How do I get fat into my stir fry?

[laohaire]

My stir fry is tasty but DH and I are always hungry after.

Probably the obvious thing it's missing is meat. But are there any other options?

I stir fry a nice variety of vegetables in veggie stock, add ginger and soy sauce, and serve over a bed of steamed brown rice.

I usually fatten up a dish with dairy of some sort - cheese, usually, or maybe milk. But obviously Chinese cooking doesn't include that.

What else can I do?

[fruitfulmomma]

I like coconut oil on rice. Also you could add eggs instead of dairy.

[natural_mama89]

Are you ok with tofu or tempeh? You could use just a small amount. For fat you could use a bit more oil. You could also add peanut butter to the sauce. When i make stir fry I make a sauce by whisking together some honey, water, soy sauce, peanut or other nut butter, ginger, garlic, and a bit of cornstarch or arrowroot. It thickens up and the honey caramelizes. It is really good. Tastes like the sauce they use at Asian restaurants.

[cristeen]

Rather than starting with veggie stock, start with fat. Sauteeing/stir-frying in stock is one of those tricks you learn to reduce fat intake.

Start with a few Tbs of oil in the wok instead of your stock, do your stir fry as usual and then maybe add some toasted sesame oil for flavoring right at the end (doesn't take much).

Aside from fat though, I'd probably also add something like lentils to the stir-fry for the extra protein, since I don't do tofu/soy.

[laohaire]

Thanks for the ideas! I'll use oil, but I'm also interested in the peanut butter idea. I'll give that sauce idea a whirl, thanks!

[gardenmommy]

When I make a stir-fry, I always saute the veggies is coconut oil. I find it to be more satisfying, because, for whatever reason, stir-fries just don't stick with me for long.

[weliveintheforest]

I like to add cashews or sunflower seeds to stirfries, and that helps a little. I also like to use some coconut milk in the sauce if I have some open.

[deditus]

I start with coconut oil to saute in and I use my bone broth (I don't skim the fat) for stir-fry sauces. I often make Thai curries with coconut milk, too. I also cook my rice in bone broth.

[crunchy_mama]

I sautee in copious amts of sesame- fire and coconut oil- then it just gets absorbed into the sauce- I love a thai peanut sauce as well

[noobmom]

I just have to say as a Chinese-American, you can't stir-fry without fat! When you use stock you're steaming your food. So stir-fry in oil (I use peanut). If you like, drizzle a little sesame oil on top at the end. It seems to me that you need to add some protein to your meals. Some form of beans or nuts would be a good addition, assuming you don't want to add meat. In addition to what the other posters suggested, you could also try bean sprouts (if you buy them in an Asian grocery, most likely to be mung bean, but you could sprout your own beans). Chickpeas, lima beans, or other beans would be would be tasty, too. Remember you need rice and beans to make a complete protein!

[columbusmomma]

Would fish or seafood be an option to use?
I really like to use a thick,meaty type of mushroom, even several different varieties just for that texture which seems filling too. What a good thread!:

[mamadelbosque]

I usually stir fry in coconut oil, though occasionally I use sesame too, then make a sauce up with stock, spices, soy sauce, a lil sugar & corn starch. Sometimes I throw a lil peanut butter in there for added taste too. And I add toasted sesame seeds (like the kind used in sushi) and/or toasted sesame oil at the end (gives it an AWESOME flavor!!)

[aikigypsy]

Chinese cooking (from what I saw during 6 months living and traveling there, mostly in Sichuan) uses a lot of oil. Put in more vegetable oil at the start than you would think you'd need. I also agree that you should try to work in some protein -- it doesn't have to be much.

[mags]

Adding meat is really easy. If you don't want to do meat, tofu is another great option as well as nuts.