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Quick & Easy Stir-Fry Dishes for Busy Nights
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Quick & Easy Stir-Fry Dishes for Busy Nights
Stir-fry dishes have become increasingly popular among busy cooks who need a meal that is both quick and nutritious. These simple recipes require minimal prep time, can be customized according to your preferences, and are packed with flavors. Whether you're looking for a weeknight dinner or a light lunch, stir-fries offer versatility and convenience. This article will guide you through the process of creating two delicious and easy-to-make stir-fry dishes.
Ingredients Needed
- Vegetables: Bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, and onions
- Protein: Chicken breasts or tofu
- Stir-fry sauce: Soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and cornstarch for thickening.
- Oil for stir-frying
- Cooking tools: A wok or large skillet with a lid, tongs or spatula
Stir-Fry Chicken with Vegetables
This recipe serves 4 people and takes about 30 minutes to prepare.
- Begin by washing all the vegetables thoroughly. Cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips, ensuring they are of similar size for even cooking. This helps in achieving a tender texture without overcooking.
- In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and cornstarch to prepare your stir-fry sauce.
- Heat up a wok or large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Add some vegetable oil into the pan and swirl it around so that the entire surface is coated thinly with oil.
- Add the chicken strips to the hot pan; cook them for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are no longer pink inside. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet using tongs or a spatula.
- Now add onions and bell peppers to the same pan. Stir-fry these vegetables for approximately 2-3 minutes until they become tender-crisp. Ensure you don't overcook them as this will affect their texture during serving.
- Add broccoli florets lastly into the skillet. Continue cooking everything together for another minute before adding back in the chicken strips along with prepared stir-fry sauce.
- Let all ingredients simmer together briefly to allow flavors to meld and thicken slightly due to cornstarch present in the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary by adding more salt or other spices such as pepper according to your taste preference.
- Once done, transfer everything onto plates. Serve hot with steamed rice or noodles on the side.
Tofu Stir-Fry with Vegetables
This dish serves 4 people and also requires around half an hour preparation time excluding cooking times which are approximately 15 minutes in total.
- For tofu, drain it well after rinsing under running water. Pat dry excess moisture using paper towels before cutting into cubes or slices depending on how you like to eat them.
- Cook tofu in a pan until both sides turn golden brown while stirring frequently to prevent sticking and ensure even browning. Alternatively, you could also grill it outside for better flavor but that adds extra steps!
- After draining away any excess oil from cooked tofu cubes/slices, set aside.
- Mix together soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and cornstarch once again to form a thickening sauce.
- Add the vegetables into a hot pan first. Stir-fry until they reach your desired doneness level which usually takes just 2-3 minutes for crispness but can extend up to 5+ depending on your preference.
- Then place back in the tofu along with the prepared stir-fry sauce and let everything heat through while stirring continuously for another minute or two.
- To serve, arrange the mixture onto individual plates garnished with sesame seeds or green onions optionally. Accompany this dish well with cauliflower rice if desired to make it even healthier!
Conclusion
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p>Quick and easy stir-fry dishes are perfect for busy nights when you want something delicious yet simple. By following these straightforward instructions, you can create two mouth-watering meals that not only satisfy your cravings but also provide essential nutrients necessary for maintaining good health. These recipes require minimal effort and time investment yet deliver impressive results in taste and presentation quality. Happy cooking!