Stir Frying

The Cantonese have a word for it: wok hei, or “wok air”; and what it means is simply the high heat created by flame and oxygen surrounding the wok. And it is wok hei that is illustrated by stir frying, certainly the most dramatic of all Chinese cooking techniques. Finely sliced and chopped foods are whisked through a touch of oil in a wok and tossed with a spatula. There is constant motion. Hands and arms move; the wok is often tipped back and forth. Stir frying is all movement, all rhythm. What leads to a perfect stir fry is preparation.