1. Prepare vegetables as indicated in the instructions below. (They may be prepared individually, or as in the suggested combinations, see "Basic Stir-Fried Vegetable Combinations".) Mince or crush ginger root.

2. Combine stock, soy sauce and sugar.

3. Heat oil. Add salt, then ginger root, and stir-fry a few times. Add vegetable (adjust heat to prevent scorching). Stir-fry to coat with oil and heat through.

4. Add stock-soy mixture and heat quickly. Then simmer, covered, over medium heat until vegetable is done. (See "Cooking Instructions for Specific Vegetables".)

1. For the ginger root, substitute 1 garlic clove, minced, or 1 scallion stalk, cut in 1/2 inch sections. (With stronger-tasting vegetables such as cabbage, ginger root is better than garlic.)

2. For the oil, substitute chicken fat, bacon fat or lard. (Chicken fat is particularly good with Chinese cabbage and Chinese lettuce; bacon fat with other varieties of lettuce.)

3. For the mixture in step 2, substitute 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sherry, 1/2 cup water and 1 to 2 slices fresh ginger root, minced. (Omit the ginger root in step 3.)

4. Omit the soy sauce in step 2. Then, after step 3, sprinkle the soy sauce over the vegetables and stir in. Add the stock and sugar as in step 4.

5. After step 3, stir into the vegetables 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon shrimp sauce.

6. In step 4, add 1/4 cup dried shrimp or scallops (soaked), shredded. (The soaking water may be substituted for the stock.)

7. After step 4, thicken the sauce with a cornstarch paste made of 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold stock or water.

8. Serve the vegetables garnished with blanched, toasted and coarsely chopped almonds or walnuts.

From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, Isbn 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's Mm Recipe Archive, http://www. Erols. Com/hosey.