Chef spices up vegan stir-fry station

Jamie Rosen Life Editor

ACDC’s vegan stir-fry station has been freshened up. A variety of new sauces and acids have been added to the mix, and veggie broth has become a regular ingredient. To launch the station, district chef Jack Freedman, who oversees campus cafeterias from Manhattan to Albany, gave stir-fry demonstrations Monday.

Freedman pointed out some common mistakes that novice cooks often make, clarified the stir-fry process, and shared some flavor tips with The Miscellany News. If your stir-fry never comes out quite right or you’re not sure where to begin, you might want to take heed of the following advice:

Steps for successful stir-fry

1. First, gather vegetables and protein on a plate, keeping each item separate. One of the most common mistakes students make is adding all ingredients at the same time, Freedman said. This creates a dish in which some ingredients are nearly raw and others are overcooked and mushy.

2. Put a few tablespoons of oil in a pan, and heat on medium for 20 seconds.

3. Add an acid, such as vinegar or a wine, if desired. For sweeter flavors, try sherry or marsala cooking wine. For a tangy dish, try lemon or lime juice.

4. Add “aromatics,” such as garlic, onions and spices. “[Garlic and onions are] kind of the basis of any of the stir-fries,” Freedman said.

5. Turn heat to medium high, and begin adding vegetables. Add large, raw vegetables, such as eggplant and mushrooms. Cook about two minutes.

6. Next, add blanched vegetables—such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans and snap peas—and smaller vegetables, such as shredded carrots. Cook another minute.

7. Add a protein, such as tofu or edamame, and a starch. Turn heat to high. Immediately add vegetable broth if desired.

8. After vegetable broth cooks down, or if no vegetable broth is desired, immediately add sauce and stir until the sauce is hot. Remove from heat and serve.

A primer on spices and sauces
Freedman recommends that those new to stir-fry use premade sauces and spices.

The station offers several new and different sauces, including sweet and sour sauce, chili garlic sauce and sesame sauce. These sauces are complete and require no additional spices.

A variety of spice blends are also at the novices disposal. These include Montreal steak seasoning, lemon pepper, Old Bay (which creates a dish that tastes like shrimp cocktail), Mesquite Grill seasoning (which has a “smoky grill kind of essence”), jerk seasoning, Italian seasoning (which goes well with olive oil and garlic), and curry powder (which, for the adventurous, goes well with fresh ginger, turmeric, a little garlic, a touch of cinnamon, and vegetable broth). To add heat, use a little Cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce.

If you decide to concoct an original spice blend, don’t mix too many things or you will get a “mish-mosh of a little of everything,” advised Freedman.