I’d kind of forgotten about stir-fry for some reason, probably in large part due to my ginormous wok currently being stored in my playroom cabinets. This is a quick meal, and has a very unusual (for me) advantage of nearly no dishes for cleanup at the end of assembly. The sauce was quite flavorful, but if you’re trying to limit salt, definitely use a low-sodium soy sauce. You could also use almost any vegetables, fresh or frozen, this was just what was on hand in the fridge at dinner time.

Fish sauce is made from fermented fish, which at first hearing, sounds kind of gross. It is a staple ingredient in almost all Vietnamese and Thai cooking, and has historical use in China. I started using it in my Asian-inspired cooking, due to it’s prevalence in recipes.

5 skinless boneless chicken breasts, trimmed, sliced into thin strips

soy sauce

fish sauce

juice of one lemon

cumin

onion powder

fresh ground pepper

frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and chopped in 1-inch pieces

1/2 white onion, sliced

hoisin sauce

Place chicken strips in a large bowl and cover with soy sauce, add 1 tbsp. fish sauce, lemon juice, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp onion powder, and 1/2 tsp pepper, stir. Let sit for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat a wok on high heat, then add 2 tbsps canola oil. When oil is hot, add chicken to wok in a single layer, discarding any used marinade. Put lid on and cook until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally. Add onions and asparagus. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes, then add other drained vegetables. Add 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1.5 tbsps hoisin sauce and stir. Cover and cook additional 5 minutes. Serve over brown rice.