NationStates Jolt Archive

Okay, so I am having a stir-fry with leftovers for dinner. I have brown rice, spinach, green beans, broccoli, peas, pumpkin seeds and corn. I have to make a sauce for it that contains no sugar or yeast, preferably not too salty but is tastey.

What does your imagination come up with?

Okay, so I am having a stir-fry with leftovers for dinner. I have brown rice, spinach, green beans, broccoli, peas, pumpkin seeds and corn. I have to make a sauce for it that contains no sugar or yeast, preferably not too salty but is tastey.

What does your imagination come up with?

Are you going to be shopping, or are you working with what you have sitting around?

Are you going to be shopping, or are you working with what you have sitting around?
I can shop. I just have to use up the old greens before they go bad.

Okay, so I am having a stir-fry with leftovers for dinner. I have brown rice, spinach, green beans, broccoli, peas, pumpkin seeds and corn. I have to make a sauce for it that contains no sugar or yeast, preferably not too salty but is tastey.

What does your imagination come up with?

Good, old-fashioned, Teriyaki?

I can shop. I just have to use up the old greens before they go bad.

What kind of flavors are you looking for? Spicy? Complex? Stick-to-yer ribs and simple?

Good, old-fashioned, Teriyaki?
I'd rather learn to do for myself than get it from a bottle. :)

What kind of flavors are you looking for? Spicy? Complex? Stick-to-yer ribs and simple?
Anything you people suggest.

Okay, so I am having a stir-fry with leftovers for dinner. I have brown rice, spinach, green beans, broccoli, peas, pumpkin seeds and corn. I have to make a sauce for it that contains no sugar or yeast, preferably not too salty but is tastey.

What does your imagination come up with?depending on how much rice... ixnay on the Stir fry and go with Fried Rice. with a dab of oyster sauce, seasoning...

I'd rather learn to do for myself than get it from a bottle. :)


Anything you people suggest.

So, stir fry the veggies, dump them out onto a dish, then in the wok, throw in some minced garlic, green onion, hot pepper and ginger. Stir fry until everything is softened/translucent/just barely beginning to brown. In a measuring cup, mix about 1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch together with one can of chicken (or vegetable) broth, a couple tablespoons of soy sauce and a shot of booze (sake, sherry, white wine or brandy.) Toss that into the wok with the sauteed aromatics until it thickens. then pour over the stir fried veggies.

One could also add lemon grass. Orange, lime or lemon zest. Orange, lime or lemon juice. Oyster sauce. Coconut milk. Peanut butter. You could substitute freshly brewed tea for the chicken/veggie stock. You could throw in some curry powder. Or mustard. Or ketchup.

If you want to go with a more French approach, try sauteeing some onion (and maybe garlic,) in a saucepan until transparent. Add about a cup of chicken stock, the juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 cup of white wine. Reduce the volume of the liquid (on medium high heat) by about 2/3. Then toss in some chopped herbs (basil or tarragon are good choices, with parsley going well with either.)

Then, pull out a whisk. Take the mixture off the heat. Cube up about 1/2 stick of butter and add it slowly while whisking vigorously OFF THE HEAT. The butter will emulsify and thicken the liquid. You have a nice, buttery-tangy-herby sauce. Add salt and pepper (and maybe capers or a dash of nutmeg,) to taste.

Be careful about the booze if you are very concerned about sugar content... also the peanut butter might have a lot of sugar. If you are only worried about not ADDING sugar, either is ok.

*EDIT* Also go for low salt broth (the salt content is high in the canned stuff) or make veggie broth yourself and add salt to taste towards the end.

Be careful about the booze if you are very concerned about sugar content... also the peanut butter might have a lot of sugar. If you are only worried about not ADDING sugar, either is ok.


Good point. There are no-added sugar peanut butters (which I think taste better anyway.)

If you want to go with a more French approach, try sauteeing some onion (and maybe garlic,) in a saucepan until transparent. Add about a cup of chicken stock, the juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 cup of white wine. Reduce the volume of the liquid (on medium high heat) by about 2/3. Then toss in some chopped herbs (basil or tarragon are good choices, with parsley going well with either.)

Then, pull out a whisk. Take the mixture off the heat. Cube up about 1/2 stick of butter and add it slowly while whisking vigorously OFF THE HEAT. The butter will emulsify and thicken the liquid. You have a nice, buttery-tangy-herby sauce. Add salt and pepper (and maybe capers or a dash of nutmeg,) to taste.
That sounds REALLY good. I think I'll try it, thanks.

Also, try using the spinach (if fresh) as a salad. Add some onions, and toss in a manderine orange segments. Make a dressing using oil, lemon juice and a bit of soy sauce (use Kikoman's low salt or another good soy sauce, NOT LaChoy which is just salty brown water) to complement the stir fry theme. Scatter the pumpkin seeds on top for crunch.

...a bit of soy sauce (use Kikoman's low salt or another good soy sauce, NOT LaChoy which is just salty brown water)
Kikoman's lite is the GOOD stuff. :)

Of course, you could blanche all the veggies (except the spinach) until they are cooked but still crunchy. Cook the brown rice and cool. Chop the cooked veggies and an uncooked onion, stir into the rice. Toss in a little bit of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper (or some of the lemon soy dressing from the previous recipe). Serve cold as a salad. To fancy it up with the ingredients you have, make a bed of spinich, rice salad on it, pumpkin seeds on the top. If you want to make it a beefier meal, add a can of well drained and well rinsed red beans to the rice. Serve with sangria to drink(I don't have a good recipe off hand, but it is just various fruit in red wine).

That sounds REALLY good. I think I'll try it, thanks.

It's really just a no-egg version of a bernaise sauce (which is a pain in the ass and usually requires a double-boiler.) Similar to a beurre blanc.

It's great on Fish, Chicken and Potatoes as well. And friggin awesome with shellfish.

It's really just a no-egg version of a bernaise sauce (which is a pain in the ass and usually requires a double-boiler.) Similar to a beurre blanc.

It's great on Fish, Chicken and Potatoes as well.

There is a cheating way to do the egg version using a microwave. You sort of have to play with it a little, since if you get it wrong, it just won't work... and I have only done it as a hollandaise, without all the other good stuff... but if you whisk the egg yolks separately first, then heat the butter in a ceramic bowl (which will hold the heat for a little while) till it is just bubbly, then whisk the eggs into the butter in the hot bowl. Keep whisking as you add the lemon juice. Of course, it takes a bit of experimentation to see just how long it takes the butter and bowl to get hot enough but not too hot so it cooks the eggs... and, of course, a little hot water whisked in helps if it curdles.

It is a pretty good 2 minute cheat if you need fancy in a hurry.

Darn. I can't have white wine this week, because it's fermented.

Would extra virgin olive oil work as a substitute?

Darn. I can't have white wine this week, because it's fermented.

Would extra virgin olive oil work as a substitute?

Extra virgin olive oil, if added veeeeeeeeeeeeery slowly after the butter is added should emulsify. Without the butter, it'll just float on top. If you want to forego the butter, then you'll have to add a healthy dollop of mustard (also an emulsifier,) to the reduced liquid. Then you can add the olive oil veeeeeeeeery slowly, whisking vigorously.

Really, the wine is just there for flavor. It can be omitted. One could substitute a little bit of apple juice (or white grape) instead. Chicken stock (or veg stock) + apple juice + lemon + butter + onions and herbs should be just fine.

Extra virgin olive oil, if added veeeeeeeeeeeeery slowly after the butter is added should emulsify. Without the butter, it'll just float on top. If you want to forego the butter, then you'll have to add a healthy dollop of mustard (also an emulsifier,) to the reduced liquid. Then you can add the olive oil veeeeeeeeery slowly, whisking vigorously.

Really, the wine is just there for flavor. It can be omitted. One could substitute a little bit of apple juice (or white grape) instead. Chicken stock (or veg stock) + apple juice + lemon + butter + onions and herbs should be just fine.
Butter is good; one of my few pleasure in life this week. :)

Thank you all for your suggestions.

My plans changed on the way home. At the store, I discovered brown rice tortilla wraps, so I decided instead of putting the fried veggies on a bed of rice I would wrap them. I used olive oil, the onion and herbs you suggested and some V-8 (okay, so I can't cook) and it turned out quite tastey.

I will try that butter sauce on the weekend. :)