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!
The Global Garnish Geek says
The photos make you want to start cooking now! We eat so much fish/rice - always looking for new ideas like this....
dianeskitchentable says
As always, a beautiful and colorful dish that sounds delightful. Where I am I'm having a case of the chills which has nothing to do with those pepper things, just a cranky comment on our weather. No, you do not want what we are having around here my friend - it's getting very old.
You know it's interesting that you mention the hand washing because one thing I found was that the more I cook, the fewer colds I get. I'm convinced that it's because I continually wash my hands as I'm cooking but it could also be because we're not going out to dinner as much where everyone is coughing all over the place.
Asmita (@FoodieAsmita) says
This looks like such a satisfying meal! Love it!!
Norma Chang says
One of my favorite ways to cook fish.
Amy (Savory Moments) says
I hope you had a lovely New Year! This stir fry looks lovely - so light and flavorful!
Yi @ Yi Reservation says
Happy the year of Sheep/Goat/Ram Bobbi!! lI don't stir fry fish a lot but this ooks absolutely delicious! Will have to try this recipe soon! Thanks for sharing!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Yi! Happy Lunar Year to you too! I know that no can really decide what exact animal it this year or whether or not it is a sheep/goat/ram it is different all over Hong Kong too. I hope you have a very safe and happy festival with your family.
shenANNAgans says
Happy Monday lovely lady! Hope you had a great weekend. 🙂
Soooo, I was hanging out with a 'new friend' on the weekend, we were trying to decide what we wanted for dinner, I had my email open and said friend saw the title of your post, we went to the kitchen and found we had all the ingredients to whip this beauty up, sooooo, we did. 🙂 Healthy, tasty, fresh and pretty too. Thank you, you made our dinner date one of the best I have had in for ever. xo
Healthy World Cuisine says
Happy Monday to you dear!!! I am so delighted that you liked the recipe. super easy to throw together, don't you think? Your weekend looks so much better than mine. I spent the weekend helping my boys or more like whipping them into shape to get their homework projects done before school started today. Why do kids always wait until the last hour to get this stuff done?!!... Geez!
Carolyn Chan says
I'm late to wish you but Gong Hey Fatt Choy Bam ! Hope you had a good start to the lunar new year 🙂
I've always wondered what the "sauce" is for this dish - thank you ! Such a simple way of expanding my repertoire of fish dishes, which I'm trying to include more of in our diets.
Raymund says
Fish looks delicately delicious and perfectly cooked! So drooling early this morning
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thanks Raymond! I just checked out your chorizo meatball and veggie soup and that looks stunning!
Mira says
Looks fright, colorful and delicious 🙂 Can't wait to try this stir fry! I see so many great recipes on your blog Bobbi, can't wait to choose which one I'm cooking for the Blog Hop 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Mira! The Blog Hop is loads of fun and can't wait to see what recipe you have chosen. Have a super week!
dedy oktavianus pardede says
Simply damn delicious spicy fish stir fry!!!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you very much!
Karen says
Funny…I've never thought to add fish to a stir fry. Your dish is beautifully prepared.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Karen, I know it is not something you normally seen done but it really is so good and healthy, perfect for a fast weekend night healthy meal. you just have to be gentle when you are cooking your fish and take them out immediately from the wok as they start to flake as they continue to cook, even as you remove them from the pan.
thatskinnychickcanbake says
This is just such a gorgeous, healthy dish! I finally got Bill to eat and enjoy salmon and shrimp, but he's not on board with white fish yet. And you'd think it would be the first he'd like since it's so mild. Maybe this will be the dish for him---otherwise, he'll also eat a tuna sandwich :/
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Liz, maybe with all of the chillies, garlic and ginger it might help disguise the fish or just use shrimp instead as that would be a lovely dish.
Joyce Barnes says
Bobbi, we just ate this and it is a winner! I pretty much used exactly what you did, ie carrots, bok choi etc but I had a bunch of wilting coriander (cilantro to you I think) and some stir fry veggies in a packet about to go out of date so I added them too.It was wonderful, so fresh and clean but with the kick of chilli and ginger. A repeat performance has already been requested for next week. Gung hei fat choi from Scotland xxx
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Joyce, Kung Hei Fat Choy to you in Scotland!!! You know as I was making this dish I was thinking of you and your need for more ideas of diabetic friendly meals. I make lots of dishes at home but need to start taking more photos and getting more of them posted, so stay tuned as more coming your way soon. This is a great dish to use up those little bits and bobs of vegetables you have in your refrigerator.Take Care
hotlyspiced says
Happy Chinese New Year. This is exactly the kind of meal I go to when I feel the sniffles coming on - it's so true that chilli, ginger and garlic can help with cold and flu symptoms. Your stir-fry looks really tasty. And yes, I've also heard that if you're seasick, you should drink ginger ale! It's the ginger working wonders again xx
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hi there mate, how are things down under? Are you near the cyclone area. Thinking of you, stay safe!