Why Ketchup Belongs In Your Next Stir-Fry
Stir-fry is one of those super satisfying takeout meals, complete with your choice of veggies and/or protein, served over starchy rice and seasoned to perfection — and it's also super fun to make at home. But while this dish may be decidedly Asian in origin, there's an ingredient firmly of the American culinary canon that is actually a major stir-fry game changer — and that's ketchup.
Good old-fashioned tomato ketchup may not seem like it belongs in your stir-fry, but there are sound reasons this addition makes good sense. Consider what ketchup is comprised of: a combination of tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar, seasoned with spices and flavorings. At its most basic, ketchup is so appealing because of that range of qualities: it's sweet and sour, spicy and rich with umami flavor, and satisfyingly thick and creamy. So while you may be more accustomed to slathering a burger in this stuff, consider how it can contribute those elements in the framework of a versatile stir-fry.
Ketchup stir-fry inspiration
This tip isn't limited to any particular type of stir-fry, and ketchup will lend its complexity to any iteration you dream up. Chicken stir-fry gets a serious upgrade from a super simple three-ingredient ketchup-based sauce — a combination of this tomato condiment along with some garlic and cayenne pepper. Cooking these elements down together concentrates the flavor and consistency, making it ideal for coating your protein. This trick can even work for seafood. A shrimp and chile stir-fry combines fresh ginger and garlic with ketchup, nutty sherry, soy, spicy jalapeños, and aromatic lemongrass, along with cilantro and scallions for a deeply complex and satisfying dish.
Although the bottle of Heinz Ketchup doesn't itemize the spices in the recipe, there's speculation that they can range from onions and garlic to allspice, coriander, cloves, cumin, mustard, cinnamon, and ginger. Given that this combination of flavors is already packed into a squeeze of ketchup, it's easy to see how it could complement a five spice beef and broccoli stir-fry, or add depth to a crispy Thai basil beef stir-fry. Ketchup may have had a bizarre evolution, but believe it or not, there's nothing weird about how delicious it can be in your next stir-fry creation.