Pot Sticker Stir-Fry and Fried Rice Dinner

The hardest part about making a stir-fry from scratch for dinner, is getting the timing right.  It's so easy to get overwhelmed if you don't have a game plan and prep accordingly.  I'm going to lay out the process, step by step, so you can have a tasty, healthy feast to present to your family, with everything done at about the same time. 

I can't say anything but YUM about my pot sticker stir-fry with fried rice dinner.  The really great thing about this meal, is that it's customizable.  Go with produce that's in season: cabbage in winter, asparagus in spring and squashes in summer.  If you don't have ham for the fried rice, toss in some turkey bacon like me, or go vegetarian.  It's all good.

Get ready, while it's not difficult, there's a lot of steps to get everything just right and at the table at the same time.  You must allocate at least an hour to cook.  Part of this time is for the rice, since I'm never on top of things enough to make the rice a day ahead.  If you are completely awesome, go ahead and pre-cook the rice.  This will save you some time, but remember, you still have to allow time to prep the rest of the ingredients.

Ingredients for Stir-Fry
1/2 onion, diced
pile of carrots, sliced into matchsticks (these are always in season)
Vegetables, a whole bunch of them: Mushrooms, Zucchini, Asparagus, Summer Squash, Broccoli, Cabbage,  Bean Sprouts, water chestnuts...sliced and chopped as appropriate (for my stir-fry, as it is March, I used a combo of winter veggies and early spring veggies: red cabbage, carrots, asparagus, bean sprouts and water chestnuts) but you can use whatever you like!
Veg. Oil
Terriyaki or Stir-Fry sauce of your choice
salt
Frozen Pot stickers 

Ingredients for Fried Rice
Rice, about 1.5 cups, uncooked
1/2 package of  frozen peas and carrots
other 1/2 onion, diced (see above)
2 eggs, whipped
Soy Sauce, to taste
Sesame Oil, to taste

Step1: Cook Rice according to directions.

Step 2: While the rice is cooking, cut all your vegetables!  I like to segregate them onto plates according to how long it takes to cook as you will add them to the frying pan in the proper order. Carrots, cabbage, broccoli and onions etc...need to be cooked first.  Asparagus, zucchini, muchrooms and bean sprouts etc... need to go in last. Cut as much as you feel your family will eat.  I cut plenty as I wanted enough for left-overs the next day. Set aside until needed.

Step 3:  Whisk your eggs and add a couple TBL soy sauce.  Set aside until needed.

Step 4: Dice up protein.  Ham, turkey bacon or don't if you're not going to use it.  Set aside until needed.

Step 5: Get out two frying pans.  One for your stir-fry and one for your pot stickers.  Prepare pot stickers according to directions.  And at the same time, add a couple TBL veg oil to the other, heat over medium and add 1/2 diced onion.  Saute until softened.  This will take about 8 minutes.

Step 6: Continue to cook pot stickers according to directions.  Turn on oven to 200 F. At the same time, as long as your onions are softened, add all the longer-cooking vegetables to your stir-fry pan, increase heat to about medium-high.  Season lightly with salt. To encourage faster cooking, you can throw aluminum foil over them.

Watch your pot stickers, as once they are done you will remove them to an oven safe plate and put them in your oven until the rest of your meal is complete. 
 

 Step 7: After your pot stickers are done cooking and staying warm in the oven, continue cooking your stir-fry vegetables, stirring regularly.  At the same time, using the same frying pan as the pot stickers were cooking in (wash it if it needs it), add 2 TBL veg oil and heat over medium.  Add remaining diced onion.  It's fried rice time!  Cook until softened.  Watch your stir-fry vegetables.  They should be slightly softened.

Step 8: Here is where I failed you on pictures, saute your fried rice protein (ham or turkey bacon if you're me) with the onion.  At the same time, add the quicker-cooking vegetables to your stir-fry pan.  Then add the frozen peas and carrots to your fried rice pan.  Stir both pans regularly.

 Step 9:  Turn heat down to about medium, medium-low. Add your whisked eggs and soy sauce mixture to your fried rice pan.  Try and keep them slightly segregated from the rice mixture (it will be impossible to keep them completely separated). Once the eggs begin to cook, mix them in with the rice and them let fully cook.  Taste.  I almost always think my fried rice needs a bit more soy sauce.  Add a few dashes of sesame oil. Season to taste.

Step 10: Keep checking on your stir-fry.  Once the vegetables are nicely cooked, not over done with just a touch of bite to them, add your sauce of choice.

Step 11: Plate and devour!  Scoop a bit of rice, some stir-fry and top with your warm pot stickers (you can include the pot-sticker sauce as a condiment if you wish).

Nom, nom, nom. 

See, that wasn't too difficult and your family enjoyed a healthy, flavorful meal and all it took was a little careful timing on your part.

Thanks for reading!

Heather

 

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