Sunday, December 30, 2018

Hallie's Sunday stir-fry

HALLIE EPHRON: Shrimp stir-fry is in regular rotation in our house, usually using up whatever vegetables we have in the fridge and starting with frozen shrimp which I always have on hand.

It works best if the vegetables include sweet red pepper and mushrooms (make mine shittake). Plus fresh garlic and fresh ginger. And a sauce that includes a healthy dollop of hoisin and a squirt of hot sauce. Top with handfuls of fresh chopped cilantro and scallions and serve over rice.

Substitute or omit ingredients to suit your taste. (You can make it with strips of pork or chicken instead of shrimp, just for example.)

Cooking takes less than ten minutes minutes.
Prep takes about twenty minutes.

EVERYDAY SHRIMP STIR FRY - serves 2



INGREDIENTS
1-2 cloves of garlic
1" of fresh ginger root 
1 medium onion 
About 4-6 cups of chopped veggies (like sliced zucchini, peapods, chopped celery, cut-up broccoli, sliced sweet red pepper, sliced mushrooms...) 
A handful of cilantro 
4-5 scallions
10-14 jumbo shrimp
1 egg
Some cornstarch (for coating egg-coated shrimp)
Hoisin sauce
Soy sauce
Water
Siracha
sesame oil
Peanut oil (for frying)
RICE (leaving it to you on cooking that)


PREP VEGGIES

1. Peel and mince garlic and ginger
2. Peel and chop the onion
3. Chop or slice up the other vegetables
4. Chop cilantro and scallions (they'll go on last)

PREP SHRIMP
1. Peel and devein shrimp (or buy them peeled and deveined. The shrimp in my picture are in water because I was thawing them.)
2. Dry the shrimp and dip each one in egg, then cornstarch, and set aside


PREP SAUCE

Proportions are approximate - adjust to taste. 
MIX 3 T soy sauce, 3 T water, 2 T rice vinegar, 1 T sesame oil, 2 T hoisin sauce, a squirt or two of hot sauce (Siracha.)
If you didn't use cornstarch to coat the shrimp, then add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the sauce so it will thicken.
STIR WELL and set aside.

COOK SHRIMP
1. Heat a few tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.
2. When the oil is hot, throw in the cornstarch-coated shrimp. Wait a minute. Turn. Wait.
3. When nearly cooked through (just takes a few minutes) and crispy, remove and set aside.

COOK VEGETABLES
1. In the same pan, turn the heat down a bit and sautee onion first until just translucent.
2. Add the crunchier veggies like red pepper and celery and stir-fry until just starting to soften.
3. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry; when they've softened...
4. Add the rest of the vegetables and stir-fry  until barely done.

ASSEMBLE
1. Dump the sauce over the stir-fried veggies; stir until slightly thickened.
2. Add shrimp; stir.
3. Turn the heat to low and put the lid on the pan.
4. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes or so.
5. Top with cilantro and scallions and serve over rice.

24 comments:

  1. This stir-fry sounds delicious, Hallie . . . we always have shrimp in the freezer, too, so I’m going to try this today. Thanks for sharing the recipe . . . .

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  2. Yum. I make a version of this, but never coat the shrimp, and I throw them in to stir fry last. Will try yours! Happy Sunday.

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  3. Hallie, no wonder this dish is in your usual rotation! It sounds fabulous. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Hallie, I need a personal demo on this. My place or yours? I do have everything except the hoisin sauce, but Wegman's is only a couple of miles away. Let me know what time your arriving so I can dust. xox

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  5. TO WHOMEVER MAKES THIS FIRST: Let me know (seriously, email me) if I left anything out or if something is illogical. My brain is on vaca-time.

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  6. Hallie, I like easy and quick--I have everything but the shrimp! The guys would like this with all the vegs and shrimp would be a bonus....thanks!

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  7. Sounds delicious. Have to make with chicken or beef, though, because The Boy is allergic to shrimp (or wait for a night when he's not here).

    Mary/Liz

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    1. I like it with strips of pork (slice up a couple of boneless chops)

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  8. Hallie- This post is to say good morning to one and all. I've think I've made it clear regarding my inability to follow a recipe and produce the promised results. However, I have friends who are genius in the kitchen and I'll gladly pass this along so they can make it for me!! Yum.

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    1. If you're an intuitive cook, you don't need a recipe. But I usually need one the first time I attempt something new.

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  9. Cornstarch! So interesting! Eager to try that.
    And you don’t use a wok? Huh —such fun to imagine this recipe—it sounds so yummy. We make stir fry all the time but I like your method and will try it. Happy Sunday all!

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    1. I had a wok. Once upon a time. It rusted. And really it works best on a gas stove and mine's electric. One thing I've learned is how few actual pots and pans and gadgets I need.

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    2. Oh, so true! We have a gas stove, otherwise I couldn’t use it. ( though I don’t look at a wok as a gadget :-) ) And isn’t it interesting how few pans we really need?

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  10. I'm a bitter Betty Crocker whenever I'm forced to cook. But I'm tempted to try this!

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  11. Stir fry for breakfast! And happy Sunday everyone!

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  12. So good and so easy. I make a similar version, depending on what's in the fridge, but don't coat the shrimp. Will try that, Hallie. I love baby bok choy and sugar snap peas in a stir fry. We serve with brown rice.

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    Replies
    1. LOVE baby bok choy. Ditto sugar snaps. Green beans work, too. Even fresh corn cut off the cob.

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  13. Wow. Sounds wonderful, but get out the Zantac.

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  14. Oh, we are a big stir fry house and Hub is a great fan of the hoisin sauce. Thanks, Hallie, I'll put this is rotation at my house, too!

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  15. So many ingredients that I never have on hand! But I may adjust it here and there and make it with chicken, or even tofu. I have lost my taste for shrimp.

    DebRo

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  16. I make stir fries a lot but never thought of coating the shrimp or whatever. There's a wok down the cellar but I'm not sure how to use it. Mom's been dead over 10 years, and I can't remember when she used it last. I should probably get rid of it because I'm doing OK using the fry pan.

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  17. This looks delicious and thrifty! I will keep this mind for 2019!

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