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Apr 9, 2022

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. 

Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots in a bowl.



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. 

Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots in a bowl.


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. 

Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots with chives in a bowl.


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! 

Sunday Funday logo.


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. 



Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots in a bowl.



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




Stir-Fried Balsamic and Ginger Glazed Carrots

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
Carrots, stir fry
Side dishes
Chinese
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Would you like to comment?

  1. Your photo made me swoon! Karen Happy Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww. Thanks Grace! Happy Thanksgiving to you!

      Delete
  2. This looks delicious! I never know what to do with carrots and I'm definitely going to give this a try.

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  3. Karen, this year we'll have a few foreign grad students with us for Thanksgiving... one of them is a vegetarian and since we'll arrive from our trip with only one day to prepare for the big meal, I am scratching my head trying to come up with possibilities

    I think these carrots will be one dish, since I could make them on Wed and just re-heat next day

    merci, merci, merci....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just know that you and your guests will love them! =)

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  4. Karen, These sound amazing! I can't wait to try them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. We love carrots around here. Happy to have a new recipe for them.

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    Replies
    1. This is one of my favorite carrot recipes!

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  6. Love the flavors in your beautiful carrot dish, Karen! It would dress up any holiday table!

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  7. I usually don't like roasted or cooked carrots on their own, as part of a veggie mix I don't mind. But your Stir fried balsamic and ginger glazed carrots are just too tempting not to give a try. Love ginger and carrot combination.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yum! My family would love these!

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  9. This salad is just beautiful with the vibrant color of carrots!

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  10. I actually do not like stand alone cooked carrots. Having said that these stir fried balsamic carrots are amazingly delicious. I love the colour of the carrots and the dish is beckoning me try it out!

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