Stir Fried Mixed Vegetables

Name: Stir Fried Mixed Vegetables
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Yield: 2 to 3 servings
Cuisine: Chinese Menu
Ingredients: Broccoli — 150g; Cauliflower — 150g; Carrots — ½; Pak Choi — 90g; Ginger — 15g; Garlic — 5 cloves; Cooking Oil — 1 tbsp; Oyster Sauce — 1½ tbsp; Water — 250ml; Sugar — 1 tsp

Chinese Stir-Fried Mixed Vegetables (Chǎo Sùcài) is a masterclass in texture and 'clean' flavours. Often overlooked as a mere side dish, a well-executed stir-fry is a vibrant showcase of the 'Wok Hei' (breath of the wok) technique, where vegetables are flash-cooked at extreme temperatures to preserve their vivid colours and nutritional "snap" while being infused with a smoky, aromatic glaze.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 5 minutes

Servings: 2 to 3

Notes:

Frying the oyster sauce briefly with the aromatics before adding water enhances its fragrant aroma.

Vegetarian oyster sauce made from mushrooms can be used as a direct substitute for traditional oyster sauce.

Steaming the hard vegetables with a lid on for 30 seconds to 1 minute ensures they become tender-crisp without overcooking.

Other crunchy vegetables like baby corn, sugar snap peas, or straw mushrooms can be added to the mix.

Sauté Aromatics and Sauce
Heat the cooking oil in a pan or wok over medium heat. Add the ginger slices and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped garlic and stir-fry until golden. Pour in the oyster sauce and fry briefly for 10 seconds, then pour in 250ml of water and add the sugar, stirring until combined.

Steam Hard Vegetables
Add the broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, and sliced carrots to the pan. Cover with a lid and let the vegetables steam in the bubbling sauce for 30 to 60 seconds until slightly softened yet tender-crisp.

Add Leafy Greens and Serve
Uncover the pan and stir in the sliced pak choi. Stir-fry rapidly for 30 seconds until the leafy greens wilt and turn glossy. Remove from heat, transfer to a plate, and serve hot.