Five Minute Stir Fry Sauce

 

I had some steak which needed using up and I had picked up a bag of stir fry veggies the other day and so I decided to make myself a quick stir fry for my supper one day this week. I like stir fries. They are a great way of using up bits and bobs, and go together very quickly.

As a person who lives on their own, unless I already have all of the veggies in the house, buying a bag of the stir fry mix is the most economical way to go. It all gets used and nothing is wasted.  It works well for me.

I had seen a recipe for a quick and easy stir fry sauce on a page called Whitney Bond.   It looked quick and easy to make, and I already had everything in my house to make it so I decided to give it a go. It also didn't make a huge amount of sauce, which was a bonus!

 

Five simple ingredients and five minutes was all it took to throw together the sauce and it was delicious.  It ended up being the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, salty flavors that I so enjoy in a stir fry.

I marinated the steak in some of it first to really infuse it with the flavors and then stir fried it and added the veg.  A bit more at the end and I had a really delicious stir fry to enjoy.

It also didn't make a huge amount which was a real bonus for me. I don't eat a stir fry very often, so this was just the right size for me. I also loved that it used things that I already had in the house. I think this will be my go-to stir fry sauce from now on!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE FIVE MINUTE STIR FRY SAUCE

A few simple Asian ingredients.

• 1/4 cup (62g) hoisin sauce
• 2 TBS dark soy sauce or tamari
• 1 TBS rice wine vinegar
• 1 TBS toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp sriracha sauce (Can add more if you like things spicier)

 

I stirred all of my ingredients together in a small half pint jar.  It was very easily done.  

I love hoisin sauce.  It has a lovely sweet, salty and spicy quality and helps to thicken this sauce without the use of cornstarch.

I used dark soy sauce. My favorite brand is Kikkoman.

Rice Wine vinegar is easily found in the oriental section at the grocery store.

The original recipe did not specify toasted sesame oil, but I felt it had more flavor than regular and wanted to make a rich and flavorful sauce.

I used the smaller amount of sriracha sauce because I don't like things really spicy these days. My days of handling too much spice are long gone!  I would not leave it out altogether, however, as it does add a nice flavor to the sauce.

MY ASIAN STORE CUPBOARD INGREDIENTS

I like to keep a few Asian ingredients in my store cupboard and refrigerator so that I can whip up an oriental meal any time I want to. Here are some of my favorites and recommendations. I am by no means an expert. I only know what I like and what I use.

Hoisin Sauce -This is a thick sauce made with a combination of sugar, miso, soy sauce, garlic and spices. I use it in quite a few things and often use it just on its own as a dipping sauce.

Soy Sauce - I keep several different kinds on hand. Dark and light as well as low sodium. 

 

Ketjap Manis - This is a sweet soy sauce. I tend to make my own from scratch. You can find my recipe here.  I love it's flavor as a condiment or as an addition to a stir fry, fried rice, etc.

Oyster Sauce- This is a rich and syrupy sauce used in Chinese cuisine. It is made from oyster extract, but actually doesn't tasty fishy at all.

Sesame Oil - I keep regular and toasted sesame oils.  I use the regular for stir frying and the toasted as a flavor addition.

Chinese Five Spice - This all-purpose seasoning is a great addition to sauces, and also  makes a great rub for chicken, beef or pork. 

White Rice Vinegar - Light in color and much milder than European vinegars. It is usually seasoned and is not as sweet as Japanese rice vinegar which is called Mirin. I actually keep both.

Sriracha Sauce - I am not sure if this is technically Oriental or not, but it makes a great addition to many dishes. It is hot and garlicky.

A selection of egg and rice noodles - Great for when you want to make a simple stir fry, or for making chow mein, etc. I also keep in the dried packet noodles.

Corn Starch or Corn Flour - An essential thickening agent, also comes in very handy when wanting to velvet proteins such as chicken, pork, or beef.

 

HOW TO MAKE FIVE MINUTE STIR-FRY SAUCE

This is a real doddle.

Measure all of the ingredients into a half pint mason jar. Place the lid on top and give the jar a good shake to combine everything. Alternately you can place the ingredients into a small bowl and give them a good whisk with a wire whisk.

Use this sauce in your favorite stir fry recipe. You can use some of it to marinate your protein prior to stir frying it and then add more when you go to stir fry any vegetables you are using, or at the end to bring everything together.

This will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to two weeks. It's delicious!

 

To make my stir fry, I cut some quick fry steak into thin strips and then marinated it in a bowl with 1 TBS of the sauce for about half an hour.

I had a bag of prepared stir fry veggies in the fridge, the kale mixture. I find where I am a person who lives on their own, buying a bag of already prepared veggies works well for me. It is much cheaper in the long run than buying every vegetable individually, and nothing goes to waste.

I did not use any oil for stir frying as there is already some sesame oil in the mixture. I simply fried the steak in a skillet over moderately high heat, adding the veggies once it got decently browned. They also cooked rather quickly. A few TBS more of the sauce at the end and dinner was ready!

 

This sauce was very simple and quick to make and tasted delicious. I marinated some steak strips in some of it for about half an hour prior to stir frying them along with a bag of mixed stir fry veggies, stirring in a bit more sauce at the end for a quick, easy and delicious supper which I enjoyed with some steamed rice.

If you are looking for a simple sauce to use in a stir fry and want to know exactly what is in it, this sauce is for you!

 

 

Are you like me? Do you enjoy making your own sauces for things rather than buying in something ready-made?  It's not hard to make your own sauces. Here are a few other favorites of mine.

SIX DELICIOUS DIPPING SAUCES FOR CHICKEN TENDERS - Six different and delicious, easy to make sauces to enjoy with chicken tenders. Sweet and Sour, Ranch, Alabama White, Spicy Chipotle, Honey Mustard and Bang Bang Sauce.  All delicious. All easy to make. All a real treat!

SWEET AND SOUR PEANUT SAUCE -  This tasty sauce is a wonderful mix of flavors and textures . . .  sweet, tangy, creamy, spicy, rich and sour.  In short perfect! It goes wonderfully with chicken, pork or fish. A very easy sauce to make as well.

Yield: Approximately 1/2 cup/4 ounces

Author: Marie Rayner

Five Minute Stir Fry Sauce

Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min

With only five simple ingredients and a few minutes of your time, you can have a really delicious stir fry sauce ready to use in creating a delicious main or side dish. I always have these ingredients on hand in my refrigerator.

Ingredients

You Will Need:

• 1/4 cup (62g) hoisin sauce
• 2 TBS dark soy sauce or tamari
• 1 TBS rice wine vinegar
• 1 TBS toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp sriracha sauce (Can add more if you like things spicier)

Instructions

1. Measure all of the ingredients into a half pint mason jar. Place the lid on top and give the jar a good shake to combine everything. Alternately you can place the ingredients into a small bowl and give them a good whisk with a wire whisk.
2. Use this sauce in your favorite stir fry recipe. You can use some of it to marinate your protein prior to stir frying it and then add more when you go to stir fry any vegetables you are using, or at the end to bring everything together.
3. This will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to two weeks. It's delicious!

Did you make this recipe?

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