Asian Wild Game Stir Fry, (guidelines)
We like this dish served over fluffy white rice. The rice has the longest cooking time and should be made first. It is a good idea to do the prep work for the rest of the dish while the rice is cooking and stir fry those ingredients while the rice is re-warming.
Fluffy White Rice:
Use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice used. Bring lightly salted water to a boil and add rice. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook rice 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender. Drain rice in a strainer or colander while rinsing with cold water, (do not use warm water as it will make the rice pasty). Transfer rice to an oven safe baking/ casserole dish. Salt and pepper to taste and top with a couple of dollops of butter or margarine. Cover rice and place in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes to re-warm.
Wild Game:
This dish can be made using red meat such as venison, antelope, elk, caribou, moose, bison, or even beef or pork. It can also be made using game birds such as pheasant, ruffed grouse, chukar, quail, or even chicken, (white meat). The meat can be cubed or cut in thin strips the important thing is to cut the meat across the grain, (cutting with the grain will toughen the meat).
Vegetables:
Carrots, red or green bell peppers, and onions are my standard ingredients. I sometimes use various combinations of the following ingredients as well; broccoli florets, pea pods, water chestnuts, mini corn cobs, mushrooms, (button, shitake, or portabellas), garlic, and ginger root.
Oil:
I have used sesame oil, extra virgin olive oil, and even canola oil. There are also oils on the market made especially for stir frying or wok use. Just make sure you like the taste of the oil you’re using before adding the rest of the ingredients, (ie. Sesame oil has a unique rich taste and is not for everyone).
Assembling the dish:
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok, (stir fry dishes are cooked hot and fast with the emphasis on tender/ crisp). For those that like some heat add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the oil while it is warming, which will infuse the heat throughout the oil. Add the meat and cook till no longer pink. Remove the meat and set aside. Wipe out the wok and add 2 more tablespoons of oil. Add the vegetables that will require a little longer cooking time such as carrots, broccoli, mini corn cobs, or chestnuts if you’re using them. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes then add the rest of the vegetables. If you’re using mushrooms add them last as they will require the least amount of cooking time. Stir fry the rest of the vegetables for 2-3 minutes and then add the partially cooked meat. I usually add a couple of cloves of minced garlic and a 1” square of minced ginger root as well. Add a splash of soy sauce, (soy sauce is very salty and a little goes a long way – it’s easy to add but impossible to take away), and enough teriyaki sauce to coat the ingredients. I sometimes throw in a handful of peanuts or cashews at this point. Cover and cook till heated through, (about the time the sauce begins to bubble). Serve immediately over the fluffy rice. Garnish with sliced green onions if desired.
*Note: These are only guidelines and I have refrained from providing measurements except where necessary. It’s the old, “buy a man a fish or teach a man to fish”, mentality. This dish is very easy to make. Don’t be afraid to experiment and make it your own.
