The Step You Can't Skip After Making Stir-Fry

You just finished making your go-to homemade chicken stir-fry and you can't wait to dig in. But before you serve it up, it's essential to remember a step that so many forget: garnishing. While garnishing your stir-fry may seem unnecessary, it actually does more for your dish than just making it look pretty — it adds flavor and texture too.

Stir-fry is a humble dish: It only takes about twenty minutes, and a few ingredients, to prepare. However, there's no denying how delicious this classic dish is, and even though it's pretty simple, stir-fry deserves a little bit of special treatment. Contrary to what you might think, garnishing your stir-fry comes down to more than just aesthetics. Imagine a gorgeous stir-fry topped with green onions, sesame seeds, sriracha, and a squeeze of lime: The bright colors and new textures catch the eye and make the dish feel gourmet, even if it was quick to prepare. But beyond looks, garnishes can bring a whole lot more to a dish, including bursts of flavors and new, interesting textures. 

Garnishing your stir-fry is important when it comes to enhancing existing and introducing new flavors into your dish. Fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, and mint are great options for garnishing your stir-fry: They can add a bit of freshness and some balance. Similarly, a squeeze (and the zest!) of citrus can bring a welcomed brightness. For more flavor, you can also garnish your stir-fry with pickled greens to add some crunch, acidity, and a bit of spice. Bringing in a kick of heat can also be achieved by topping your dish with chili crunch, sriracha, or chili flakes. 

Similarly, garnishes like chopped nuts and sesame seeds can add some much-needed crunch and texture to a dish. Peanuts and cashews are probably the most popular choice when it comes to stir fry — they complement most proteins, like tofu, beef, and chicken. Walnuts and almonds go especially well with seafood and scallop stir-fry. For an extra bit of flavor, after chopping them up, consider toasting your nuts in a pan over medium-high heat for a few minutes to really bring out those nutty notes that compliment stir-fry so well. You can even toast nuts in a microwave.

Bean sprouts, fresh ginger, and microgreens are also a great way to bring in some freshness, texture, and dimension to your stir-fry. But, overall, when it comes to garnishing, don't forget to have fun with it — it's your chance to make any dish your own!