📖 Instructions

1. Prep the Ginger: Finely chop the crystallized ginger. This will ensure it distributes evenly and doesn't overwhelm with large chunks.
2. Prepare the Vegetables: Wash and chop all vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Aim for uniform sizes so they cook evenly. A good tip is to keep the harder vegetables (like carrots) slightly smaller, as they take longer to cook.
3. Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and cornstarch. This creates a balanced sweet-savory sauce that will coat the vegetables beautifully. Taste and adjust sweetness or saltiness to your preference.
4. Toast the Sesame Seeds: In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn quickly! Remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Heat the Wok: Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil. The wok should be very hot – almost smoking – before adding the vegetables. This creates that signature stir-fry sear.
6. Stir-Fry the Vegetables: Add the harder vegetables (like carrots and broccoli stems) first and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the remaining vegetables and continue to stir-fry for another 3-5 minutes, or until they are tender-crisp.
7. Add Ginger and Sauce: Add the chopped crystallized ginger to the wok and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and stir continuously until the sauce thickens and coats all the vegetables evenly. This should only take about 1-2 minutes.
8. Garnish and Serve: Remove the stir-fry from the heat and garnish generously with toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately over rice or noodles.