YOU KNOW WOK HEY (OR WOK SPIRIT) IS THERE IN THE EXPLODING GINGER AND GARLIC FLAVORS, CRUNCHY VEGETABLES, AND TENDER, JUICY MEAT. SO HOW DO YOU GET WOK HEY? IT’S ALL ABOUT THOROUGH PREPARATION AND FAST STIR-FRYING TECHNIQUES — NOT ABOUT UNUSUAL INGREDIENTS. IN FACT, OUTSIDE OF A SAUCE OR TWO, YOU MIGHT HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED RIGHT IN YOUR FRIDGE OR PANTRY.
The Boy Scouts have the right idea here. The motto of a good stir-fry is “be prepared.” French chefs call this mise en place [MEEZ ahn plahs], or “everything in its place.” But Chinese cooks were practicing it long before French chefs started preaching it. You’ve got to be organized to pull off a good stir-fry. There’s no time to stop once the wok is fired up. Marinate the meat, mince ginger and garlic, cut the vegetables — everything must be in its place. Stir-frying should not take more than 10 minutes from start to finish.
Stir-frying is stirring and frying at
