Stir-frying Vegetables

When vegetables are cooked by this method (a Chinese culinary tradition) the texture remains crisp and the color vivid. Stir-frying requires speed and control, so vegetables should be prepared in advance. They must be cut into small uniform pieces so that they can be tossed easily and cooked quickly in the high heat produced by a wok: slice long vegetables diagonally or in a roll-cut and short round ones in small, thin slices. Roll-cutting exposes as many surfaces to the heat as possible, and is useful when stir-frying. It is particularly suitable for vegetables such as carrots and white radishes that take longer to cook than softer vegetables.