Chinese-Style Stir-Fry

The beauty of this recipe is that you can use a variety of fresh veggies in it; same with the meat or tofu base. You never need to make the same one twice. I used to serve this over rice but in the past few months have begun to consider a large plate of stir-fry to be a full meal in itself. You'll want to do most of the vegetable prep before you begin cooking as it goes quickly once the wok is hot.

Serves 2

Prepare 6 cups vegetables. Use any combination of the following:

carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

cabbage, thinly sliced

bok choy, thinly sliced

celery, thinly sliced

broccoli florets

cauliflower florets

green (or red, yellow or orange) peppers, cut into strips

bean sprouts

spinach leaves

In wok, heat:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Add:

12 ounces sliced raw meat (chicken breast, round steak, pork loin, or extra-firm tofu)

1/2 cup sliced onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms

When meat is cooked and onion is soft, add:

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 teaspoon grated ginger

vegetables from the carrot, cabbage, bok choy, or celery category.

These need the longest cooking time.

Stir in hot wok for 2-3 minutes before adding:

vegetables from broccoli, cauliflower and pepper category.

Stir for 2-3 minutes before adding:

vegetables from the bean sprouts and spinach category.

These only need to be heated through.

Combine the following ingredients in a small bowl:

1/2 cup cold water

2 tablespoons corn starch

Stir until corn starch is dissolved, then add:

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

Pour over stir-fry and stir until sauce has thickened, 2 or 3 minutes.