This started out just being a homemade stir-fry sauce, but I’ve found that the leftover stir-fry makes a great broth bowl (curry optional), and the sauce also works for egg roll in a bowl. (Sometimes also called “crack slaw” because it’s so addictive.) So it’s really an all-purpose Asian sauce: that’s what makes it amazin’!

You could, of course, also use it in a meatless main dish or veggie side dish. And made with tamari or coconut aminos, it’s gluten-free.

You might want to make a small batch, first, to figure out how you want to adapt it to your taste; feel free to improvise on my recipe! Then make a larger batch to keep on hand in the fridge for easy, throw-together meals.

Amazin’ Asian all-purpose sauce recipe

SINGLE-SERVING batch:

1/4 c. low sodium soy sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos*

1+1/2 t. honey (omit for Whole30, and use a little less lime juice)

1 t. ground ginger

1/2 t. granulated garlic

1/2 t. lime juice (or rice vinegar)

1/8 t. sesame oil

optional: 1 drop to 1/4 t. sriracha

*I use coconut aminos to eliminate soy and wheat, but I think it’s a little weak in the flavor department, so I add a tablespoon of tamari sauce, too. Tamari has soy but no wheat/gluten. Coconut aminos has neither. You can find tamari sauce near soy sauce in most grocery stores. Coconut aminos can usually be found only in health/whole food stores.

Combine the soy sauce (or substitute) and honey; microwave briefly to melt the honey, stir to incorporate. Add the other ingredients and stir well.

This makes a good amount for one stir-fry serving, and about two crack slaw servings. Directions for both below.

Note: If made ahead and stored in the fridge, you may need to microwave the sauce briefly to melt and reincorporate the honey.

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Amazin’ Asian sauce recipe

4-SERVING batch:

1 c. low sodium soy sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos

2 T. honey  (omit for Whole30, and use a little less lime juice)

1 t. ground ginger

4 t. granulated garlic

2 t. lime juice (or rice vinegar)

1/2 t. sesame oil

optional: 4 drops to 1 t. sriracha

Makes 4 individual servings for stir-fry; about twice as much for egg roll in a bowl.

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Flexible stir-fry recipe

protein

veggies

amazin’ Asian sauce

arrowroot or tapioca starch

To make this dish quick and easy at the last moment, prep your veggies ahead of time. If using chicken for your protein, you might want to cook that ahead, too. At the very least, slice it to stir-fry size and shape, and marinate in a few splashes of soy sauce or this Asian sauce. (Long thin slices or bite-size pieces.)

Use whatever protein (meat, chicken, shrimp, or eggs) and vegetables you have on hand. Chop vegetables to similar size and shape.

If the meat isn’t cooked, sautee it first in a little oil with a splash of soy sauce or substitute of your choice; remove and set aside. For eggs, scramble, cook, remove to cutting board, and slice when cool enough to handle.

Stir-fry the veggies over medium-high heat in coconut oil, sesame oil, or a mix. Start with the ones that need more cooking time — such as onions, celery, carrots, broccoli — and finish with the ones that just need to be crisp-tender — such peppers, snow peas, green peas, zucchini.

When these are done to your liking, add the protein back in. For each serving, use 1/3 cup of amazin’ Asian sauce and stir in 1.5 teaspoons tapioca or arrowroot starch. Whisk together well, then pour this over the cooking mixture, and stir till heated through and beginning to thicken. Serve immediately.

Alternate approach: Use only vegetables in your stir-fry and serve it as a meatless main dish, a side dish, or as a base for a tender protein such as salmon.

Optional condiments: Sriracha; red pepper flakes; chopped peanuts, almonds, or cashews; sliced green onion; sesame seeds; chopped cilantro. (I keep sesame seeds in the freezer; they keep longer, and because they’re so small, you don’t need to defrost them.)

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Broth bowl recipe

leftover stir-fry

broth – chicken or beef, depending on your protein

coconut milk (optional)

curry powder (optional)

Place leftover stir-fry into an appropriately sized sauce pan. Add enough broth to almost cover the mix. Add a splash or two of coconut milk per serving, if you like. Add a 1/4 teaspoon (or more or less, to your taste) of curry powder. Stir over medium heat till steaming; cook one more minute. Serve immediately.

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Egg roll in a bowl recipe

1 lb. ground beef, ground turkey, or sausage; already cooked with onions and seasoned with salt and pepper

(Make this mixture part of your well-stocked kitchen. Stashed in the freezer, it gets you to halfway done on many a meal.)

2 T. sesame oil

1 14 – 16 oz. bag slaw mix

3 medium carrots, shredded (optional)

3/4 c. amazin’ Asian sauce

Sriracha, optional

If your meat isn’t already hot, reheat and set aside.

Heat sesame oil over medium+ heat in a large frying pan. Add slaw mix (and carrots, if using), stir and cook till done to your liking. Add cooked ground meat to the pan.

If your base recipe of Asian sauce isn’t very spicy, add a few drops of Sriracha to the 3/4 c. of Asian sauce. Whisk well (whether or not you added Sriracha) and add it into the pan; stir till combined and heated through. Taste, and add seasonings to your taste. You could add more Sriracha, sesame oil, salt, and/or black pepper.

Serve immediately.

Optional condiments: Sriracha; red pepper flakes; chopped peanuts, almonds, or cashews; sliced green onion; sesame seeds; chopped cilantro. (I keep sesame seeds in the freezer; they keep longer, and because they’re so small, you don’t need to defrost them.)

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