Thai Stir-fried Vegetables with Garlic

Ingredients
* VEGETABLES:
* 1 medium-size carrot, sliced
* 1 small leek, sliced
* 1 cup baby bok choy, or other Chinese cabbage
* 2 celery stalks, cut into bite-size pieces
* 5 or more shiitake mushrooms, sliced, or left in halves or quarters
* 3 spring onions, cut in thirds
* 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
* 1 thumb-size piece of galangal sliced thinly
* STIR-FRY SAUCE:
* 1/4 cup broth
* 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
* 1 Tbsp. lime juice
* 5-7 cloves of garlic, minced
* 1 tsp. honey or brown sugar
* 1 tsp. arrowroot powder dissolved in 2 Tbsp. cool water

Directions
Thai Stir-fried Vegetables with Garlic, Ginger, and Lime:
Start by making the stir-fry sauce. Place broth, fish sauce, lime, honey/sugar, and chili in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. When sauce begins to bubble, turn down the heat to medium-low. Now add the minced garlic and arrowroot/cornstarch. Stir until the sauce thickens slightly - about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Do a taste test. You're looking for a balance of salty, spicy garlic and chili, sour (lime), and sweet. Adjust these flavors to suit your taste. Place a little coconut oil in a wok/frying pan over medium to high heat. When hot, add the carrots, galangal, and shiitake mushrooms. Always start with the "firmer" vegetables. Otherwise, the more tender veggies will become soggy while waiting for the firmer ones to cook. When the wok/pan becomes too dry, add a little white cooking wine, 1 Tbsp. at a time. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes.

Add the rest of the vegetables, and continue stir-frying another minute or so. Again, add wine or water as needed to keep the vegetables frying. Now pour the stir-fry sauce you made earlier into the wok/pan. Stir-fry over heat briefly - just long enough to mix the sauce in. Remove from heat. Do one last taste test. If not salty enough, add up to 1 Tbsp. more fish sauce. If too salty, add another squeeze of lime juice. To serve, pour onto a serving platter and have plenty of Thai jasmine rice (brown or white) ready. Serve with Thai red chili sauce, if desired. For more details http://www.indomunch.com