stir-fry lovers,
in my last post, I wrote about how often it's possible to make delicious meals with ingredients you already have in your pantry! this recipe is no exception. recently, while vacationing on the Big Island of Hawaii, I threw together this stirfry with what we had in our fridge and pantry, and it's since become a household favourite! personally, I think the quick-pickled carrots is what really takes it up a notch. plus, you can easily make it vegan and grain free (options below). remember, the best part about stir-fry is once you have your sauce, you can use whatever you have on hand - it's a great way to clear out leftovers! and, because there's lots of chopping involved, I love cooking this with my husband.
Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
here's what you'll need (note that all measurements are approximate, feel free to play around with the flavors!):
sauce
1 cup crunchy coconut peanut butter (I use the EarthBalance brand)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced (or more if you like)
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp Tamari (or soy sauce), more as needed
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 lime (juiced)
hot sauce (optional)
black pepper
splash of water, or vegetable or chicken stock to thin
stir-fry
1 tbsp organic virgin coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp of fresh ginger, minced
1-2 tsp of dry turmeric
dash of sea salt, black pepper
2 large chicken breasts (local, organic, happy chickens, please!), or one package of extra-firm tofu
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 bunch of broccolini
1 cup of quinoa (rinsed) or 1 package of rice noodles (you can also use cauliflower rice, or spiralized zucchini (zoodles) for a grain free option)
quick pickled carrots (for garnish)
2 medium sized carrots, chopped, shredded or juliened
enough rice vinegar to cover
garnish
pickled carrots
fresh cilantro, rough chopped
sesame seeds
mango, diced (tip: you can use frozen, just make sure you let it thaw!)
hot sauce (sambal goes great with this dish!)
here's what you do:
1. chop, shred or julienne your carrots and cover in rice vinegar. cover and set aside.
2. combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl, use water, veg or chicken stock to thin as needed. cover and set aside. (note: making this a day before will increase your flavor profile, big time!)
3. prepare and chop all veggies, slice chicken or tofu into bite-sized pieces.
4. in a large fry pan, heat coconut oil on med-high heat, adding garlic once oil it hot. add in onions, stir until they're sweating and then add fresh ginger and turmeric, salt and pepper.
5. add your sliced chicken or tofu, continue to cook until browned (the chicken will take longer than the tofu). You can start to prepare your quinoa or rice noodles (or grain-free option) at this point, too.
6. once chicken is browned add in your vegetables, starting with peppers and then the broccolini. I prefer for my vegetables to be a bit crunchy, so just cook them as long as you'd like, making sure your chicken is cooked all the way through.
7. turn heat to low and let it cool for a few minutes before adding your sauce.
8. serve over quinoa or rice noodles and garnish with fresh cilantro, pickled carrots, mango, sesame seeds, and hot sauce if you'd like!
visiting SE Asia for a night has never been so easy,
xo