This sugar-free stir fry sauce is delicious and so easy to make! Just a simple mix of sake, soy sauce and corn starch flavored with fresh ginger, garlic, sesame and red pepper flakes. Works great with chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu, vegetables, you name it.
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Why make homemade stir fry sauce?
You might ask, why make the sauce yourself when you can just buy a bottle? The answer is simple: it takes only a few minutes to make your own stir fry sauce, it tastes delicious, and, when you make it yourself, you know exactly what’s in it.
Ingredients:
A few notes on some of the ingredients:
- sake – if you don’t have sake on hand, you can use extra dry white vermouth instead
- freshly grated ginger – if fresh ginger is not available, you can substitute ground dried ginger (use only 3/4 teaspoon dried ginger)
- corn starch – the corn starch will thicken the sauce
- crushed red pepper flakes – these will make the sauce a little bit spicy; use less or leave them out entirely for a less spicy sauce.
How to make it:
This sauce is very easy to make. Start by whisking all ingredients together in a container that you can easily pour from, such as a liquid measuring cup.
Set the sauce aside, then fry your meat or seafood and vegetables in a pan, take them out, pour the sauce into the hot pan and cook it for a minute until it thickens and turns translucent. Serve immediately.
Can I make it ahead?
I don’t recommend that, this sauce tastes best when made and served freshly.
More Asian-inspired recipes:
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Recipe Card
Stir Fry Sauce
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup sake*
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger**
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (use less or leave them out if you don’t like it spicy)
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients together in a liquid measuring cup or something similar that you can easily pour out of and whisk until the corn starch is dissolved. Leave the whisk sitting in the measuring cup, you’ll need it again. Set aside.
- Heat a little bit of vegetable oil on high heat. Once shimmering, add your meat or seafood. Fry until brown on the edges, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Heat a little more vegetable oil (again on high) to the pan and add your vegetables. Fry until tender.
- Add the cooked meat (and accumulated juices) back to the pan, briefly whisk the sauce ingredients again and then pour them into the pan.
- Cook on high heat until the sauce turns translucent and thickens. (This will only take a minute). Serve immediately.
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