Stir fry

Stir fry is the answer to the universal weeknight question: what can I cook in fifteen minutes that doesn't taste like a compromise? High heat, a hot wok or kadhai, a quick splash of oil, and ingredients that hit the pan in the right order — that's the whole craft. Veggies stay crunchy, protein picks up a glossy caramelised edge, and the sauce reduces to a sticky coat in under a minute.

What you'll find here

A mix of traditions that all share the same fast, high-heat technique:

• Indo-Chinese favourites like chilli paneer, gobi manchurian, and hakka noodles
• Classic Chinese stir-fries — kung pao chicken, garlic prawns, beef with broccoli
• Thai street-style pad krapow and pad thai
• Indian dry sabzis that quietly use the same method every day

When to reach for a stir fry

When the fridge is half-empty and dinner is in twenty minutes. Stir fry is pantry-driven cooking once you stock soy, vinegar, garlic, ginger, chillies, and a neutral oil. Almost any leftover protein and any vegetable in the crisper can become dinner — just slice everything before the wok goes on the heat.

Tips for better stir fry

Get the pan smoking hot before the oil goes in. Cook in small batches so things sear instead of steam. Add aromatics first, hard veg next, soft veg and sauce last. And don't crowd the wok — that's the single biggest fix for soggy stir fry.

For more fast cooking, browse under 30 minutes and weeknight dinner.