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Earth Day stir-fry

In honor of Mother Earth's big day,
cook up an animal-free stir-fry -- and then take some
other environmentally friendly measures.

in 1990, the world celebrated the 20th anniversary of Earth Day, and for a few brief minutes, the environmental movement became the cause du jour. Offices sprouted recycling committees with standing-room-only attendance, rock stars wrote sappy, earth-friendly ballads and many folks traded in their gas-guzzling, carbon monoxide spewing cars for gutless three-cylinder models. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the public's interest to fade into the puff of a cigar. In the spirit of Earth Day '97, here's a recipe that's cruelty free to both animals and your arteries, followed by a few simple tips on how to make your kitchen more rain forest-friendly. VEGETABLE STIR FRY (Serves 2) Ingredients 3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 3 scallions (green onions) -- tops included, sliced finely 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped 1 jalapeno pepper, diced or 1 tablespoon red chili pepper flakes (optional) 1 palmful of roasted almonds, cashews or peanuts, whole or broken 1 carrot, peeled and cut on a diagonal into 1/8-inch thick slices 1/2 head of broccoli, lower section of stem discarded, remainder cut into 1-inch spears 1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeds discarded and sliced into 1/4-inch strips 1 palmful of your favorite mushrooms, sliced if they're big, whole if they're tiny 1 handful of snow peas 2 cups of lightly packed fresh spinach leaves, rinsed well, but not dried 1 tablespoon of Tamari, or soy sauce 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (optional) 1 wok 1. Begin by slicing and dicing all of the vegetables as indicated. Set cut veggies in little piles within reach of your wok. If you plan to accompany the meal with rice, start rice in advance according to cooking instructions. 2. Place wok over high heat for 1 minute. 3. Add oil and let it heat up for another minute. Add scallions, garlic, ginger, peppers and nuts. Stir for 90 seconds. Add carrots and stir for 1 minute. Add broccoli and stir for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers, mushrooms and snow peas, stirring for 2 minutes. Add spinach, Tamari sauce, sesame oil and 2 tablespoons water. Cover for 90 seconds. Toss once more and serve. Le Secret: Stir wok contents continuously. The Adventure Club: Eat with chopsticks. Suggested Accompaniment: Brown or basmati rice Carnivore Version: Add 1/4 pound of shrimp, or thinly sliced steak, pork or chicken breast along with the carrots. Alternatives: Add, subtract or replace any of the veggies with your favorites. Notes: Additional vegetables should be added to the wok in order of their density. The denser they are, the earlier they should be added. If you double the recipe, allow triple the cooking time since wok overcrowding tends to slow down the process. If you don't have a wok, this recipe can be attempted in a large frying pan but your veggies will not turn out as crispy. Woks are cheap and shopping for one in your local Chinatown can be a great action-adventure. Music To Cook By: Mahalia Jackson, "Mahalia Jackson Sings America's favorite Hymns," Columbia (includes the classic track, "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands") I'm sure that you still cart the wine bottles out to the curb every week and schlep your cotton grocery bag to the market, but there's more work to be done. Here are a few painless additions to your routine that will help make your kitchen a happier environment. Recycle more. Most of us already separate our glass and plastic, but there are higher planes of recycling: Buy recycled paper products -- such as napkins and paper towels. This generates demand for raw recycled materials, which drives the whole machine. Reuse and repurpose. In lands of less abundance, nothing is thrown out. Wine corks become cork boards, coffee tins become musical instruments and burlap sacks become dresses. The incentive may be economic, but it's the ultimate form of recycling because outside resources are not squandered in the process. I'm not suggesting that you attempt to make sandals from your used tires, but reusing cardboard boxes, jars and other forms of packaging is a wise move. Use environmentally friendly cleaners. Environmentally friendly detergents and all-purpose spray cleaners are available in most grocery stores. (If your store doesn't carry them, bug the manager.) This one is a no-brainer since these products achieve the same results as the similarly priced "unfriendly" ones they replace. Compost. If you eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, you can reduce the amount of garbage you send to the dumps by 50 percent. I've composted for 10 years, and trust me, there's nothing simpler. Separating compostable refuse quickly becomes second nature, and as a bonus, you get a feel-good tingle every time you toss a banana peel into the designated pail. The act of turning garbage into fertile soil is also a great way to teach children the concept of recycling. Support organic farmers' markets and buy organic vegetables at your grocery store. As demand increases for vegetables grown without toxic chemical pesticides, they will evolve from their current specialty food status (with the accompanying premium price) into the mainstream of grocery supplies. April 16, 1997 A R C H I V E S Previous 5 articles: The Classic Martini (04/09/97) Glazed Italian chicken -- pronto (04/02/97) "Faux" Food (03/26/97) "Big Night" Walnut Pasta (03/19/97) Hail Caesar Salad! (03/12/97) The Surreal Gourmet archive The Surreal Gourmet's Web Site is located at http://surrealgourmet.com. 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