Stir-frying is the classic Chinese cooking method. The technique is to quickly fry the ingredient over high heat in a small amount of oil, toss and turn the food when it cooks.

Typically one uses a wok, which is a large deep bowl made of thin metal with gentle curved sides. The heat concentrates at the bottom of the pan and the curved sides allow you to push the ingredients to cooler areas. In stir-frying, the food should always be in motion. Spread it around the pan or up the sides of the wok, then toss it together again in the center and repeat. This method allows meats to stay juicy and flavorful, vegetables to come out tender-crisp. Since stir -frying is a last-minute operation, don't plan one more than two stir-fry dishes in one meal.

To cook at very high heat, smoking point oil like peanut, safflower, corn, or canola is used. Short or medium grained rice is best for accompanying your stir-fry, since long-grained rice has a tendency to break while being sloshed about in a stir-fry. To easily toss and turn the food when stir-fried, cut the ingredient into small pieces.