Stir Fry Sans Fry is your go‑to way to turn a pile of fresh, seasonal vegetables into a vibrant, nutrient‑rich meal—no oil required. Choose any combination you love: crunchy greens, colourful capsicums, mushrooms, black fungus, tofu chunks, nuts, or aromatics like ginger, chilli, lemongrass, and herbs. Everything cooks quickly at a high heat, locking in flavour while keeping the vegetables crisp‑tender and full of life.
Instead of oil, you use water, vegetable stock, or even leftover cooking liquid to keep things moving in the wok. This simple swap dramatically reduces saturated fat while preserving all the natural colours and textures. It’s a technique that supports heart health, helps maintain a healthy weight, and keeps the meal light yet satisfying.
The magic comes from the glaze. A quick mix of water, a splash of soy sauce or tamari, a touch of balsamic or lemon, a whole‑food sweetener, and—most importantly—a spoon of tapioca flour. Tapioca thickens into a glossy, silky coating that mimics the shine of oil without any of the heaviness. If you have nothing else on hand, even water and tapioca alone will give you that beautiful finish. Just pre‑mix the flour in a little water so it blends smoothly before adding it to the pan.
Cooking without oil also means your wok stays cleaner for longer. Oil heated to high temperatures forms a sticky, plasticised residue that clings to cookware and requires scrubbing. With Sans Fry cooking, there’s no greasy film—just a quick rinse and you’re done.
For best results, use a quality stainless‑steel wok. Traditional carbon‑steel woks rely on oil to prevent rusting, and non‑stick coatings don’t love the high heat that proper stir‑frying demands. A large stainless‑steel wok with two handles will last a lifetime and is perfect for fast, high‑heat cooking.
The key technique is movement. Keep the vegetables constantly tossing and turning over very high heat. This sears the outside, keeps the inside crunchy, and preserves nutrients that are often lost in slower, oil‑based cooking. You get maximum flavour, minimal fuss, and a dish that’s as nourishing as it is delicious.
And if you haven’t tried black fungus yet, it’s worth adding to your next batch. It’s inexpensive, has a lovely springy texture, and cooks beautifully in this style of stir‑fry.
Stir Fry Sans Fry
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Chopped seasonal vegetables of your choice.
- Optional dried mushrooms, black fungus, nuts, tofu chunks, etc.
- Optional seasonings such as ginger, chilli, lemongrass, herbs.
- Water, vege stock or liquid left over from cooking other vegetables.
Glaze
- Approx. ½ cup water
- Soy sauce salt or low salt to taste (optional)
- A dash of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tbsp wholefood sweetner, eg. raw or coconut sugar, maple syrup or date syrup
- 1 heaped tsp tapioca flour
Instructions
- Before you begin, check that the wok has no rust, (see tips below).Prepare the veges, and mix the glaze ingredients in a cup and set it aside.
- Pour some water into the wok. Turn heat on high, (medium for a non-stick wok).
- If you’re using dried fungus etc, put it in now to swell as the water heats up.
- Add the vegetables that take longer to cook. Stir constantly, adding rest of veges as you go, and a little more water if it dries out. Don’t overcook – keep the crunch!
- When the veges are almost done, (still al dente), add seasonings, pour in the glaze mix, and stir until it thickens and turns clear. Add any additional ingredients that don’t need to cook, e.g. sesame seeds, cashew nuts. You’re done! Serve hot.
Notes
- The type of wok matters when stir-frying without oil. Regular woks, made of steel, depend on the constant use of oil to stop them rusting. With non-stick woks, a medium heat is recommended as they wear out quickly when cooking on high. Stir-fries ideally cook at a high heat. Invest in a quality stainless-steel wok if you can – a large size with two handles. It will last a lifetime of constant use.
- Oil plasticizes when it’s heated, forming sticky brown goo that has to be scrubbed heavily in order to remove it. With no residue to speak of, cleaning a ‘Sans Fry’ wok is a breeze!
- The secret of the glaze is using tapioca flour to thicken it, not cornflour. Tapioca forms a high shine that mimics the look of oil. If you’ve no other glaze ingredients, just water and tapioca flour will do the trick. Pre-mix the flour in a little water first and stir it just before you tip it into the vegetables.
- The key to a good stir fry is constantly keeping the vegetables moving on a very high heat so they’re being seared on the outside surfaces. This also keeps them a little crunchy in the middle.
- Have you tried Black Fungus? It’s inexpensive, has a pleasant texture & is easy to cook. Give it a go!
