Recipe: Classic Stir Fry - Article: Beat the Heat with a Stir Fry

BEAT THE HEAT WITH A STIR FRY
Source: the American Institute for Cancer Research

Stir-fries are perfect for summer. They're quick and convenient, with no long periods of standing at a hot stove, or heating up the kitchen with the oven. They can also be a main dish that's low in calories and fat.

The stir-fry is compatible with the New American Plate recommended by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). The typical stir-fry contains a much larger proportion of vegetables than meat, usually about two-thirds plant-based foods and one-third meat, poultry, or fish, the proportion AICR recommends to reduce the risk of cancer and other serious health problems like heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Eating a wide variety of a lot of vegetables and fruits has been shown to protect the body from cancer. This benefit is partly attributed to their rich supply of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (natural substances found only in plant foods) that protect the body's cells from damage by cancer-causing agents.

For a stir-fry, you need a skillet big enough to hold all the ingredients, with enough room to stir and mix. All the ingredients should be ready before you start cooking. Cut the ingredients into bite-sized pieces so they will cook briefly.

The following stir-fry can be easily adapted to whatever vegetables and meat are on hand. Ideally, using vegetables of different colors will increase eye appeal and maximize the wide range of cancer-fighting phytochemicals found in different vegetables.

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CLASSIC STIR-FRY

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, plus 2 Tsp., divided
2 tsp. sugar, divided
2 Tbsp. Mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine), divided, or non-fat, reduced-
sodium chicken broth plus a pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp. minced scallion (optional)
1/4 tsp. minced ginger (optional)
1 cup thinly-sliced chicken, meat, or fish
1 tsp. cornstarch
2-3 Tbsp. peanut or canola oil
1 cup cut-up green vegetable, e.g. snow peas, string beans, broccoli
1 cup cut-up red or orange vegetable, e.g. carrot, bell pepper, red onion
1 cup cut-up light-colored vegetable, e.g. bok choy, onion, zucchini
3 cups steamed rice (preferably brown)

In a shallow pan, mix together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tablespoon Mirin, the scallion and ginger. Add chicken and marinate 10-30 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper toweling. (Discard used marinade, which should never be reused, as it may be contaminated by potentially harmful bacteria and could lead to food-borne illness.)

Meanwhile, mix together in a small bowl or cup the remaining soy sauce, Mirin and sugar with the cornstarch until well blended. Set aside to use later.

Heat pan until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, or enough to stir-fry meat, and heat until very hot. Add meat and stir-fry until it turns color. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

Using small amounts of oil as needed, stir-fry vegetables. Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary, starting with those that take the longest to cook. Transfer cooked vegetables to a covered dish to keep warm.

When all the vegetables are tender-crisp, add back to the pan any that were removed and the meat.

Stir the sauce to recombine and add, stirring until sauce thickens. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 341 calories, 10 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 44 g. carbohydrate, 16 g. protein, 4 g. dietary fiber, 663 mg. sodium.