Some simple vegetable dishes (炒青菜, 炒三絲, 糖醋蓮花白)

Vegetable dishes are relatively easy to make.  Here are some examples.  Please note that this recipe can be use with leafy vegetables, Lettuce, Broccoli (in Part I), Carrot, Celery, Bell Pepper (in Part II), and Cabbage (in Part III).  You do not need a wok.  A 10-12" (in diameter) flat bottom cooking pan would be essential for stir-frying the vegetables. To anticipate a possible question: Yes, lettuce can be stir-fried, and it actually tastes as well as any simple green salad, if not better.

I. A Simple Vegetable Dish with any Leafy Vegetables (e.g., Spinach), and Lettuce, and Broccoli (炒青菜)- a generally applicable method

1. Rinse a bunch of your favorite leafy vegetable thoroughly (3 times, preferably; dump the used water into a bucket for other use later, e.g., watering the plants), and chop into 1-3" segments (1" for the stems, 2-3" for the leaves).  
2. (Medium-Low Heat) Pour 1-2 Tbsp vegi-oil into a flat bottom cooking pan (a bit more oil tend to improve the taste of a vegetable dish), add 1/4 tsp salt when the oil is being heated up (the salt will keep the leaves green).
3. Chop 3-4 cloves of garlic into smaller pieces, and place the pieces in heated oil till you can smell the garlic.
4. (High Heat) Put the vegetable into the pan, and stir-fry till the vegetable texture tastes to your liking (use a pair of chopsticks to help stirring).  The key is not to over cook (i.e., don't place the lid on, lest the leaves should turn yellow).  Season to taste, by adding salt (sprinkle 1/4 tsp and stir, taste, and repeat the cycle). Note 1- consider using a pair of chopsticks along with a spatula to do the stir-frying. Note 2- Vegetables tend to produce water in the cooking pan after being cooked for 2-3 minutes, a sure sign of the ingredient being ready! 

II. Carrot, Green (and Red) Bell Pepper, Celery, and Gobo Root (炒三絲)

1. Carrot (1) - wash, peel, and slice into matchstick size.
2. Green Pepper (2), optional red pepper (half) - cut into 4 equal parts, clean out the inside seeds, and slice into matchstick size.
3. Celery (3-4 pieces from 1 stalk) - wash, and slice into matchstick size.
4. Gobo root (optional ingredient)- wash, peel, slice, and store in water with some white vinegar added (to prevent turning into darker color).  Boil water in a pot, and cook the sliced root for 10 minutes.
5. (High Heat) Pour 1-2 Tbsp vegi-oil into a flat bottom cooking pan.  Put the carrot, green pepper, and celery into the pan, add 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp of soy sauce. and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.  Add gobo root, and stir-fry for 1 minute.  Turn off heat, add 1 tsp vinegar around the side of the pan, and stir evenly with a pair of chopsticks.  Season to taste with salt (add 1/4 tsp a time, and taste).  Here is picture of the finished product.  
   

III. Cabbage with Vinegar and Sugar (糖醋蓮花白)

1. Get a small-sized cabbage (or half of a regular-sized one), wash the outside, separate the layers, and chop into bite-size pieces.
2. (Medium-Low Heat) Pour 1-2 Tbsp vegi-oil into a flat bottom cooking pan.  Break 2-3 dry hot peppers into pieces, drop into the pan, and stir for 1-2 minutes.  
3. (High Heat) Put in the cabbage pieces.  Add 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, and stir-fry till the cabbage pieces are no longer raw, but still crunchy, for ~3 minutes (Try not to over-cook).  
4. Turn off heat, add 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar around the circumference of the pan (鍋邊醋), and stir evenly with a pair of chopsticks.  Season to taste with salt and vinegar (add 1/4 tsp a time, and taste).  Here is picture of the finished product.  Note- I use simple white vinegar, the kind you use to clean up hard water stain from the coffee pot :-).