Stir-fry is both a cooking technique and the name of a dish. Quick-seared vegetables, proteins, nuts, tofu, and sprouts are cooked in a lightly oiled pan or wok for a fresh, vibrant meal. The ideal stir-fry has vegetables that are tender-crisp, maintaining their bright colors and a bit of crunch, while the protein is perfectly cooked. Spices, sauces, and condiments are optional but can elevate the dish. Frozen vegetables are great in winter — better to eat thawed veggies full of fiber and vitamins than none at all.

Basic stir-fry rules

1. Protein
Chicken, pork, thinly sliced beef, shrimp, squid, diced fish fillets, or tofu. Prepare meat or poultry in advance by slicing it thinly, seasoning with salt and pepper, and letting it marinate briefly.

2. Aromatics
Choose from onions (sweet or shallots), garlic, green onions, or ginger for flavor.

3. Vegetables
Mix and match onions, bell peppers, carrots, celery, eggplant, bean sprouts, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, Napa or Savoy cabbage, spinach, pak choi, Swiss chard, frozen corn, green peas, or string beans.

4. Sauces

• Basic Sauce: 3 garlic cloves, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp sugar or honey, 1 tsp cornstarch, and ½ cup water.
• Curry Sauce: 1.5 tbsp curry paste, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar, ½ cup water, 1 tsp cornstarch.
• Orange-Ginger Sauce: Juice of 1 orange, 4 cm fresh ginger, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp vinegar, 2 tsp cornstarch.
  Other popular choices include Thai sweet and sour sauce, oyster sauce, Sriracha, and teriyaki sauce.

5. Add-ons
Optional toppings include peanuts, cashews, sesame seeds, green onions, fresh chili, cilantro, or basil. A beaten egg can also be stirred in for extra richness.

Stir-fried tofu

• 100 g tofu
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. honey
• 3 tbsp. water
• olive oil
• ½ small onion (chopped)
• 120 g string beans (frozen is fine)
• 1 bell pepper (sliced)
• additional vegetables as desired: zucchini, pumpkin, tomatoes, etc.
• 30 g peanuts (optional)
• green onions, chili (fresh or dried), and ginger (optional spices)

Pat the tofu dry with paper towels and cut it into cubes. Heat a lightly oiled pan or wok and sauté the tofu for 4–5 minutes, stirring often. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add a little more oil and cook the onions for 1 minute. Stir in finely chopped ginger and chili, if using. Add the vegetables, starting with the harder ones like beans or peppers, and cook for a few minutes.

Pour in the soy sauce, honey, and water, stirring quickly to coat the ingredients evenly. Cook for another 30 seconds. Serve hot, garnished with green onions.

Stir-fry ideas

• Chicken: Chicken fillet + carrots + celery stalks + frozen corn + green peas + basic sauce + lemon juice + chili.
• Fish: Any fish fillet (e.g., tilapia) + zucchini + carrots + corn + basic sauce + lemon juice + dried chili + green onions.
• Shrimp: Shrimp + onion + bell pepper + eggplant + basic sauce + curry paste + fresh basil.
• Tofu: Zucchini + fennel + garlic + spinach + tofu + sesame seeds + sesame oil.
• Beef: Thinly sliced beef + teriyaki sauce + string beans + cherry tomatoes + bell peppers + carrots.
• Cashew Chicken: Red onion + broccoli + carrots + cashews + chicken + Thai sweet and sour sauce.
• Shrimp Curry: Zucchini + peppers + onion + garlic + shrimp + curry paste.