Favourite Stir Fry Recipe Ideas

A favourite stir fry recipe in our house usually starts with some of my family’s most favoured ingredients like steak and asparagus, pork and pineapple and shrimp and spaghetti.

Before I get into the how-tos for my family’s top three stir fry recipe ideas, I’ve got some tips I want to share regarding how to make a sensational stir fry each and every time.

Stir Fry Tips:

*Food at room temperature cooks faster and more evenly than something that just came out of the refrigerator. For best results, take your ingredients out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.

*For a snazzy stir fry, cut vegetables in different shapes and on different angles e.g. carrot coins, celery wedges and red pepper strips.

*Add flair and flavour with garnishes like citrus rinds, nuts or fresh herbs.

Whether you give your stir fry a little seasoning’ kick or whip up a tantalizing sauce, your meal can be as creative and unique as the person and cook that you are.

Here are some of my favourites, feel free to adapt them to your individual taste buds.

Steak and Asparagus Stir Fry

One cup beef broth

Two tablespoons cornstarch

Three tablespoons soy sauce

One teaspoon sugar

Four tablespoons olive oil

One pound steak strips

Two pounds fresh asparagus, (trimmed and cut in thirds)

Two medium onions (sliced)

One medium sweet red pepper (julienned)

One large carrot (julienned)

One cup salted cashews

Hot cooked rice or orzo (small rice like pasta).

Combine cornstarch and broth in a small bowl until smooth. Blend in the soy sauce and sugar. Set aside. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet. Cook steak until it is no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. Add the remaining two tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, onions, asparagus, red pepper and carrots. Cook until tender-crisp. About 10 to 15 minutes. Add steak and sauce. Heat and stir until the sauce comes to a boil and is thickened. Place mixture on top of a bed of cooked orzo. Garnish with cashews. Serves 4.

Pineapple Pork Stir Fry

One can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks

One tablespoon brown sugar

Two teaspoons cornstarch

One quarter cut chicken broth

Two tablespoons lemon juice

One tablespoon soy sauce

One tablespoon lemon rind (grated)

One tablespoon orange rind (grated)

Two garlic clove (minced)

Four tablespoons olive oil

One pound pork tenderloin (cut in thin strips)

One half cup sweet red pepper (julienned)

One half cup green pepper (julienned)

One medium onion (sliced)

One medium peeled orange (sectioned and halved)

Hot cooked rice

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Set juice and pineapple aside. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Blend in broth, lemon juice, graded rinds and reserved juice. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Cook pork until no longer pink (usually three to four minutes). Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, add another two tablespoons of oil along with the pepper, onion and garlic. Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Put the pork back in the pan and stir in the broth mixture. Stir until the mixture thickens. Add pineapple and orange chunks. Heat through. Place on a bed of rice. (Note if using fresh pineapple use substitute one cup of orange for the pineapple juice.) Serves four.

Shrimp and Spaghetti Stir Fry

One package (7 ounces) spaghetti

One pound cooked deveined shrimp (thawed, with tails removed)

Four garlic cloves, minced

One quarter cup olive oil

Two tablespoons butter

One lemon (juice and grated rind)

One quarter cup Parmesan cheese

Two cups broccoli (florets)

Two cups mushrooms (sliced)

Two cups celery (sliced)

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. In the meantime, in a large skillet or work, stir-fry the shrimp and the garlic in the oil and butter for about three minutes. Then add the broccoli, mushrooms and celery until tender-crisp. Blend in the juice and grated rind from one lemon. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Drain spaghetti. Add to the shrimp and vegetable mixture. Toss to coat. Garnish with a little Parmesan cheese and fresh ground pepper. Serves four.