Stir Fry Chicken

Since I discovered it as an undergraduate, this has been one of my favorite meals. It required no real modification when I found out I was gluten-intolerant, as I've never cared for soy sauce. If you happen to like soy sauce, there's a gluten-free variety that Fred Meyer sometimes carries. Since it's primary purpose is to add saltiness, you can also substitute Thai fish sauce.

You need chicken, vegetables, sesame oil, any other oil, red pepper, and any sweetish spices. I originally made this using ginger, but I've since switched over to cardamom and coriander. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Salt if desired. Heat 1-2 Tablespoons of oil in a wok, with a few dollops of sesame oil and the spices. Then stir fry the chicken until done. Purists will say to place the chicken aside while cooking the vegetables, but I generally just throw the vegetables in with the chicken. They should also be cut into bite size pieces. I usually add in a dollop of extra sesame oil and maybe some more red pepper when I add the vegetables. Stir-fry to taste. I like them to have some crunch left; my mom complains that they're too raw then. Serve over (or under) steamed rice.

The vegetables I use vary by season and ambition, but sugarsnap or snow peas work well, as do carrots, mushrooms, zuchinni, celery, bell peppers, yellow onions, etc. When I'm lazy, I'll use a frozen mix of vegetables. That's also the only time I put green beans into it, since otherwise they take too long to cook. With fresh vegetables, you definitely have to watch out for vegetables that take longer to cook; those should be added first. That's a definite advantage of the frozen mixes, but the taste is always better with fresh.

An alternative is to cook the chicken separately and serve the stir-fried vegetables as a side dish. I've done both depending on mood and ambition. Oh, the original recipe put the soy sauce in with the oils. As I said, I've never cared much for soy sauce, so I don't regret not being able to use it.