Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots

These Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots are so incredibly flavorful. They are the perfect holiday side dish. 

The first time I tasted one of these carrots straight from the wok, I nearly swooned. They are that tasty. 

The balsamic, soy sauce, and ginger glaze simply brings out the most in these fresh sweet carrots. 

Here is What You Will Need to Make These Carrots: 

Ingredients:

Carrots: One of the tricks to getting the vegetables to cook evenly, is to cut them into uniform sizes. That's kind of hard with carrots because they are fatter at one end. If you can, buy carrots that are fairly uniform from end to end. Otherwise, cut the fatter ends into slightly shorter pieces.

Balsamic Vinegar

Soy Sauce: Use a Japanese-style soy sauce such as Kikkoman. 

Shao Xing Rice Wine: You can find it at an Asian grocery store. You can also substitute dry sherry. 

Fresh Ginger

Fresh Chopped Chives: If you live in a temperate climate, try growing your own! They are pretty indestructable. Then, you can just walk out to the pot in your backyard with a pair of scizzors and cut whatvever you need. I've had mine for several years. 

Pantry Ingredients: Sugar, black pepper, and peanut or vegetable oil. 

Equipment:

I used a 14 inch carbon steel wok to stir fry these carrots, but you can easily use a 12 inch skillet. 

How to Make These Stir-Fried Carrots:

First, once you've cut the carrots, simmer them for about 7 minutes and then drain. 

Next, in one small bowl, combine the rice wine or sherry, soy sauce, and balsamic. In another small bowl, combine the sugar, pepper, and salt. 

After that, heat the wok or pan over medium high heat, add the oil, and then add the ginger. Stir very briefly and then add the carrots, Stir for about a minutes and then add the balsamic mixture and sugar mixture and then stir fry for an additional minute. 

Finally, toss in the chopped chives and serve. 

The carrots are first boiled briefly, and then stir-fried until they are "crisp-tender." What's really cool is that the carrots can be made a day in advance, and then reheated in the oven the next day. Perfect for Thanksgiving, right? They'd also be perfect for an elegant dinner party.

I just love how the sauce gives these carrots such a rich color and flavor.

This recipe was developed by Grace Young for the New York Times 2011 series on Well Vegetarian Thanksgiving. Fortunately, you don't have to be a vegetarian to serve these carrots at your holiday table. They go just fine with turkey.

The other two recipes Grace developed for the series are Mandarin Rice Stuffing with Chestnuts and Shiitake Mushroom and Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Sherry. You can find them here on Grace Young's site.

Who is Grace Young? She is the Stir-Fry Guru, Wok Therapist, as well as the "accidental voice of Chinatown." Since 2020, as Asians became a target to blame by some for the pandemic, she has been fighting to save America's Chinatowns, as well as support AAPI Communities, including Koreatowns. Japantowns, Little Saigon, Little Cambodia, as well as all of the mom and pop businesses in the communities. Be sure to read more about Grace on her homepage. 

Her James Beard Award winning cookbooks include The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen, The Breath of a Wok, and Stir Frying to the Sky's Edge (which I've pretty much cooked through). 

She recently was honored with the James Beard Humanitarian of the Year Award. 

While this recipe was originally developed for Thanksgiving, it would also be perfect for an Easter side dish. After all, it's carrots! 

Welcome to this week's Sunday Funday, hosted by Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. Our theme this week is Easter side dishes. 

• Bunny Cupcakes from Amy’s Cooking Adventures 
• Feta and Strawberry Tabouli Salad from Food Lust People Love 
• Fresh Pea Hummus from Culinary Cam
• Pineapple Bread Pudding from A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Pork Sorpatel - East Indian from Sneha’s Recipe 
• Potato Salad with Condensed Milk from Palatable Pastime 
• Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots from Karen’s Kitchen Stories 
• Veggie Niçoise Salad from Mayuri’s Jikoni 
• Whole Wheat Rosemary Garlic Bread Recipe from The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen

This recipe was first posted in November 2015 and updated in April 2022. 

Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

These Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots are so incredibly flavorful. They are the perfect holiday side dish.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into 2 inch pieces (see note above)
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry or shao xing rice wine
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I used slightly more)
• 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Instructions

1. Bring 1 1/2 quarts of water to boil in a 3 quart sauce pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the carrots to the boiling water. Let the water come back to a full boil (about 5 minutes) and then let boil for 2 more minutes.
2. Drain the carrots in a colander.
3. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, sherry/rice wine, and soy sauce.
4. In another small bowl, mix the sugar, black pepper, and the rest (3/4 tsp) of the salt.
5. Heat a flat bottomed 14 inch carbon steel wok or 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until a drop of water evaporates when sprinkled on the pan's surface. Drizzle in the oil. Add the ginger and stir for 10 seconds. Add the carrots and stir for one minute, until coated with the oil and ginger.
6. Add the balsamic mixture and the sugar mixture, and stir fry the carrots for about 1 minute, until the carrots are crisp tender.
7. Remove the carrots to a serving bowl, and sprinkle them with the chives. Serve immediately.
8. Make ahead: These can be made a day in advance and then reheated in the oven.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

74.78

Fat (grams)

3.71

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.29

Carbs (grams)

9.52

Fiber (grams)

2.47

Net carbs

7.06

Sugar (grams)

4.87

Protein (grams)

1.03

Sodium (milligrams)

506.74

Cholesterol (grams)

0

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2015/11/stir-fried-balsamic-and-ginger-glazed.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

Carrots, stir fry

Side dishes

Chinese

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