cookbook (and in many of my other books and videos), you've probably gathered I hold it in special regard. 

Often, the humble stir-fry is relegated to that weeknight fridge clean-out meal (nothing wrong with that), but it can also be a very special thing. 

The advice I’ve given most about a 'good' stir-fry is to keep the ingredients simple and not to use too many.

Watch: Don't use the microwave when reheating these 5 foods. Post continues after video.

1. Pork & Garlic Chive Stir-fry

In this recipe, the star of the show is the garlic chives. They are most joyfully garlicky (but not harshly so) and maintain a beautiful crunch when added at the right time. 

As for taking the time to soak your bean shoots and marinate your pork? These are all the details that will turn a so-so stir-fry into a properly excellent stir-fry.

Image: Marion's Kitchen/Supplied.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 100g (3.5 oz) bean shoots
• 400g (14 oz) pork fillet, cut into thin slices (about 4mm, or ¹/8 inch) 
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 200g (7 oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, destemmed, sliced
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 bunch garlic chives (also known 
• as Chinese chives), cut into 4cm 
• (1½ inch) batons

Marinade

• 2 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce 
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 
• (baking soda) 
• 3 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) 

Method

1. Soak the bean shoots in a large bowl of cool water (tap water with a few ice cubes is best) for 5–10 minutes. Then drain well in a colander.

2. Place the pork and the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Mix until well combined and set aside for about 5 minutes.

3. Place your wok over high heat and wait for the first whispers of smoke. Swirl in the oil. Add the pork and spread the slices out. Sear for 2 minutes before tossing the pork around for a minute. Spread the pork out again and let it settle and sear for another minute until just cooked. Then add the garlic and stir-fry for another half a minute until fragrant. Toss through the mushrooms and bean shoots, then drizzle the oyster sauce and soy sauce around the edges of the wok. Scatter over the sugar. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes or until everything is well coated and the mushrooms are tender. Toss through the garlic chives and stir-fry for another minute until well combined and just starting to wilt. 

Note: I often find that bean shoots are a little soggy after sitting in packets on the supermarket shelf. I like to soak them in cold water, which helps bring them back to their crispy, crunchy gloriousness.

2. Hoisin Chicken Stir-fry

Those of you who know me will know my (very) strong preference for chicken thigh over breast in most recipes. Chicken thighs by their nature stay juicier and are easier to keep tender in high-heat cooking. 

But I have to say that developing the marinade for this stir-fry and seeing for myself just how effective it can be in maintaining a juicy bite of chicken breast was enough to ease my stubbornness on the subject.

Image: Supplied/Marion's Kitchen.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) boneless chicken breast (about 2 fillets), cut into thin slices (about 4–5mm, or ¹/8 inch)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil 
• 1 onion, sliced into thin wedges
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 
• 2 small capsicums (bell peppers), deseeded, cut into triangular, bite-size pieces
• 3 spring onions (scallions), cut into batons

Marinade

• 3 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce 
• ½ tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 
• (baking soda) 
• 3 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) 

Hoisin stir-fry sauce

• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 3 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce 
• ½ tsp dark soy sauce 
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar 
• 1½ tsp ground black pepper 

Method

1. Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken and mix well with your hands to make sure each slice gets a little love from the marinade. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. To make the stir-fry sauce, mix the ingredients in a small bowl until combined. 

3. Heat your wok over high heat until smoking, then swirl in the oil. Add the chicken and marinade into the centre of the wok. Spread the chicken out as much as possible and leave for about 3 minutes, or until you get some good searing action happening. Stir-fry for 30 seconds before allowing the chicken to settle and sear for another 2 minutes or until it’s almost cooked.

4. Add the onion and stir-fry for another minute until just softened, then toss through the garlic. Add the capsicum and stir-fry for a minute so it’s a little tender but still crisp. Pour the stir-fry sauce around the edges of the wok and stir-fry for another 30 seconds or until everything is well coated, the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is just cooked. Toss through the spring onion. Serve immediately.

3. A most simple (but spectacular) beef stir fry

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb) beef steak (e.g. rump, flank or sirloin), cut into thin slices (about 4–5mm, or §⁄© inch)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, sliced into thin wedges
• 4cm (1½ inch) piece ginger, julienned
• 300g (10.5 oz) mushrooms (button mushrooms are good, but  mix of shiitake, oyster and king is great), halved or quartered
• 3 spring onions (scallions), cut into batons

Marinade

• 2 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of sod
• (baking soda)
• 3 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

Stir-fry sauce

• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp white vinegar

1. Place the beef and the marinade ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well until the beef is evenly coated. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Mix the stir-fry sauce ingredients in a separate bowl and set aside.

3. Place your wok over high heat. When the first tendrils of smoke appear, swirl in your oil. Add the beef and use your spatula to spread the pieces out in the wok. Allow to sear for about 2 minutes so that you get some nice colour and charred edges. Then stir-fry for a minute, using your spatula to move the beef around while you simultaneously move the wok to help your beef pieces get a little airborne. Allow the beef to settle and sear again for another 2 minutes or until almost cooked before doing your stir-frying action once more for a further half a minute.

4. Now add the garlic, onion and ginger, and stir-fry for another minute until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for around 2 minutes or until the mushrooms start to wilt. Let the wok heat up again before drizzling the stir-fry sauce around the edges of the wok. Stir-fry until well combined and the sauce is thick and glossy. Toss through the spring onion and serve.

These articles were republished with full permission from The Essential Wok Companion by Marion Grasby, published by Oriana Press, RRP $70.00. Available exclusively from cookdinehost.com.

The Essential Wok Companion by Marion Grasby. Image: Supplied/Marion's Kitchen.

Feature Image: Supplied.