Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce is a delicious Chinese-style vegetarian recipe made with stir-fried vegetables in a spicy garlic sauce. It is vegan, delicious, and gets ready in under 30 mins. Serve it as a main course with steamed rice, fried rice, or noodles.
Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce is one of my favorite curries to pair with Veg fried rice or simply steamed rice. It looks exotic but is so easy and quick to make.
It is a veggie-loaded meal that is healthy, nutritious, and kid-friendly too (you can reduce the spiciness)!
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About The Recipe
Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce is a popular Indian-Chinese dish that features a medley of stir-fried vegetables coated in a flavorful and spicy garlicky sauce.
The dish typically includes a combination of vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, babycorn, and mushrooms, all stir-fried to perfection in a wok or skillet.
You can also add a protein like tofu, paneer, chicken, or shrimp to make it more nutritious.
The stir-fried vegetables are then tossed in delicious hot garlic sauce.
The Hot garlic sauce is made with ingredients such as garlic, ginger, soy sauce, chili, and other seasonings, resulting in a savory, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce that is so delicious!!
Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce can be enjoyed as a standalone main dish with steamed rice, fried rice, or veg noodles, or as a side dish alongside other Chinese delicacies.
It makes a comforting one-pot vegan meal that is full of fresh ingredients and robust flavors. Plus it's quick and easy to make and definitely better than takeout!
Recipe Ingredients
Vegetables: I have used broccoli, bell peppers, baby corn (canned or fresh), mushrooms, red onion, yellow squash, and zucchini. You can use vegetables of your choice. Here are some other vegetables that go well in this dish - carrots, green beans, snow peas, cauliflower, and bean sprouts.
Garlic and ginger: Use freshly minced garlic and ginger for the best aromatic flavor.
Soy sauce: Provides a savory and umami flavor to the dish. I prefer mixing dark soy sauce and regular soy sauce for the best color and flavor combination. For gluten-free options, use Tamari or coconut aminos.
Vinegar: I use chili vinegar which gives the gravy a slightly spicy and tangy flavor. You can use white vinegar (or rice vinegar) too.
Red Chili Sauce: I prefer adding red chili sauce in addition to raw green chili as it adds a spicy kick and a burst of flavor to the gravy. You can also use Sriracha or the hot sauce of your choice.
Cornstarch - This helps to thicken the gravy and is gluten-free.
Oil: I use Avocado oil for stir-frying vegetables and cooking the sauce but you can also use vegetable oil, canola oil too.
Spring onions: Chopped spring onions or scallions for the hot garlic sauce and as a garnish for extra freshness.
Spices: Salt, and pepper to season the dish to taste.
Sugar: I prefer brown sugar but you can also use white granulated sugar. Sugar helps balance the flavors and heat.
Please refer to the recipe card for exact measurements of ingredients.
How To Make Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce (Stepwise Photos)
Prep Work: Chop all the veggies and keep them aside. In a small bowl, mix all the sauces and keep them ready. Similarly, make the cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch in cold water.
Stir Fry Vegetables
1 and 2 - Heat oil in a wok or stir-fry pan. Add all the vegetables except red onions and stir-fry on high heat for 3 – 5 minutes. Keep them on one side longer to char the veggies.
3 - Make sure not to overcook the vegetables. They should be tender yet crunchy. At this point add ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Mix well.
4 - Transfer to a plate and keep aside.
Making Hot Garlic Sauce
5 - Heat oil in a wok or stir-fry pan ( I use the same pan used to stir fry veggies), add red onion, spring onion white, and sauté for 2 mins.
6 - Stir in ginger, garlic, green chili and saute until aromatic (few seconds).
7 - Stir in all the sauces (soy sauce, chili sauce, vinegar), sugar, salt, and pepper. Sauté for a min.
8 - Add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. (Add more water for more gravy)
9 - Mix the cornstarch slurry and add to the boiling hot sauce. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens for at least 1-2 mins to make it lump-free.
10 - Add in the sautéed veggies and simmer for 2-3 mins.
11 - Garnish with spring onion greens.
12 - Taste and adjust the flavors as you go along, adding more soy sauce, chili sauce, salt, or other seasonings as needed. Homemade Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce is ready to serve!
Serving Suggestions
Serve Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce warm with rice or noodles. The combination of saucy vegetables and grains creates a satisfying meal.
We love pairing it with Fried rice but you can also serve it with steamed white rice, Hakka Noodles, or veg noodles.
Storage Instructions
You can store leftover Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow it to cool completely before storing. Vegetables may lose some texture and freshness upon storage, and become softer and less crisp.
Before serving, reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop until completely heated through. Adjust consistency with water as needed.
It's not recommended to freeze this dish as the vegetables may become mushy upon thawing.
Recipe Tips
Cut the vegetables into uniform thickness and size to ensure even cooking. This helps to maintain their texture and ensures they cook at the same rate.
Use a wok or a large skillet and heat it over high heat before adding the vegetables. This helps to achieve a quick and flavorful stir-fry while retaining the vegetables' crispness.
Keep everything prepped before cooking starts since it happens quickly and on high heat.
Stir-fry the vegetables until they are just tender-crisp. Overcooking can result in mushy vegetables, which can lessen their appeal and texture.
Adjust the amount of garlic based on your taste preferences. If you enjoy a stronger garlic flavor, increase the amount, or reduce it for a milder taste.
Feel free to experiment with different vegetables based on your preference and availability. Bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, snow peas, and mushrooms work well, but you can add other vegetables like baby corn, zucchini, or water chestnuts for added variety.
Adjust the amount of chili or chili sauce according to your preferred level of spiciness. Add more for a hotter sauce or reduce it for a milder flavor.
Adjust the sauce thickness to your liking. You can also make it dry stir-fried Chinese vegetables and serve as an appetizer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use frozen vegetables if fresh ones are not available. However, recommend using fresh vegetables as frozen vegetables may have a softer texture compared to fresh ones.
Yes! Feel free to add the protein of your choice to make it a complete meal. Tofu, chicken, shrimp, or even paneer are excellent additions to enhance the nutritional value.
While it's best to enjoy this dish fresh, you can prepare the sauce and chop the vegetables in advance. Stir-fry the vegetables and combine them with the sauce just before serving to maintain their texture and freshness.
Yes, this dish is vegan and to make the sauce gluten-free, substitute soy sauce with coconut aminos or tamari.
More Indo-Chinese Recipes
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Recipe Card
Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
For Vegetables Stir Fry
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup mushrooms cut in 4 quarters
- 1 cup bell pepper colorful - cut in cubes
- 1 cup zucchini chopped
- ½ cup babycorn using canned
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper powder
For Hot Garlic Sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup red onion cut in cubes
- 6-7 spring onions white chopped (~ ½ cup chopped)
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 1 green chili slit
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons red chili sauce or sriracha (adjust to taste)
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ⅛-¼ teaspoon black pepper powder adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons chili vinegar or white vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon corn starch corn flour
- 1-2 cups water
- 6-7 spring onions green chopped
Instructions
Prep Work:
- Chop all the veggies and keep them aside. In a small bowl, mix all the sauces and keep them ready. Similarly, make the cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch in cold water.
Stir Fry Vegetables:
- Heat oil in a wok or stir-fry pan. Add all the vegetables except red onions and stir-fry on high heat for 3 – 5 minutes. Keep them on one side longer to char the veggies.
- Do not to overcook the vegetables. They should be tender yet crunchy.
- At this point add ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Mix well. Transfer to a plate and keep aside.
Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce
- Heat oil in a wok or stir-fry pan ( I use the same pan used to stir fry veggies), add red onion, spring onion white, and sauté for 2 mins.
- Stir in ginger, garlic, green chili and sauté until aromatic (few seconds).
- Add all the sauces (soy sauce, chili sauce, vinegar), sugar, salt, and pepper. Sauté for a min.
- Add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. (Add more water for more gravy)
- Mix the cornstarch slurry and add to the boiling hot sauce. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens for at least 1-2 mins to make it lump-free.
- Add in the sautéed veggies and simmer for 2-3 mins. Taste and adjust the flavors as you go along, adding more soy sauce, chili sauce, salt, or other seasonings as needed.
- Garnish with spring onion greens. Homemade Vegetables in Hot Garlic Sauce is ready! Serve it warm with rice or noodles.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published on Jan 25, 2013, but was republished with, step-by-step instructions, new photos, tips, and a video in July of 2023.
Beautifully done, who can resist to this wonderful and delicious dish.
tempting n v mouthwatering..nice presentation
Sounds like a very good combination. Such a nice hot meal, loved your version.
Super veggie dish, Shweta. Wish garlic, chili and I got along better--maybe if I toned them down a bit?
Very tempting Shwetha!
mouthwatering presentation, so tempting!!!
A broccoli sits prettily in the fridge. Has been sitting for a while now. And i know what to do with it!
This is perfect with rice just as you have pictured, healthy too!
Thick gravy veges....love this....
Wow! Looks delicious!
yummy veg gravy
http://great-secret-of-life.blogspot.com
Delicious and mouthwatering combo. Low calorie meal as well.
Deepa
Perfect low fat dish love the combo
Low calorie side perfect for rice...Love it!!
Healthy veggies