Wok Stir-Frying Guide

Gather all ingredients, making sure they are washed, cut, and ready to cook. Having everything prepared before heating the wok is essential as stir-frying is a quick process.

Heat the wok on high heat. It's ready when a drop of water vaporizes within a second or two of contact.

Swirl in oil (preferably with a high smoking point like peanut or canola oil) to coat the wok. Allow the oil to heat until it starts shimmering but not smoking.

Add your protein choice (such as chicken, beef, tofu) to the wok. Stir-fry until it's cooked through and then remove it from the wok and set aside.

Add more oil if necessary and then add the vegetables that take the longest to cook first (like carrots and broccoli). Add quicker-cooking vegetables (like bell peppers and snow peas) a bit later.

Once the vegetables are tender-crisp, return the protein to the wok. Add any sauces or seasonings you like (soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic) and stir-fry everything to combine.

Take the wok off the heat and transfer the stir-fry to plates or a serving dish immediately. Serve hot.

A traditional carbon steel wok is typically recommended for stir-frying because it conducts heat quickly and evenly.

High-smoke-point oils are essential for stir-frying to withstand the high heat without burning, adding unwanted flavors to your dish.

Cut all ingredients into uniform, bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.

Always start with protein, remove it, then cook the vegetables, and bring the protein back at the end to combine flavors.

Keep ingredients moving constantly during stir-frying to prevent burning and encourage even cooking.