This Chinese Zucchini Stir-fry is a super simple recipe that my mom used to make for us growing up. The flavor components are simply salt, garlic, and chicken bouillon powder. I really love this stir-fry because it pairs well with almost anything so you can easily sneak it into a dinner plan.
I can't believe it's the fourth week of fall already! Yes, it's a little bit late in the season for zucchini, but that's not gonna stop me from sharing this recipe. Thankfully we don't have to worry too much about seasonality anymore because we can import veggies from other countries. So today, I get to enjoy zucchini in October!
Growing up, this was a weekly staple for my family in the summer. My mom used to grow zucchini in her garden, so we always had plenty of them lying around. I remember I used to pick them fresh from the bush, cut them into slices, and eat them raw with ranch dip. But now, my favorite method is to stir-fry them! The texture of the zucchini gets incredibly soft and is really good at soaking up the flavor of whatever you cook it with.
Salting the zucchini
I would highly recommend salting the zucchini beforehand. All you do is toss the zucchini with salt, let it rest for 15 minutes, and then squeeze out the moisture with your hands. This will remove a lot of the zucchini's moisture and ensure the stir-fry doesn't end up watery. If you don't do this, you are much more likely to see a pool of water form when you add the zucchini to your pan. My mom actually did not salt her zucchini, and her stir-fries ended up being quite watery.
Chinese Zucchini Stir-fry
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini (or three smaller ones)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
Instructions
- Slice the zucchini into thin matchsticks and transfer to a medium bowl.
- Add salt and toss the zucchini until evenly distributed. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Rinse the zucchini under cold water, drain, then squeeze dry with your hands. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the water, chicken bouillon powder, cornstarch, and sugar.
- Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil and garlic and cook for 10 seconds. Immediately add the zucchini and cook for 1 -2 minutes stirring constantly.
- Push the zucchini to the side of the wok and add the sauce mixture to the empty space. Cook the sauce until thickened, then toss with the zucchini. Enjoy!
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