Spicy Turkey Stir-Fry With Crisp Garlic and Ginger

Spicy Turkey Stir-Fry With Crisp Garlic and Ginger
Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(6,465)
Comments
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This quick-cooking stir-fry is packed with umami from fish sauce and soy sauce, and heat from both red-pepper flakes and fresh chile. Pungent and herbal, it’s a terrific weeknight dish that’s fast but never bland. The key here is to let the turkey get deeply brown, so don’t move it around in the pan too much. Serve it over rice for a substantial meal, or a bed of crisp lettuce if you want something lighter.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or grapeseed
  • 4garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1(2-inch) knob ginger, cut into matchsticks
  • Fine sea salt
  • 2tablespoons coconut oil or more neutral oil
  • 3scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
  • ¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
  • 1pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat (or use ground pork)
  • 2tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste
  • 1tablespoon fish sauce
  • ½teaspoon soy sauce, plus more to taste
  • ½teaspoon sugar or honey (optional)
  • Cooked sticky or white rice, for serving
  • cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, for serving
  • cup torn basil leaves (or use more cilantro), for serving
  • 1fresh bird’s-eye or serrano chile, thinly sliced, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

361 calories; 16 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 28 grams protein; 485 milligrams sodium

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.

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Preparation

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
6,465 user ratings
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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'm not a fan of the fish sauce. Is there something else that I could substitute that's not fishy?

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.

My first time making this dish and it turned out just okay. It definitely needed more salt and I think I can get there by adding a little more soy sauce (I used Tamari). I didn’t read the comments until after making it and like the suggestion to add the garlic and ginger later. I’ll try that too! I served mine over cauliflower rice but would do sticky rice next time. I’ll try again for sure!

Too dry. Won’t cook again.

Love this recipe. My only changes are that I personally have no interest in having crispy ginger or garlic to bite into. I simply add grated ginger and garlic to the turkey as it cooks. I find this much more pleasant and easier on my digestive system as well. I eat mine with both rice and iceberg lettuce.

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