The stir-fry framework

A stir-fry is the fastest proper meal you can cook: ten minutes in a very hot pan. The secret is having everything ready before the heat goes on, then adding ingredients in the right order.

The template

• 1. Prep everything first: slice the protein thinly, cut the vegetables into similar bite-size pieces, grate the garlic and ginger, mix the sauce, and cook the rice or soak the noodles. Once the pan is hot, there is no time to chop.
• 2. Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until very hot, then add 1 to 2 tbsp oil and swirl it around.
• 3. Add garlic and ginger and stir for only 10 to 15 seconds until fragrant, so they do not burn.
• 4. Add the protein and stir-fry for 2 to 4 minutes until browned and nearly cooked. If your pan is small, cook it in batches, then lift it out and set it aside.
• 5. Add the hardest vegetables first (carrots, broccoli, baby corn), then the quicker ones (peppers, mushrooms, mangetout, beansprouts). If hard vegetables need help, add 2 tbsp water and cover for 2 to 3 minutes to steam them.
• 6. Return the protein, pour in the sauce and toss until it bubbles and thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve straight away.

The sauce formula

• Base for 2 to 3 people: 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp to 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar, and about 120 ml stock or water.
• Thicken it: whisk 2 tsp cornflour into the cold liquid before it goes in the pan, so it does not go lumpy. It thickens once it boils.
• Optional extras: a squeeze of lime, a few drops of sesame oil, chilli flakes or fresh chilli, or a spoon of hoisin sauce.
• Halal note: many stir-fry recipes include Shaoxing rice wine, sherry or mirin. Leave them out. Traditional mirin contains about 14% alcohol; replace it with 1 tbsp rice vinegar plus 1 tbsp sugar or honey, adjusted to taste.
• Check soy sauce labels: in 2017 the UAE withdrew two soy sauce products after alcohol was found in them. Look for halal-certified brands.

Swap it

• Chicken breast or thigh strips: 3 to 4 minutes until opaque and cooked through.
• Thin beef strips: a couple of minutes over high heat; cook in small batches so they sear rather than stew.
• Prawns: about 2 minutes, until pink and opaque. Tofu or paneer cubes: brown them first, then set aside.
• Hard vegetables (carrot, broccoli, baby corn): about 3 to 4 minutes. Soft vegetables (peppers, courgette, mushrooms, asparagus, spring onion): 1 to 2 minutes.
• Base: plain rice, egg noodles, rice noodles or glass noodles soaked in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.

Worked example: chicken and vegetable stir-fry (serves 3 to 4)

• Ingredients: 450 g boneless chicken breast in thin strips, 1 tbsp oil, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1 tbsp grated ginger, 1 onion (sliced), 2 carrots (thinly sliced), 1 red pepper (sliced), 2 cups broccoli florets, a handful of mangetout or sugar snap peas.
• Sauce: 60 ml (4 tbsp) reduced-salt soy sauce, 240 ml chicken stock, 2 tsp cornflour, 1 tsp honey. Whisk together.
• Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger for about 15 seconds until fragrant, add the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it starts to brown.
• Add the onion, carrots and pepper for 1 minute, then the broccoli and peas for 2 minutes.
• Pour in the sauce and simmer about 2 minutes until it thickens and the vegetables are crisp-tender. Check the chicken has no pink inside. Serve over rice.

Fixes and tips

• Soggy, stewed vegetables: the pan was not hot enough or too full. Cook in batches and let the pan reheat between them.
• Sauce too thin: mix another 1 tsp cornflour with 1 tbsp cold water and stir it in while bubbling.
• Sauce too thick or gloopy: loosen with a splash of stock or water.
• Too salty: use reduced-salt soy sauce next time; for now, add more vegetables or a squeeze of lime and serve with plain rice.
• Burnt garlic tastes bitter: it only needs seconds. If it burns, wipe the pan and start again.
• Day-old cooked rice makes good egg-fried rice, as long as it was cooled quickly and kept in the fridge for no more than 24 hours.