Multitasking.
Gosh, I'm good at that. Sort of.
When my twins were little, I could hold one in each arm and open the door with my toes. Today, on my lunch break I put in a piece of toast and hurried and painted my nails before it popped up. Did they look like crap? Yes, they did. But hey, time is golden and sometimes there just isn't any.
And that is precisely why I love stir frying.
You don't need a wok. It takes 10 minutes start-to-finish, and the only multitasking you have to do is cook the pasta while you are stir frying the veggies.
I love this recipe because it's still tastes fresh and tasty, yet doesn't have that overpowering flavor that sometimes Chinese food does.
(You know, eat too much Panda, can't stomach it again for a year.)
No Hoisin, no sesame oil, no oyster sauce or rice noodles - it's a pretty simple version.
You can even write your own fortune and embellish it as needed.
It does take a little bit of prepping, but if you keep the veggies to just one or two, it's pretty slick. And if you don't want to slice chicken, grab a bag of shrimp, just don't get hot dogs please.
My favorite way to julienne carrots is to first slice thinly on the diagonal. Then stack up a few strips and slice into thin strips.
The best way to slice the chicken thin is to do it when they are just slightly thawed. If they are already thawed, stick them back in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Be sure and get that gross ligament/tendon thingy out. Finding that kind of surprise in your mouth is about as exciting as finding a spider on your pillow.
Slurry. Should that even be a word? Not the same thing as pond sludge (although you know that's the first thing that came to your mind). Just all your flavors in one place, ready to cook together in an instant.
Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
Healthy, bright and colorful and can be thrown together in no time!
8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti noodles
Sauce (or slurry)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 t. rice vinegar
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
2 t. cornstarch
5 chicken tenders, sliced into thin strips
2 T. canola oil
3 cloves minced garlic
2 t. minced fresh ginger
3 cups broccoli florets (usually about one head does it)
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1. Cook noodles in boiling salted water. While cooking, start stir fry. Combine broth, soy, vinegar, red pepper and cornstarch in a bowl.
2. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. When very hot, add 1 T of the oil. Add the chicken and stir fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add remaining T. of oil, garlic and ginger, stir fry for about 15 seconds, being careful not to burn garlic. Add broccoli and carrot; stir fry 2 minutes.
4. Add slurry mixture and chicken, stir well, and cover. Lower heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are a little more tender, about 3 minutes. Toss with spaghetti noodles and serve.
A full belly conquers all - Chinese Proverb
Posted by: Rona
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