Ginger Chili Fish Stir Fry is made with delicate white fish stir fried with ginger, garlic, chilies and vegetables in a deliciously silky sauce is a healthy, low carb meal that can be on your table in less than 15 minutes.
Low on time? Make a quick and Easy Ginger Chili Fish Stir Fry
When you are looking for a quick and easy meal, it does not get any easier than cutting up a few vegetables, slicing up fish and tossing in a few aromatics for a quick healthy dinner in a dash.
What is the best fish to use in a stir fry?
I think this dish works best with a delicate white fish like tilapia, cod, sole, flounder, grouper, sea bass or even cat-fish. Depending on where you are living in the world, your choice may differ on your options. I think a mild white fish works best. You will need to remove the fish skin and remove the bones from the fish before cutting it into about 2 inch squares. I like to keep the pieces a little bigger so that it holds its shape during the stir frying process.
Even if your white fish is still frozen rock solid when you come home from work, have no fear as fish thaws in cool water in a flash. Trust me, as I have been there, done that!
I hear it has been a "tad cold" in parts of the world with a bit of that "white cold fluffy stuff" and arctic temperatures. If its start snowing in Hong Kong, I am so out of here!!!! It is not real cold here in Hong Kong but it has been super damp and one day hot and one day cold and as we all know that is the worst kind of the weather for the cold and flu to get out of control in a city that lives in very close quarters to one another.
Healing Properties of Ginger
Other than wash you hands, wash your hands and when in doubt you better wash your hands. I suggest eating foods that help remove the internal dampness and heats you up, from within. Ginger is a spice that has amazing healing properties and helps treats colds with its ability to eliminate toxins and raise body heat. Ginger also helps with nausea and improves digestion. I use fresh ginger, garlic and chili as the main aromatics in my stir fry. The three aromatics together are a lovely balance of flavors in many Chinese dishes.
Fresh Chilies
I like to use fresh ginger, fresh garlic and fresh chili as using these aromatics fresh not only tastes better than dried ground spices but also has more healing power. I like just a hint of mild chili as I really cannot handle food that is too spicy. These are a very mild Chinese chilies and probably are very low the heat intensity level and only a tiny bit more bite than a red bell pepper. I stay clear away from the Thai bird chillies as they are like fire heat without flavor. I prefer a little heat with lots of flavor and not so much of the burn. You can leave the chilies out of this dish entirely, if you don't like or cannot handle the heat, and it is still a very delicious dish.
Okay, now I need help from all of you. Depending on where you live is it Chilis, or Chilies, or Chiles, or Chillies...can we come to a decision on that? To be safe I have spelled it differently all through this post so I would be correct at least once for you...
Secrets for Stir Frying
The beauty of this dish is to use up the vegetables you have in your refrigerator. I just happened to have carrots, baby bok choy and garlic chives but use what you have on hand and make it colorful.
The most important concept about making a stir fry
- Do not to overload your wok . If your wok is too full you are steaming instead of stir frying quickly and that is not the effect you are going for here.
- Cook the harder/firmer vegetables up first as they take longer to cook. You may have to add in a couple of table spoons of water to get those hard carrots closer to fork tender during the stir frying process.
I hope you enjoy this simple but delicious Chinese dish. Ginger and Chili Fish Stir fry is great with a side of rice or without for a delightful low carb meal.
Wishing everyone a safe and happy Chinese New Year!
More Delicious Chinese Recipes
Spicy Pork and Bamboo Stir Fry
Spicy Yam and Vegetable Stir Fry
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Ginger Chili Fish Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
or light flavored oil of choice - 1 tablespoon ginger
freshly grated - 2 cloves garlic
peeled and minced - 1 chili peppers sliced finely (optional)
- 8 oz white fish
deboned and skin removed and cut into 2 inch pieces - salt
to taste - white pepper
to taste - ¾ cup carrots sliced
- 1 cup baby bok choy
washed well and chopped roughly - ¼ cup garlic chives
sliced in 2 inch sections - optional - 1 teaspoon chicken powder gluten free or can use chicken bouillon crushed
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- In your wok or large frying pan, add your oil and put on medium-high heat and add ginger, garlic, chillies and sauté until aromatic. Add your prepared and cut white fish and season with salt and white pepper to taste and let sear on both sides until fish is no longer translucent. Remove fish from wok, keep warm.
- Add your carrots to your pan with about 2 tablespoons of water and a little salt and white pepper and cover with a lid to steam just until you can pierce the end of your chopstick into the carrot. You want your carrots to be aldente but not hard. Take the lid off of the wok and add the rest of your vegetables such as the baby bok choy and garlic chives and sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of gluten free chicken powder/vegan powder and cook just until the vegetables turn bright green.
- Make a cornstarch slurry and add one teaspoon of cornstarch to about 2 tablespoon of water and mix thoroughly. Set aside. Add the fish back into the wok with the vegetables and add about 1 to 2 teaspoons or as needed of the cornstarch slurry just until you have a silky sauce. Add only a small amount at a time and adjust as needed. If you do not add enough the sauce will be too runny, if you add too much it will be too thick and if you cook to long the sauce will go thin again. (Strange...but it happens... don't take your eyes off the wok. This step should take you no longer than 1 minute) Gently stir the fish and vegetables and cornstarch slurry together. Drizzle with a little sesame oil and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Serve Ginger Chili Fish Stir Fry on its own as a delicious low carb dinner or with a side of rice for a complete meal. Enjoy!
Abbe @ This is How I Cook says
How do you spell chili? I do the same thing! I'm sure Kitchen Riffs would know! This fish looks great and I am ready to get my Asian on! Must be the season!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
I had the same dilemma with how to spell chilli and chillies. Hope you enjoyed the Chinese New Year 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
I am glad I am not the only one...Have a super weekend Tandy!
Gourmet Getaways says
Thanks for mentioning tilapia, Bam! It's a great fish that's tasty and works well with veggies. Love this quick and easy healthy dish!
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
Gourmet Getaways says
Tilapia is a great contender here, thankd for mentioning it Bam! It is tasty and works well with veggies. Love this quick and easy healthy dish!
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
Adri Barr Crocetti says
This dish is absolutely beautiful, and the flavors are so fresh. I always enjoy ginger and vegetables. I have got to make this one. Thanks!
Eha says
[big laugh] Well, for me it has always been chilli and chillies and always will: until I began reading blogs I did not know it could be spelled any other way 🙂 !! Now I cook stirfries roughly three or so times a week and they and many of my other dishes always do begin with the Asian trinity of garlic, ginger and chillies [the latter usually at strength 5-7]. I have to learn from you because I have a tendency to shy away from the 'harder' vegetables like carrots and beans and use leeks, snowpeas, pak and bok choi, all colours of peppers, Asian mushrooms etc et al. Guess I have to slice the carrots with a mandoline to make them cook more quickly!! Your dish does look so moreish!!!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Eha, How are things down under? Are you affected by this cyclone? Stay safe and thinking of you! I am and will always be confused regarding how to properly spell the hot and spicy things. My brain writes in American English but bought my computer here in HK and have it set for proper British spelling and am conversing with my mates in Australia now that is for sure going to end up in a spelling error somewhere/somehow...You no longer have to shy away from those harder veggies but they need to hit the wok first with a little water and a lid for just a minute. You could also use a mandolin, but do you remember my dreaded mandolin incident? I am quite scared to pull that back off the shelf. Thanks so much for stopping by and take care!
Eha says
Thanks for asking Bobbi - both Charlie [hotlyspiced] and I are totally safe: like 800 and 900 km safe tho' we are in for some rain from the system's fringes. There was quite a bit of localized wind damage up north but no fatalities so far, and the worst was over in hours, thank God! Brisbane/Qld will be in for a soaking tomorrow and some of the northern NSW rivers have dire flood warnings! Came out of almost nowhere: cat 2 > cat 5 within half a day! And there was another cat 4 in the Northern territory having landfall within hours!!
Healthy World Cuisine says
So glad to hear that you and Charlie are okay. I hope mother nature starts to behave and in the mean time keep your wits about you. Take Care
nancyc says
What a great colorful dish–looks wonderful!
Gerlinde says
I'm sorry I can't help you with the correct spelling of chillies, English is my second language. You simple and aromatic fish dish looks wonderful. I will cook it soon.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Gerlinde! Have a super week
Dawn says
I love stir fries - this one looks so beautiful and colorful!
The Foodie Affair says
Love that you just used the veggies you had on hand. What a gorgeous and healthy dish!
kitchenriffs says
I like spicy hot as long as it has flavor. If it's just pure heat, it's no fun at all -- I need and crave flavor! So even though I like spicy, I'd much prefer a dish with just a hint of heat but full of chile flavor. This looks perfect -- very soothing. And very colorful -- such a pretty dish. Thanks!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you John. I am kind of a wimp when it comes to bird chilis. Once when making homemade chili sauce I got a little juice from one of those in my eye whilst cutting them up and need I say more... You need to wear goggles too!!!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
I love this aromatic fish and veggie meal, Bobbie. I love fresh ginger and use a ton of it (specially seeing it's been so cold here and I need ALL the heating foods I can get) - so I cannot wait to try this out. I am usually so in a hurry and don't take the skin off tilapia when I cook it - must try this method next time.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Yes you need more heath foods with all of the snow and ice. Sending some warm thoughts and breezes your way!
Jeno says
Have to give this a try VERY soon!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Jeno, wishing you a happy Lunar New year!
Maggie | Omnivore's Cookbook says
This is such a beautiful dish Bobbi! I never had my fish cooked this way, but they look wonderful! The fish slices are so moist and tender, and I like the simplicity of the flavor and how healthy the dish is! Happy Chinese New Year to you and your family! 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Wishing you and a family a very happy Lunar New Year too! I know that you would usually have the fish steamed whole or fried whole but you know I have to find creative and easy ways to get both my picky husband and kids to eat healthier...
Robyn says
This is something I could eat every night, Bobbi. The ginger and garlic combo is always my fav and I love the freshness of this along with the white fish. Any chance I can get to use up all the veggies in my fridge is always a bonus because I tend to buy too much each week no matter how careful I am. I'm guessing you have the opposite problem with two teenage boys, lol. The photography and colours are just beautiful!
Here we spell it 'chile' but I struggle with that too because everyone seems to have their own preference! Happy New Year to you! Sharing 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thanks so much Robyn. I always need to find a culinary solution for all those bits and bobs of veggies in the crisper. I am so bored with making fried rice and soup so this is my other standby dish. Thanks so much for your kind words. Take Care, BAM