We like it saucy (no R rated pun intended – that sounds dirty right?).  This stir-fry started off as an experiment.  It was so delicious that everytime we made stir-fry, Rajat would ask me to “make it in ‘that’ sauce.” Kitchen experiments are fabulous unless you forget to write down what you did because recreating a taste logged in your memory as “off the charts” is near impossible. [Disclaimer: that’s not meat in the picture. It’s vegetarian black pepper steak made from soy.]

After lots of re-experimenting, I finally recreated the sauce.  It’s quick to make and uses ingredients common to find in your pantry – vegetable stock, ketchup, tamari or soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chili-garlic hot sauce (or your favorite asian hot sauce) and garlic-ginger paste (or fresh garlic and ginger).

I’ve been using Rapunzil cubes (it’s vegan and I like the no salt added type) since reading about it on 101 Cookbooks.  You don’t have to use that brand, but after trying a few different varieties, Rapunzil’s has the most flavor, is vegan (meaning no mysterious “natural flavors”) and low in sodium.  Also, some of you may wonder if rice wine vinegar is really common to have – I started keeping it on hand because it’s a very common ingredient for stir-fry sauces and used for sushi rice and use it pretty frequently. 

Feel free to leave a comment letting me know if you have your own take on this simple stir-fry sauce or any other ideas for easy stir-fry sauces and additions.