Sweet 'n' Sticky Stir Fry

Sweet 'n' Sticky Stir Fry

This one is a proper weeknight hero. We keep coming back to it because it's fast, full of flavour, and that sweet sticky sauce coats everything just right. You've got tender mushrooms, crunchy cashews, soft red onion and a load of veg all coming together in one hot wok. It's the kind of thing that tastes like you've put in way more effort than you actually have. Make it tonight, honestly.

Cook: 15 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Wok
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Basmati rice cooked

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp groundnut oil
  • 240g Shiitake mushrooms - cut into thick slices
  • 120g baby corn - cut into halves, long ways
  • 120g sprouting broccoli - cut into long slices
  • 1 red bell pepper - thinly sliced
  • 60g cashews
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp Sriracha to taste
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 inches of fresh ginger grated
  • 240ml soy sauce
  • 250g basmati rice
  • 3 spring onions sliced
  • sesame seeds

Method

1

To start

  •  Pour the ground nut oil into a wok and warm it up (make sure it's nice and hot)
  • Throw the cashews and the red onion into the wok and stir them round until the aromas of the onions have been released
  • Add the mushrooms to the wok and cook them for 3-4 minutes so the cooking process is underway and they've begun to sweat
  • Add the rest of the vegetables to the wok and stir them round so they start to cook
  • Take a large mixing bowl and transfer the vegetables from the wok
2

Cooking the spices

  • Pour the sesame oil into the wok, add the garlic and ginger and cook them until the aromas have been released and they're bubbling in the oil
  • Add the brown sugar to the wok and stir it around until it’s caramelised
  • Add the cornstarch, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar, stir them until the sauce has thickened slightly
  • Add the Sriracha and stir it into the sauce
  • Pour the vegetables into the wok and stir them round so they're well covered in the sauce, warmed through but still al dente
3

To serve

  • Serve the sticky icky vegetables over basmati rice
  • Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. BOSH!

Tips & Variations

  • Get the heat right: Don't rush the wok warm-up. A properly hot wok is the difference between a stir fry that sings and one that just sort of... steams. Give it a good minute before the oil goes in.
  • Swap the nuts: Henry loves throwing in peanuts instead of cashews if that's what's in the cupboard. They go just as sticky and add a slightly different flavour that works really well with the sauce.
  • Bulk it out: We find this works really well served over noodles or rice if you want to turn it from a side into a proper main. Egg-free rice noodles are our go-to and they soak up the sauce beautifully.

Why This Works

The trick here is getting your wok properly hot before anything goes in. That high heat is what gives you that slightly caramelised, sticky finish on the veg rather than just steaming everything into a soggy mess. The cashews going in early is something we swear by too, they pick up all that toasty flavour from the oil and it makes a real difference.