Stir-Fried Vegetables, Vietnamese Style

For a simple stir-fry, this packs a lot of punch. And the keys are no more than lots of garlic and lots and lots of black pepper. Other vegetables you can use: really, any assortment you like, provided you cook them in batches (as here) to make sure each is perfectly cooked.

1/4 cup neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn

1 cup broccoli or cauliflower florets about 1 inch across

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 cup snow or snap peas, trimmed

1 medium to large onion, thinly sliced

2 dried Thai chiles, or hot red pepper flakes or cayenne to taste

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons nam pla (Thai fish sauce) or soy sauce, or to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Salt

• Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat. When hot, add the broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, for about a minute. Add 2 tablespoons water and continue to cook and stir until the vegetable is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and repeat the process with the carrots and then the snow peas.
• Put a little more oil in the pan and add the onion.
• Cook over high heat, stirring once in a while, until it softens and begins to char, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chiles and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add 1/4 cup water, along with the fish sauce and pepper; return the cooked vegetables to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is combined and lightly sauced, then taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Stir-Fried Vegetables and Pork, Vietnamese Style.
• Add 1 pound boneless pork, preferably from the shoulder, cut into thin shreds and thoroughly dried. In Step 1, make sure the skillet is very hot; add the pork, stir once or twice, and cook until it begins to brown, about a minute. Stir again and cook for another minute; remove from the pan and add more oil if necessary. Proceed with the recipe, returning the cooked pork to the pan during the last minute or so of cooking

MAKES: 4 servings

TIME: 30 minutes