Hands-on time: 15 minutes

Sauce gives a stir-fry its personality — or personalities. Lively combinations like curry-and-coconut and lemon-and-herb keep things interesting. And these at-home versions of more traditional stir-fry sauces — Cantonese, hoisin, hot-and-sour — make Chinese cooking accessible. (They’re also far less greasy than those served at most restaurants.)

Adding Flavor

Make the sauce in the same pan you’ll be using to stir-fry the protein and the vegetables. First heat the seasonings, such as garlic and ginger, to bring out their fragrance and flavor. Then add the remaining ingredients and cook until the sauce thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. You can prepare these sauces in advance, or cook up a double batch and refrigerate half for another time. (But don’t double the cornstarch — that will make the sauce too thick. Instead, use 1 1/2 times the specified amount.)

Tip: Mix and match the ingredients in a stir-fry according to your mood — or the contents of your refrigerator.

For sauce recipes, see Stir-Fry Sauces.