SIX MONTHS AGO I BOUGHT A WOK, A REAL CARBON STEEL FLAT-BOTTOMED WOK WITH A WOODEN HANDLE. AS MUCH AS I LOVE CHINESE FOOD, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TIMID ABOUT COOKING IT: A) BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH GOOD CHINESE FOOD IN LOS ANGELES AND B) BECAUSE IT MEANT STOCKING MY PANTRY WITH A WHOLE LOT OF INGREDIENTS I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE. SO I STARTED OFF SLOWLY, TIP-TOEING INTO CHINESE COOKING WITH GREEN VEGETABLES, MOSTLY SPINACH, CHARD, BROCCOLI, AND CABBAGE. WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT MY WOK IS THAT IT'S BIG. YOU CAN THROW IN TWO WHOLE BUNCHES OF SPINACH AND TOSS THEM WITH SOME GARLIC, FRESH GINGER, CHILES, ET VOILA! OR WHATEVER ITS EQUIVALENT IN MANDARIN. DESPITE A DISASTROUS ATTEMPT AT TEMPURA (NOT CHINESE), MY VEGETABLE SUCCESSES EMPOWERED ME. FACED WITH A POUND'S-WORTH OF LEFTOVER PORK CHOPS, A PALE PURPLE CHINESE CABBAGE, LOTS OF SCALLIONS, A HUNK OF FRESH GINGER, AND AN UNOPENED JAR OF GARLIC/BLACK BEAN PASTE, I DUG OUT MY COPY OF THE THOUSAND RECIPE CHINESE COOKBOOK BY GLORIA BLEY MILLER, PUBLISHED BY RANDOM HOUSE IN 1966! BEHOLD, 300 PAGES (PAGES NOT RECIPES) OF STIR FRY DISHES. AS DAUNTING AS THAT SEEMED, THE BASIC TECHNIQUE WAS THE SAME FOR ALL OF THEM. IN CHINESE COOKING, WHERE THOUSANDS OF DISHES ARE PREPARED IN THIS ONE REMARKABLE VESSEL, THE COOKING IS IN THE PREP; YOU SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME SLICING AND DICING. YOUR MIS-EN-PLACE IS YOUR DISH OR WILL BECOME YOUR DISH WITH ONLY A FEW MINUTES OF ACTUAL COOKING. AND MIRACLE OF MIRACLES, IT WORKED!
COOKING NOTE: PLACE INGREDIENTS IN SEPARATE BOWLS SO YOU CAN ADD THEM TO THE WOK OR PAN IN QUICK SUCCESSION.
THINLY SLICE THE PORK AND CUT INTO 1/2-INCH PIECES. IF USING LEFTOVER PORK, SLICE THE SAME WAY BUT COOK FOR LESS TIME.
TRIM THE ROOT END OF THE SCALLIONS. CUT DIAGONALLY INTO 1-INCH PIECES.
CORE THE CABBAGE AND SLICE INTO A CHIFFONADE SO YOU HAVE ABOUT 4 CUPS.
PEEL AND CHOP GARLIC CLOVES.
PEEL GINGER, CUT INTO 1/4-INCH COINS AND JULIENNE THE COINS.
DEFOLIATE THE CILANTRO SO YOU HAVE ABOUT A CUP OF LEAVES.
IN A BOWL, MIX TOGETHER THE SOY SAUCE, SHERRY, CHICKEN STOCK, SUGAR, BEAN PASTE, AND CHOPPED GARLIC.
HEAT THE WOK OVER A MEDIUM FLAME.
ADD A SPLASH OF PEANUT OR CANOLA OIL.
TOSS IN THE SLICED PORK, SHAKING THE WOK AND TOSSING WITH A SPOON OR SPATULA TILL IT STARTS TO LOSE ITS COLOR.
ADD THE GINGER AND THE CHILES. TOSS FOR A MINUTE.
ADD CABBAGE AND TOSS FOR ABOUT A MINUTE TILL IT STARTS TO WILT.
ADD THE SOY SAUCE MIXTURE AND TOSS FOR A MINUTE. THEN COVER AND LOWER THE HEAT. COOK FOR ANOTHER MINUTE.
SPOON THE STIR FRY INTO A WARM BOWL AND GARNISH WITH CILANTRO LEAVES.
SERVES 4
NOTE: SERVE WITH STEAMED RICE OR CHINESE RICE NOODLES.
Ingredients
Directions
COOKING NOTE: PLACE INGREDIENTS IN SEPARATE BOWLS SO YOU CAN ADD THEM TO THE WOK OR PAN IN QUICK SUCCESSION.
THINLY SLICE THE PORK AND CUT INTO 1/2-INCH PIECES. IF USING LEFTOVER PORK, SLICE THE SAME WAY BUT COOK FOR LESS TIME.
TRIM THE ROOT END OF THE SCALLIONS. CUT DIAGONALLY INTO 1-INCH PIECES.
CORE THE CABBAGE AND SLICE INTO A CHIFFONADE SO YOU HAVE ABOUT 4 CUPS.
PEEL AND CHOP GARLIC CLOVES.
PEEL GINGER, CUT INTO 1/4-INCH COINS AND JULIENNE THE COINS.
DEFOLIATE THE CILANTRO SO YOU HAVE ABOUT A CUP OF LEAVES.
IN A BOWL, MIX TOGETHER THE SOY SAUCE, SHERRY, CHICKEN STOCK, SUGAR, BEAN PASTE, AND CHOPPED GARLIC.
HEAT THE WOK OVER A MEDIUM FLAME.
ADD A SPLASH OF PEANUT OR CANOLA OIL.
TOSS IN THE SLICED PORK, SHAKING THE WOK AND TOSSING WITH A SPOON OR SPATULA TILL IT STARTS TO LOSE ITS COLOR.
ADD THE GINGER AND THE CHILES. TOSS FOR A MINUTE.
ADD CABBAGE AND TOSS FOR ABOUT A MINUTE TILL IT STARTS TO WILT.
ADD THE SOY SAUCE MIXTURE AND TOSS FOR A MINUTE. THEN COVER AND LOWER THE HEAT. COOK FOR ANOTHER MINUTE.
SPOON THE STIR FRY INTO A WARM BOWL AND GARNISH WITH CILANTRO LEAVES.
SERVES 4
NOTE: SERVE WITH STEAMED RICE OR CHINESE RICE NOODLES.
