Thai Stir Fry

I tried this stir fry dish last night and it was a hit. Even the kids liked it! Yes, it does have white wine. I have several recipes that I use which call for wine. I'm sure there is an alternative, but I quite like the white wine myself. If you know of a substitution, leave a comment to let others know.


VEGETABLES:
2 medium-size carrot, sliced (I cut them into small matchstick size)
1-2 cups baby bok choy, or other Chinese cabbage (leaves left whole if not too large,otherwise cut in half or thirds)
1 red pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
5-6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced, or left in halves or quarters
3 spring onions, cut in thirds
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 thumb-size piece fresh ginger, sliced thinly (matchstick-like pieces)
3 Tbsp. white wine or sherry for stir-frying

STIR-FRY SAUCE:
1/3 cup chicken broth (you could use vegetable stock)
2 Tbsp. fish sauce (or substitute 2.5 Tbsp. soy sauce)
1 Tbsp. lime juice
5-7 cloves of garlic, minced (I used more as we love love love garlic)
1 tsp. raw honey (plus more to taste, if desired)
2 tsp. corn starch dissolved in 4 Tbsp. water
1 red chili, minced, OR 1 tsp. chili sauce, OR 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper


Preparation:
1. Start by making the stir-fry sauce. Place all ingredients - except garlic and cornstarch - in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
2. When sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat to medium-low. Now add the minced garlic and cornstarch (dissolved in water). Stir until the sauce thickens slightly - about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Do a taste test. You're looking for a balance of salty (fish sauce), spicy (garlic and chili), sour (lime), and sweet (honey). Adjust these flavors to suit your taste.
4. Place a little oil in a wok/frying pan over medium to high heat. Add the carrots, galangal (or ginger), and shiitake mushrooms. When the pan becomes dry, add a little of the wine or sherry, 1 Tbsp. at a time, to keep ingredients frying nicely. Stir-fry in this way, adding more wine or sherry as needed, for 2-3 minutes. Don't over cook. The veggies taste MUCH better when crispy.
5. Add the rest of the vegetables plus 1/3 of the stir-fry sauce and continue stir-frying another 2 minutes, or until the broccoli has softened slightly but still retains some of its crispness.
6. Add remaining stir-fry sauce and mix in until everything is hot. Remove from heat.
7. Do one last taste test. If not salty enough, add up to 1 Tbsp. more fish sauce. If too salty, add another squeeze of lime juice or add a little more honey, if desired.
8. Serve immediately over rice and ENJOY!


I did thinly slice one chicken breast, cooked it up and added it to this dish. My kids were just glad to see some meat!! If you were hoping for a meatless dish, just add a handful of raw cashews instead of chicken.