Vegetable stir-fry

Heat a wok or wide frying pan until very hot, add a little oil, then cook the vegetables in small batches so they fry rather than steam. Keep them moving and take each batch out as soon as it is just tender; combine everything at the end.

Start with firm vegetables such as carrots, broccoli stems and cauliflower, cut into thin pieces. Add softer vegetables such as peppers and mushrooms next, then quick-cooking greens, mange tout or beansprouts for the final minute or two.

Yes. Add them straight from frozen in a small batch to a very hot pan, and let excess water evaporate before adding more vegetables or sauce. Thawing them first often makes them softer and wetter.

Add the sauce after the vegetables are nearly cooked, then toss for about a minute until it clings to them. A mix of soy sauce, ginger, garlic and a little cornflour thickens quickly; dilute it with water if it becomes too sticky.

Serve it with boiled rice, noodles or cooked grains, or tuck it into a wrap. For a fuller meal, add tofu, edamame, egg or cooked prawns near the end so they heat through without overcooking.

Cool it promptly, put it in a covered container and refrigerate within two hours. Eat it within three days, reheating only the portion you need until steaming hot throughout.

Yes: use the widest frying pan you have, so the vegetables have room to brown. Cook in batches over high heat; a crowded pan traps steam and softens them instead of giving them the lightly crisp finish of a stir-fry.