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Chinese Stir-Fry by Norma Garza
Story and Photos by Claudia D. Cardona

When deciding what dish to prepare and eat, Norma Garza, assistant to the director of alumni events, felt adventurous. Garza typically bakes desserts or makes Tex-Mex dishes, but today she remembered a recipe she saw for a Chinese stir-fry.

Cooking has always been a task that Garza enjoys because of her love for detail-oriented tasks and planning.

“I love trying out new recipes. It’s like a new adventure every time,” she says.

Garza wanted to make something not too hard, but also not straight from a box. She does not cook too often for herself at home, but prefers to when she expects company.

At family gatherings, everyone looks forward to what Garza has prepared. For all of her nieces and nephews, she bakes their favorite type of cake for their birthday. Although she mainly bakes, she also enjoys cooking because it reminds her of her childhood.

“I started cooking with my mom at a young age so I could start learning how to make her dishes,” Garza says. “That’s how all of our recipes got passed down.”

Garza says that the stir-fry is fairly simple and fast to make. A stir-fry is perfect dish for those who want a quick dish. The hardest part is cutting up the two cloves, so Garza advises to put the one whole clove into the dish.

This was the first time that Garza had made the dish, but it turned out successfully. After preparing the dish, Garza also added soy sauce to the stir-fry to add a little flavor.

“I always have to have some sort of spice or flavor,” Garza says. “Or else it just tastes to bland to me.”

Her final product was served alongside brown rice, which gave the perfect finish to a Sunday night dish.

Ingredients

• 2 cups MINUTE Brown Rice, uncooked
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in strips
• 1 medium Onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 can pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved
• 1/4 cup KIKKOMAN Soy Sauce
• 1/4 cup KIKKOMAN Stir-Fry Sauce

Direction
Prepare rice according to package directions. Heat oil in non-stick large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir-fry 5 to 7 minutes or until no longer pink. Add onion, broccoli, ginger and garlic to skillet; stir-fry 3 minutes longer. Combine reserved juice, stir-fry sauce, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl; add to skillet. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Add pineapple. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve over brown rice.

Filed under: Class Projects, Entrees, Recipes | Tagged: Chinese stir-fry, Claudia D. Cardona, magazine launch, Norma Garza, St. Mary's University, taste of stmu |