Stir-frying may be one of the oldest cooking techniques known to man, but it is still one of the most efficient, logical and easy methods for preparing food. The trick is to make sure you have everything possible done in advance, from chopping the vegetables to having the final cooking sauce ready to go and close at hand. Once you get the hang of how the ingredients are assembled, you can branch out by tailoring stir-fry dishes to your personal tastes.

Look for a wok that is heavy aluminum, stainless steel or traditional cast-iron. Make sure it is not too thick though, or it will take too long to heat up. A 14-inch diameter wok is probably the best all around size since it can be used to cook a whole fish or a simple sampling of your favorite vegetables. A cover is important when you want to stir-fry something and then have it finish braising in the wok. You may need to use a wok ring if the bottom of the wok is rounded.

Here are some basic tips for stir-frying:

-- Use an oil resistant to high heat such as peanut oil.

-- Think about the sizes of the meat and vegetables so that you add them in the logical order for even cooking. For example, add carrots before zucchini or red peppers and asparagus before corn kernels.

-- Make sure the wok is very hot and almost smoking to achieve the desired effect of browning the meat or poultry or sealing in the juices of the vegetables.

-- If you don't want to marinate the meat or poultry, think about adding extra flavor through aromatics or the final sauce.

-- If you like a glaze rather than a slightly thick sauce, you can omit the cornstarch that is often recommended in classic Chinese recipes. Instead, make sure that your sauce will have some flavor and substance so that when it is reduced it will form a glaze.

-- If you're using nuts, you can "toast" them right in a dry hot wok for a couple of minutes.

-- If you still need to finish cooking the stir-fried dish, add a bit of broth, cover the wok and reduce the heat.

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