Nuts in stir fries

[Reverend Jimmy]

I'm doing this tonight, so it occurred to me to come here and start a thread about it.

I'm a huge stir fry lover. Give me my veggies! And there's so much you can do with flavor combinations, different sauces and spices, etc. Ohhhh yes, I love my stir fries- and I cook up a pretty mean one, too!

Anyhow, while I do eat meat, sometimes you just don't feel like it. Or maybe someone eating from the dish is going to be vegetarian. Whatever the case, it's really easy to use nuts in place of meat. My favorite is cashews; they fry extremely well, and when browned in olive oil, they are fantastic. They also provide a sweetness and crunch that compliments almost anything.

Usually, if I do a stir fry with meat, I cook the meat separately, change the oil and do my veggies, then add the meat back in. With nuts, I'd start with them and then just add veggies in; no need for new oil, and in my opinion, the hint of cashew or peanut or what have you that cooks into the oil makes everything else all the more delicious.

Tonight I'm using cashews, bean sprouts, onion, red bell pepper and string beans, along with some garlic, black pepper and the juice of a lime. It should come out wonderful!

 

[ReadmeByAmy]

Nuts and beans are also a good source of protein and also a good choice to combine it with some vegetable dishes. Cashew nuts are also my favorite and I always had it at home for snacks and for using as an ingredients in some of my recipes like my Chicken Casserole with cashew nuts and Chili Con Spaghetti with cashew nut and my Chinese vegetable dish that I also do put nuts in it. We all had our own style of cooking and I know your cashews, bean sprouts, onion, red bell pepper combinations will truly come out wonderful! Enjoy your cooking!

 

[OhioTom76]

I used to think it was crazy to include nuts in stir fry's until I finally broke down and tried Cashew Chicken for the first time, and loved it. Same goes for Kung Pao Chicken or Shrimp. Although I don't typically have the nuts in place of meat, but rather along with the meat, I really like the richness and texture they add to the dish. If a stir fry had nuts and mushrooms in it, I would be willing to forego the meat I think.

I also like to use finely chopped nuts in place of breading on some things - such as a coating for fish when baking or broiling it.

Recently on The Chew, they made a pan fried chicken breast coated in ground hazlenuts, which looked fantastic. First they spread spicy mustard on the chicken, then dredged one side of it in the nuts.

 

[Lullabelle]

Ok people, can I have an invite

 

[True2marie]

Nuts go well in stir fry. I normally enjoy adding almonds to the mix. Toasted or not, these legumes give food a lot of flavor. Also, all you need is a handful of them to get the party started.

This is what I am talking about . . .

 

[Reverend Jimmy]

Another good use for nuts is with couscous. Especially pine nuts! Oh man, talk about a great combo! Do up some couscous with some cranberry juice, pine nuts, bits of green onion and dried cranberries. Yum!

 

[sillylucy]

Yum! I second Reverend Jimmy's note on nuts and couscous. I love nuts, couscous and dried cranberries. It's so tasty and I learned that combination from some of my middle eastern friends. I love using nuts in stir fries when I have meatless Mondays. It's just affordable and tasty!