Sweet Crunchy Vegetables, Kirpira-Style (Kinpira Yasai)

Kinpira-style is where veg are stir-fried with soy sauce, mirin, sesame and chilli until the liquid reduces to a thick, sticky glaze. Taken from the book: Vegan JapanEasy by Tim Anderson (Hardie Grant Books, £22) Photography: Nassima Rothacker.
- Serves4
- Preparation Time10 mins
- Cooking Time10 mins
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 dried red chilli, cut into slivers, or a pinch of chilli flakes
- 4 carrots, peeled, halved and cut at an angle into strips about 3 mm (1/8 in) thick
- 150–200 g (5–7 oz) tenderstem broccoli, cut in half
- 100–150 g (3.–5 oz) mangetout (snow peas), snap peas or fine beans
- 1 red (bell) pepper, sliced about 3 mm (1/8 in) thick
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Method
Heat the oil and the chilli in a large frying pan (skillet) or wok over a high heat. When the chilli begins to sizzle, add all the veg and stir-fry for a few minutes, until they begin to tenderise.
Add the soy sauce, mirin and sugar, mix well and cook until the liquid has reduced to a thick glaze.
Add the sesame seeds and sesame oil and stir through.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly before serving (it’s better closer to room temperature), or transfer to the refrigerator and eat within 5 days.