Stir-fry never fails to be a delicious and quick weeknight meal. It’s easy to prepare, sure, but there is one big difference between a good stir-fry and a bad one—crispy veggies. You want your veggies to be cooked through and slightly browned, but never raw, mushy or burnt.

The trick lies in the heat and the oil. You want your pan or wok to be as hot as humanly possible. Just a dash of a high heat oil (meaning it gets super hot but won’t burn), like peanut oil, will ensure your veggies quickly brown. We used noodles here, but you could also use brown rice. If you opt for rice, make sure to cook it the day before—day old rice gets crispy, not soft like fresh rice.

And use whatever veggies you like! My favorite stir-fry veggies are mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots and peas.

INGREDIENTS

Assorted vegetables (we used broccoli, yellow onion, mushrooms, red bell pepper, carrots and peas)
Asian style noodles (you will use one nest per person, but feel free to make more if you want)
Chili paste (optional)
2 T. cornstarch + 1/4 c. water
1 c. water
1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce + extra
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 c. honey
Dash of peanut oil
Chopped green onions and sesame seeds to garnish, if desired

*Please note that this makes enough sauce for 2-3 servings. If you like extra sauce, you might consider doubling the recipe.

1) In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and 1/4 c. water together and set aside.

2) Add the cup of water, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and honey to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk to combine. Just as the sauce begins to bubble, stir in the cornstarch mixture and whisk constantly for about 8 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes so it congeals.

3) Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodle nests and cook for two minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

4) Chop your veggies and divide into two portions. Heat a large skillet or wok over the highest heat possible. Pour in a dash of peanut oil. Add one portion of veggies and allow to cook until they just start to brown.

5) Add half of the noodles to the wok, pour in a bit of the sauce and stir to combine. At this point, add the optional garlic chili paste. You might need to add a few additional splashes of soy sauce as well. Allow to sizzle in the pan for a couple of minutes, then serve.

6) Repeat with the second serving of veggies/noodles. Top with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.