Many of us enjoy stir-fry when dining out, but it can be a little intimidating to approach at home. Are you using the right equipment? What kind of prep is necessary before you even heat up the wok? There are a multitude of ways in which you can talk yourself out of experimenting at home.

Who better to learn from than a master of stir-fry cooking? Carrie Martin, vice president of operations at bd’s Mongolian Grill.

Thai Peanut Curry. Photo: bd’s Mongolian Grill.

Martin offers 5 tips for Perfect Stir-Fry at home:

• Use the right equipment. A good quality wok or pan is critical for the best results at home. Woks have a rounded bottom surface that creates several different temperature zones which comes in handy if you’re frying different types of vegetables and proteins.
• Prep ahead of time. Before you ever light the wok or pan, get your ingredients prepped so you’re ready to move along quickly (and avoid burning). Cut your ingredients into uniform pieces before you start, which is as much about cooking the components evenly as it is about convenience.
• Stir constantly. After cutting ingredients into equally sized pieces, you’re ready to start the wok. Heat it on medium-high heat for at least a minute before adding vegetable or canola oil. Once the food is added, keep that constant stirring going to equalize the heat and avoid scorching.
• Less is more. Overloading your wok won’t get the job done faster. The ingredients need air and space to more uniformly cook. bd’s recommends cooking only two servings together at any one time.
• Sauce it up at the end. Waiting until the ingredients are cooked will ensure the flavor is retained and unified.

Most important, don’t be afraid to try. Learning new techniques will give you greater confidence, make you a more versatile cook and it’s sure to impress your friends.