Stir-Fries with Fresh Vegetables

Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and blanch, stirring the broccoli, for one minute until the water is coming back to a boil. Drain and shake out excess water. Lay the broccoli florets on a kitchen towel to drain further.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, 1 tablespoon of the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the rice wine or sherry, the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, sugar and red pepper flakes. Stir together well, and place within arm’s reach of your pan (refrigerate if not cooking right away).

Combine the broth, vinegar, remaining cornstarch and rice wine or sherry in a small bowl, and place within arm’s reach of your pan. Have the remaining ingredients measured out and near the pan.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or a 12-inch skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Add the oil to the sides of the pan and tilt the pan to distribute. Carefully lay the chicken pieces in one layer in the wok or pan. Let the chicken sear undisturbed for one minute, then add the shallot, garlic and remaining ginger. Stir-fry with the chicken for one minute until the chicken is lightly colored but not quite cooked through. Add the red pepper and broccoli to the wok, and stir-fry one minute. Stir the broth mixture and add to the wok. Season with salt to taste. Stir-fry one to two minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli and peppers are crisp-tender. Serve with brown rice, white rice or noodles.