Easy Garlic Stir-Fry Sauce

I forgot to take a picture.

When I was in high school, and I was regularly preparing myself tofu stir-fries because I didn't want to eat whatever meat dish that my family was having, I used to just throw every Asian-themed sauce from the fridge into a pan and it would taste pretty good. My tastes have become a little bit more refined, so I've been searching for an actual recipe for a brown stir-fry sauce that doesn't require broth (which I don't usually have on hand in small quantities).

I found this one, toned down the spice, and upped the garlic, and it's good! I generally have all of the ingredients on hand, and it only takes a minute to throw it together. I can make it in advance and keep it in the fridge until I'm ready to stir-fry. And right now, over an hour after dinner, I still have garlic breath. It's a keeper.


The Recipe (makes the right amount for 1 block of tofu and a corresponding amount of vegetables):
2 tb soy sauce
2 tb water
1 tb mirin
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2+ cloves garlic, minced
sriracha and/or chili/garlic sauce, to taste
1 tb brown sugar
1/4 tsp grated ginger root
3/4 tb cornstarch
1/2 tsp canola oil

• Mix all ingredients.
• After stir-frying the protein and vegetables, add the sauce to the hot wok. Stir for 1 minute until the cornstarch thickens.
• Recommendation: toss fresh thai basil into the stir-fry after adding the sauce.

The Verdict:
Overall grade: B+
Overall reason: Not mind-blowing, but it's good and easy
Time to prepare: 2 minutes
Toddler quote (in response to tofu and vegetables): "WHERE'S THE MEAT?"