Wanting to take my new stir-fry pan for a spin – and use up a stash of veg in the fridge – I dialed up my recipe for Spicy Thai Shrimp and Baby Bok Choy Stir-Fry and stole the fragrant sauce and the seasonings from that recipe for a quick veggie stir-fry that’s quite versatile. It can be a side dish, or a veggie main dish – if served atop lo mein, other noodles, or rice.

You can also use what veggies you have on hand. Choose a variety of dense veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, or Japanese turnips to make up the bulk of your veggie mix. Use a smaller amount of the aromatic vegetables – mushrooms, onions, and/or peppers – but don’t leave them out. The aromatics give off moisture and flavor when they cook, helping all the other veggies to cook through. Thai fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and lots of garlic and ginger give this stir-fry its personality, but if you don’t like the fish sauce-lime juice combo, you can use tamari, lemon juice, and maple syrup for a different spin.

To keep this as straightforward as possible, I’m suggesting you cook all the veggies at once on pretty high heat, but if you like some veggies crisper than others you can add the veggies in stages. Be sure to crank the heat up though; otherwise your veggies will steam through before browning.

Serves 4 as a side dish

 

  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili crisp
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh garlic
  • 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons finely chopped serrano peppers (optional)
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 to 1 ¼ pounds hearty vegetables, cut into 1 to 2-inch-long pieces about ¾-inch thick (any combination broccoli, cauliflower, broccoflower, Japanese turnips, radishes, Brussels sprouts, green beans, mushrooms, peppers, onions, shallots, scallions)
  • 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (any combination of Thai basil, basil, mint, and/or cilantro)
  • 3 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil
  • Cooked noodles or rice for serving (optional – use only a few ounces per person to keep the ratio of veg to starch high; if using noodles, cook, let dry a bit in colander and toss in a small bit of sesame oil to hold)
  • Sliced scallions for garnishing
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

 

1. In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, 2 tablespoons water, the brown sugar, chili crisp, and cornstarch. Whisk thoroughly and set aside. In another small bowl, combine the ginger, the garlic and the serranos (if using).

2. In a large (12-inch) nonstick stir-fry pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (it will loosen up), add the vegetables and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir and turn the heat to high.

3. Cook, stirring occasionally at first and then more frequently, until the veggies all have some browning on them and are somewhat softened, 7 to 9 minutes. If the pan seems dry, add a bit more oil while the veggies are cooking.

4. Add the ginger, garlic, and serranos (if using) to the pan and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

5. Scrape the fish sauce mixture into the pan (it will sputter), stir immediately and vigorously (for a few seconds), and quickly remove the pan from the heat. Continue stirring to coat the vegetables with the sauce as it thickens.

6. Stir in most of the fresh herbs. Serve right away over noodles or rice if you like. (Alternatively, you can stir a small amount of noodles directly into the veggie mix). Garnish with remaining herbs, sliced scallions, and chopped peanuts (if using).