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Easy Weeknight Soup Made in a Wok

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If you’re stumped with what to make for dinner on a cold, balmy night, this easy, weeknight soup made in a wok came together in less than 30 minutes!  Stir frying your veggies and meat give them flavor, texture and retains the bright colors.  Get the scoop below how to make soup in your wok…
Wok-Beef-Soup
I purposely took a photo of the clock on my stove so you can witness the time lapse! The actual frying and cooking time took 15 minutes, the washing and chopping 10 minutes. Total, 25 minutes! The only caveat is for new Wok Stars, it’s not a good idea to use your new wok to make this dish till you’ve built up some patina in your cast iron wok.
For this meal, I used Strauss organic ground beef from Publix, it was very good.  Because beef is for a soup, I fried in one batch.  The veggies were mostly leftovers from my cooking class, zucchini, yellow squash and bell peppers. You can sub out any kind of meat or veggies you have in the fridge.
By the time my hubby got home and cleaned up, the soup was on the table, he couldn’t believe it was so fast but was so happy. This is one of his favorite meals, so win win!
Here’s how I did it, Wok Stars, you know the drill…

  1.  Fry your veggies with garlic and ginger in some grape seed oil, and sprinkle tamari and sherry, set aside.
  2.  Fry beef (no marinade needed), add veggies back in.
  3.  Add chicken broth to cover, I use fish sauce instead of salt to give it a umami flavor then added Flavorgod Everything Seasoning Spicy but you can use any of your favorite spice seasoning to give this broth some oompf!

For more soup ideas, try this super fast shrimp and bok choy soup or turnip and pork soup which takes a bit longer.  Enjoy!
Share some soups you’ve made in your wok from your part of the world!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Easy Weeknight Dinners To Impress!

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I’m all about simplifying weeknight dinners so my latest discovery using oven and wok combo will impress you so much that you’ll want to immediately invite friends over for dinner to show off your new dinner trick, it never fails!  Once you’ve got this down, you’ll be able to make loads of variations, see mine below. It’s the same easy technique as my visual roadmap for wok cooking.

WokStar-porkstew-stirfry-bokchoy
Try quinoa instead of rice, pasta or potatoes! All the lovely juice from the stew makes it very yummy. I like to add fresh scallions and just stir into stew last minute, ummm!
It’s a fail proof stewing method and same concept as slow cooking in a crock pot except…
1) you won’t need one more cookware taking up counter space
2) you can use whatever you find in your fridge
3) you’ll be guaranteed success every time!
Here are a few things you need to know to guarantee your success…
1) use meat that has a ton of marbling i.e. fat so it doesn’t get dry, I love pork shoulder strips or pork belly. It’s not fat that makes you fat, it’s sugar and starchy carbs. I learned a lot since becoming prediabetic and my numbers are so good, I’m off medication!
2) use firm veggies to include with meat and add less firmer veggies half way through.
3) always start with switching oven on at 345 while chopping aromatics: onion, garlic and ginger.
4) use very little chicken broth or any leftover wine or beer, you don’t want soup!
5) you don’t need much seasonings cause you’ll want to taste the flavors from your meat and veggies!  Seasonings can be tamari, dry spice rubs, dry herbs, tumeric ginger (good for digestion and all sorts of health benefits, be aware it’ll turn orangey yellow which I love, more color the better!)
6) use a wide baking tray, trust me you’ll want to make a whole lot of this to last a few more dinners! After filling with veggies and meat, cover tightly with foil and stew for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours, check half way through if you want, but I’ve never had to do anything even after peeking at it!
7) stir fry a veggie that gives contrast and oompf to your stew!  Two that were outstanding…bok choy and rappini.
Ready to find out how to make your pork fork tender?
This is not a recipe, it’s a method, along same lines as my no-recipe technique for wok cooking, remember?
 
WokStar-aromatics-porkstew
Switch oven temp to 345 while you chop aromatics: onion, ginger and garlic thwacked in big chunks, no need to dice
WokStar-oven-pork-stew
Use very little chicken broth, wine or beer and tamari. Sprinkle dry spice rubs on the meat and top with onions, garlic and ginger. You can even just make this without any other veggies if you don’t have any.
WokStar-stirfry-bokchoy
Stir fry bok choy while stew is in oven! Cut down bok choy and rinse well. Add a little broth or water in wok and put lid on to ‘steam fry’!
WokStar-bokchoy-sweetpeppers-stirfry
When bok choy’s texture is cooked how you like them, add some contrasting colored veggies like mini sweet bell peppers and stir fry in a little oil with garlic and ginger. Sprinkle a little San-J tamari and medium sherry and they’re ready!
WokStar-porkshoulder-stew-tomatoes
Lay pork shoulder strips on top of veggies and cover pork over with onions, garlic and ginger. This stew had tomatoes, bell peppers, scallions and made in glass baking tray but it was a tad small, that’s how I found a baking tray was the best!
WokStar-porkshoulder-brusselsprouts-stew
A stroke of genius, brussel sprouts are my hubby’s fav, they were so juicy and full of flavor from the pork.
WokStar-porkshoulder-stew-celery-peppers
This was a throw in all the veggies I could find from the fridge: celery, Chinese broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini. I sprinkled some of that spicy Huy Fong chili garlic sauce, it’s vinegary, so helps to give your stew a nice zing!
WokStar-porkshoulder-oystermushrooms-peppers
Earthy Delight’s Oyster mushrooms were soooo good in this one, tender and juicy and picked up all the flavors from the sauce and meat! Orange and red bell peppers but always, always onions, garlic and ginger.
WokStar-porkstew-rapini
I stir fried rappini and mini sweet peppers for the next day to change up the sides!
If you’ve enjoyed learning this technique for stewing in the oven, you’ll enjoy my no-recipe technique for wok cooking!  If you live in Miami, you can attend a class, if you live elsewhere, my instructional DVDs together with my Wok Star Kit will provide everything you need to succeed.
Here are more Easy Weeknight Dinner Ideas for Grilling and Wok Stir Fry!
Why Grill and Stir Fry in One Dinner?
Grilled Hoisin Pork Chop with 3 different veggie sides
Grilled salmon and stir fry bok choy
Grilled Swordfish with stir fry zucchini

Easy Weeknight Dinners To Impress!

By 2 Comments

I’m all about simplifying weeknight dinners so my latest discovery using oven and wok combo will impress you so much that you’ll want to immediately invite friends over for dinner to show off your new dinner trick, it never fails!  Once you’ve got this down, you’ll be able to make loads of variations, see mine below. It’s the same easy technique as my visual roadmap for wok cooking.

WokStar-porkstew-stirfry-bokchoy
Try quinoa instead of rice, pasta or potatoes! All the lovely juice from the stew makes it very yummy. I like to add fresh scallions and just stir into stew last minute, ummm!
It’s a fail proof stewing method and same concept as slow cooking in a crock pot except…
1) you won’t need one more cookware taking up counter space
2) you can use whatever you find in your fridge
3) you’ll be guaranteed success every time!
Here are a few things you need to know to guarantee your success…
1) use meat that has a ton of marbling i.e. fat so it doesn’t get dry, I love pork shoulder strips or pork belly. It’s not fat that makes you fat, it’s sugar and starchy carbs. I learned a lot since becoming prediabetic and my numbers are so good, I’m off medication!
2) use firm veggies to include with meat and add less firmer veggies half way through.
3) always start with switching oven on at 345 while chopping aromatics: onion, garlic and ginger.
4) use very little chicken broth or any leftover wine or beer, you don’t want soup!
5) you don’t need much seasonings cause you’ll want to taste the flavors from your meat and veggies!  Seasonings can be tamari, dry spice rubs, dry herbs, tumeric ginger (good for digestion and all sorts of health benefits, be aware it’ll turn orangey yellow which I love, more color the better!)
6) use a wide baking tray, trust me you’ll want to make a whole lot of this to last a few more dinners! After filling with veggies and meat, cover tightly with foil and stew for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours, check half way through if you want, but I’ve never had to do anything even after peeking at it!
7) stir fry a veggie that gives contrast and oompf to your stew!  Two that were outstanding…bok choy and rappini.
Ready to find out how to make your pork fork tender?
This is not a recipe, it’s a method, along same lines as my no-recipe technique for wok cooking, remember?
 
WokStar-aromatics-porkstew
Switch oven temp to 345 while you chop aromatics: onion, ginger and garlic thwacked in big chunks, no need to dice
WokStar-oven-pork-stew
Use very little chicken broth, wine or beer and tamari. Sprinkle dry spice rubs on the meat and top with onions, garlic and ginger. You can even just make this without any other veggies if you don’t have any.
WokStar-stirfry-bokchoy
Stir fry bok choy while stew is in oven! Cut down bok choy and rinse well. Add a little broth or water in wok and put lid on to ‘steam fry’!
WokStar-bokchoy-sweetpeppers-stirfry
When bok choy’s texture is cooked how you like them, add some contrasting colored veggies like mini sweet bell peppers and stir fry in a little oil with garlic and ginger. Sprinkle a little San-J tamari and medium sherry and they’re ready!
WokStar-porkshoulder-stew-tomatoes
Lay pork shoulder strips on top of veggies and cover pork over with onions, garlic and ginger. This stew had tomatoes, bell peppers, scallions and made in glass baking tray but it was a tad small, that’s how I found a baking tray was the best!
WokStar-porkshoulder-brusselsprouts-stew
A stroke of genius, brussel sprouts are my hubby’s fav, they were so juicy and full of flavor from the pork.
WokStar-porkshoulder-stew-celery-peppers
This was a throw in all the veggies I could find from the fridge: celery, Chinese broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini. I sprinkled some of that spicy Huy Fong chili garlic sauce, it’s vinegary, so helps to give your stew a nice zing!
WokStar-porkshoulder-oystermushrooms-peppers
Earthy Delight’s Oyster mushrooms were soooo good in this one, tender and juicy and picked up all the flavors from the sauce and meat! Orange and red bell peppers but always, always onions, garlic and ginger.
WokStar-porkstew-rapini
I stir fried rappini and mini sweet peppers for the next day to change up the sides!
If you’ve enjoyed learning this technique for stewing in the oven, you’ll enjoy my no-recipe technique for wok cooking!  If you live in Miami, you can attend a class, if you live elsewhere, my instructional DVDs together with my Wok Star Kit will provide everything you need to succeed.
Here are more Easy Weeknight Dinner Ideas for Grilling and Wok Stir Fry!
Why Grill and Stir Fry in One Dinner?
Grilled Hoisin Pork Chop with 3 different veggie sides
Grilled salmon and stir fry bok choy
Grilled Swordfish with stir fry zucchini