Sweet and sour pineapple stir fry with ginger and cashew nuts – vegan, soy and corn free
Most stir fries with pineapple I know, have some Chinese Kantonese and some Thai characteristics. And they are a bit Westernized. So I call this stir fry with pineapple, onion, red bell pepper and mung bean sprouts: Asian Fusion cooking. And I have adapted it even more. Usually it’s made with pork or chicken, but I use cashews to make it plantbased. I also made it soy and corn free by using coconut aminos and arrowroot. With orange juice, lime juice, honey or maple syrup and sesame oil.
Other stir fry recipes
Ingredients
- Pineapple – Preferably two freshly cut slices. If not available you can use canned. Then for the sauce: use the syrup instead of water.
- Red bell pepper – Sweet pointed pepper if available.
- Red onion – White or shallots are fine as well.
- Spring onion – Just one stalk. Use the white to stir fry and the green for garnish.
- Mung bean sprouts – Also called taugé. I used 2 large handsful or 125 grams. Wash them will and rinse with hot water.
- Garlic – Pressed or cut very fine.
- Ginger – Preferable freshly grated (as thin as possible) or cut very small. If not available use one tablespoon of ground powder.
- Orange and limes – For juicing, as a base for the sauce.
- Cashew nuts – I usually use raw, but you can take roasted if you wish.
- Honey – Or maple syrup for vegan.
- Arrowroot – This replaces cornstarch (maïzena) wich is the traditional thickening agent in Chinese Kantonese cooking.
- Coconut aminos – This replaces the several types of soy sauce wich are used in traditional Chinese Kantonese cooking.
- Chili flakes
- Sesame oil – For taste.
- Avocado or coconut oil – For stir frying
Soy and corn free
I used to cook Asian recipes as authentic as possible, with fish sauce, shrimp paste, different kinds of soy sauce and cornstarch (maïzena). Fish sauce and shrimp paste contain a lot of pollution so I try to avoid those since I know. And since I don’t eat soy and corn anymore, I use coconut aminos and arrowroot.
Coconut aminos
Coconut aminos is fermented juice from flowers of the coconut tree. It does not contain soy or gluten. It taste a bit less salty, it is sweeter but still has plenty of umami.
Arrowroot
Arrowroot is powder made from a root. It has the same binding properties as cornstarch.
Sesame oil
On the MEdical Medium protocol you avoid seeds oils for frying, like canola and sunflower oil. Instead you can use coconut oil or avocado oil. Olive oil is not ok for frying at high temperature and the taste doesn’t go well with Asian flavours. Although sesame oil is made of seeds as well, it doesn’t have the same GMO issues and can be eaten in moderation. And it can make your whole dish taste ‘Asian’ with just a tablespoon.
FAQ’s
Yes, if you replace the honey for maple syrup.
Yes, but it’s not fat free because of the oils used. Although you cant eat soy sauce, there is a wonderful replacement: coconut aminos. But its still fermented, so if you leave out all fermented foods you shouldn’t use coconut amino’s.
Sesame is a seed oil. But it’s not the same thing as the GMO seed oils that are used for cooking. Just be sure it’s bio and that it contains only sesame. You just need a teaspoon per portion.
Vegan sweet and sour pineapple stirfry with ginger and cashew nuts
This recipe may contain
affiliate linksEquipment
- wok or large pan
- spatula
- bowl
- grater
- garlic press
- extra plate to set the veggies aside
Ingredients
- 2 slices pineapple
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 red onion
- 1 stalk spring onion
- 3 handsful bean sprouts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp ginger freshly grated, but if not available 1 tbsp ground powder
- 1 orange for juicing
- 2 limes for juicing
- 2 handsful cashew nuts
- 1½ tbsp arrowroot
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- or maple syrup for vegan
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- ½ tbsp chili flakes
- water
- 2 tbsp avocado or coconut oil to stir fry
- NO chili flakes those are nightshades
Instructions
- Cut the red onion, spring onion, bell pepper and pineapple slices. Press the garlic. Grate the ginger. Rinse the mung bean sprouts with (nearly) boiling water.
- Juice the orange and the lime(s). Add to a measuring cup.
- Add the coconut aminos, the sesame oil and then add water to fill up the cup. So you have 1 cup of liquids in total.
- Add the liquids to a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of arrowroot and the honey. Mix and set aside.
- Heat up you wok or frying pan. Add one tablespoon avocado or coconut oil.
- Stir fry the the onions until translucent. Then add the garlic and ginger. When fully mixed and glazed with oil add the bell pepper and the white parts of the spring onion. Fry for up to a minute. Then take out of your pan and set aside.
- Add the second tablespoon of oil to your wok. Stir fry the pine apple. When warm and fully glazed add a half tablespoon of arrowroot. Mix and then add the chili flakes. Fry until a bit golden.
- Add the onion/bell pepper in again. Add in the sauce. Mix well.
- Add the cashews. Leave a few aside as topping.
- Add the bean sprout hand by hand. Don't let simmer but turn down the heat as soons as mixed fully.
- Top with the greens of the spring onion and some cashews.
Did you make this stir fry or do you have any questions? Just leave a comment!