stir-fry question - do you precook veggies?

[lmh2402]

making stirfry tonight

and i pretending that DS will eat this with us

so want to precook the veggies a bit so they are little less crunchy

would you blanch or steam?

[ltmommy]

I don't. I cook the meat first, then take it out of the pan, cook the veggies, then add the sauce and meat at the end. I think I do it this way because the recipes I have used suggest this.

For the longest time the kids would not eat this, or at least it was a huge fight. Then I finally realized DD doesn't like food all mixed up. So last time I served her plain chicken, plain veggies and plain noodles (no sauce), all separate. She ate the whole thing.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I usually cook meat for a few minutes, then add harder veggies like carrots for a few minutes, working my additions up to ones that are pretty soft and require less cooking. Things come out well and I feel fine serving it to little ones.

beth

[thelilprincess]

my mom would cook up the meat then add the veggies, but i noticed that the broccoli would get dark and soft/soggy.

i prefer to blanch my broccoli and carrots first. then i cook up the meat with the onions. then add the broccoli and carrots. the color stays and it tastes so much better in my opinion. though i also like my veggies a bit crunchy, not too soft. if i want to make a sauce, i add a bit of cornstarch mixed in water.

[lmh2402]

thanks, guys

i opted to blanch my carrots, peppers and broccoli and then cooked my meat, onions, mushrooms and snowpeas on their own for awhile, before adding the blanched veggies into the pan right toward the end

worked out well - DS ate chicken, some peppers, i think one piece of mushroom and some rice. way more than he's been eating lately, so a win all around :thumbsup: