Stir-Fry Recipes To Try

In the latest segment of the "Five-Minute Cooking School," chef Tori Ritchie

The Early Show teams with specialty home furnishings retailer Williams-Sonoma as it brings you the "Five-Minute Cooking School" series. Segments originate at Williams-Sonoma's flagship store at Columbus Circle in New York City.
Ritchie is a San Francisco-based food writer and cooking teacher, and host of the long-running "Ultimate Kitchens" on the Food Network. Her latest cookbook is "Party Appetizers: Small Bites, Big Flavors" (Chronicle Books, Fall 2004).

For her tips on making good stir-fry,click here.

RECIPES

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Snow Peas and Mushrooms

Fresh shiitake mushrooms bring a rich taste to this hearty stir-fry. They also have better texture than the canned straw mushrooms usually found in similar dishes. Peanut oil is typically used in Chinese cooking. Try to buy one of the brands sold in Asian markets. Those brands have a particularly nutty aroma. Without the shrimp, this stir-fry makes a good vegetarian dish. Serve over brown rice.

Ingredients:

2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. dry sherry
2 tsp. water
4 tsp. peanut oil
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, minced
16 snow peas, trimmed and strings removed
1/2 lb. fresh shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean, stems removed and caps cut into
1-inch pieces
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch, sherry and water. Set aside.

Preheat a wok or deep, heavy fry pan over high heat. Add 2 tsp. of the peanut oil and carefully tilt and rotate the pan to distribute the oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and stir-fry until they are bright pink but not yet cooked through, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook them. Transfer to a plate.

Return the pan to high heat. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tsp. peanut oil, tilting the pan to coat the bottom and sides with the oil. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the snow peas and mushrooms and return the shrimp to the pan. Stir-fry until the snow peas are bright green, 30 to 60 seconds. Pour in the stock and cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Briefly stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine, then pour it into the pan. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes. Add the sesame oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Healthful Cooking, by Mary Abbott Hess, Dana Jacobi & Marie Simmons (Oxmoor House, 2003).

Spicy Chicken and Basil Stir-Fry

Aromatic basil, sometimes called Italian basil, is fundamental to Mediterranean cooking. But on the other side of the world, in Thailand, another basil variety is equally essential. For a more authentic version of this dish, seek out Thai basil, which has smaller, narrower leaves than the common Italian variety, a reddish purple cast, and a more pronounced anise flavor. Look for it in Southeast Asian stores or at farmers' markets, or plant seeds outdoors in pots or beds for easy harvests.

Ingredients:

6 Tbs. chicken stock
2 Tbs. Asian fish sauce
2 tsp. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 or 2 Thai or jalapeño chilies, cut into very thin rounds
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
3/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai basil
3 green onions, cut into 3-inch pieces
Cooked jasmine rice for serving

In a bowl, whisk together the stock, fish sauce and brown sugar. Add the cornstarch and whisk until the cornstarch and sugar are dissolved. Set aside.

In a large wok or fry pan over high heat, warm the oil. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add chilies to taste and the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until no longer pink, about 2 1/2 minutes. Stir in the basil and green onions and stir-fry until the onions are barely wilted, about 1 minute.

Whisk the sauce mixture and pour into the pan. Cook just until the liquid comes to a boil. Spoon the rice onto individual plates and top with the stir-fry and sauce. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series,Chicken,by Rick Rodgers (Simon & Schuster, 2001).Beef Stir-Fry with Peppers and Snow Peas

Cut from the short loin, beef tenderloin is among the most tender cuts of meat. To retain this succulent texture, cook tenderloin quickly, as in this stir-fry. Serve over steamed white rice.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. canola oil
1 lb. beef tenderloin, cut into strips 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut
into 1-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 lb. snow peas
1/3 cup chinablue Sweet Soy Sauce

In a large stir-fry pan or wok over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Add the orange and red bell peppers and the snow peas and cook until the peppers are just tender and the snow peas are bright green, about 1 minute. Stir in the sauce, cook for about 30 seconds more and transfer to a platter. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Recipe provided by Richard Wong, chinablue

Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic

Pea shoots, the curly tendrils and top pair of leaves of young green pea plants, have a delicate, sweet flavor. The only preparation they require is rinsing in cold water and drying in a salad spinner. Look for pea shoots in an Asian market; if they are unavailable, substitute spinach or watercress.

Ingredieints:

1 lb. pea shoots
2 Tbs. peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 slice fresh ginger, peeled and crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. chicken stock
Pinch of sugar
Asian sesame oil, to taste

Rinse the pea shoots in cold running water. Drain and dry in a salad spinner or thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a wok over medium heat. When hot, add the oil, garlic, ginger and salt and toss and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Increase the heat to high, add 2 or 3 handfuls of pea shoots, and toss and stir until wilted, about 30 seconds. Push the shoots up the sides of the wok and add another 2 or 3 handfuls. Toss and stir until wilted, about 30 seconds. Push the shoots up the sides of the wok and repeat until all the pea shoots have been added to the wok and cooked. If water accumulates in the bottom of the wok, push the shoots up the sides to allow the liquid to reduce. Add the stock and sugar and toss and stir until the liquid is reduced to a few tablespoons, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with sesame oil.

Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Asian Flavors, by Joyce Jue (Time-Life Books, 1999).