Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry ผัดเปรี้ยวหวาน (pad priew waan)
This sweet and sour stir fry isn’t like your local Chinese takeout. It isn’t overly sweet or gooey, but it’s actually bright fresh, with the tartness of pineapple and nuttiness of cashews!
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
- 300g medium firm tofu, 1” cubed, or another meat of your choice, cut into small bite-sized pieces (see note)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup pineapple, bite-sized pieces
- ½ onion, 1-cm julienned
- 1 tomato, cut into wedges or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup mini cucumber or regular cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced on a bias
- ½ cup asparagus, cut into 2” pieces
- 1 cup bell pepper, any colour. 1-cm-wide strips
- ⅓ cup cashews
- Green onions, cut into 1″ pieces on a bias (half the white part horizontally if large)
Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp Thai Sriraja Panich sauce (or substitute Sriracha)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
Note: If using chicken, pork, or beef, you can marinade the meat in 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce or Golden Mountain Sauce, if desired.
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all sauce ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar.
If using tofu: Dry off the cubes by laying them on a folded kitchen towel or paper towel and gently press on them with another towel. Heat 1.5″ of vegetable oil in a pot or wok to in 350°F. Fry the tofu for 3-5 minutes until golden, making sure not to crowd the pot. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel.
In a wok or a large saute pan, sauté garlic over medium high heat in a little bit of vegetable oil until it starts to turn golden. Add all vegetables at once, toss quickly to mix, then add the sauce. Cook the for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are done to your liking. Add the tofu and toss to coat in the sauce. Turn off the heat and stir in green onions and 2/3 of the cashews.
Plate, and sprinkle with the remaining cashews. Serve with jasmine rice.
If using meat: In a wok or a large saute pan, sauté garlic over medium high heat in a little bit of vegetable oil until it starts to turn golden. Add the meat and stir just until the exterior is cooked. Add all vegetables at once, toss quickly to mix, then add the sauce. Cook the for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the meat is done and the vegetables are done to your liking. Turn off the heat and stir in green onions and 2/3 of the cashews.
Plate, and sprinkle with the remaining cashews. Serve with jasmine rice.
Sweet and Sour Stir Fry