Spicy Turkey Stir-Fry With Crisp Garlic and Ginger
Published May 14, 2019
Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or grapeseed
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (2-inch) knob ginger, cut into matchsticks
Fine sea salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil or more neutral oil
3 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat (or use ground pork)
2 tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon soy sauce, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon sugar or honey (optional)
Cooked sticky or white rice, for serving
⅔ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, for serving
⅓ cup torn basil leaves (or use more cilantro), for serving
1 fresh bird’s-eye or serrano chile, thinly sliced, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
11 grams carbs; 71 milligrams cholesterol; 286 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 484 milligrams sodium; 27 grams protein; 1 gram sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
In a cold 12-inch skillet, combine oil, garlic and ginger. Place over medium heat until sizzling, then continue to cook, stirring frequently, until garlic and ginger are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Step 2
Add coconut oil to pan, then stir in scallion whites and cook until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in red-pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
- Step 3
Stir in turkey, raise heat to medium-high, and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until golden and crisp, about 7 minutes. Don’t stir the meat too much, so it can turn deep brown.
- Step 4
Remove pan from heat and stir in lime juice, fish sauce and soy sauce. Taste and add more lime juice, red-pepper flakes, soy sauce and sugar or honey if you like.
- Step 5
Gently mix about two-thirds of the fried garlic and ginger into the turkey. Serve turkey over rice, topped with cilantro, basil, scallion greens and fresh chile, and garnished with remaining fried ginger and garlic.
Private Notes
Comments
Great! Doubled the scallions, used about 1/4 cup soy sauce, added a teaspoon of rice vinegar, and left out the honey. (I prefer savory to sweet). Next time, I will add sugar snap peas for crunch. I cooked the turkey first, then added the scallions, garlic, and ginger. I'd rather not have to scoop out food only to add it back later. This worked just fine.
I’ve made several larb recipes, and I like this one the best. Browning the meat and the inclusion of ginger make it wonderful. To avoid confusion with other recipes, I’ve taken to calling this one “Melissa Clarb.” I hope you will too.
I'm not a fan of the fish sauce. Is there something else that I could substitute that's not fishy?
Opted to serve with shredded green cabbage and carrots instead of rice for a refreshing, addictive summer dinner! (Doubled the sauce as others recommended and it was fabulous!)
Delicious! I added stir-fried zucchini, and that was a great addition. Next time I might add both zucchini and eggplant so the stir-fry with rice is a complete meal.
I highly recommend California Fish Sauce for a low-sodium, high umami flavor. I used their Pineapple Fish Sauce in this recipe & it avoids the overly salty, fishy smell some find offensive. https://www.californiafishsauce.com/