Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add canola oil and swirl to coat the wok. Heat until you see a wisp of smoke.

Add garlic and ginger, and quickly stir-fry for a few seconds, stirring with chopsticks.

Add bok choy and stir to coat. Add 2 tablespoons hot water and cover. Let bok choy steam about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring a few times and checking to make sure the vegetables don't burn. Add a little more water if necessary, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

For this recipe, dried lily flowers, dried shiitake and wood-ear mushrooms, fresh bamboo shoots, baked tofu, pickled sweet cucumber and pickled cabbage are available at Chinese markets, says Beacon restaurant chef Vicki Fan.

To rehydrate dried flowers and mushrooms, place in separate bowls and pour boiling water over them; let stand 30 to 40 minutes.

RU YI CAI ('AS YOU WISH' VEGETABLES)

Place a wok on medium-high heat until hot and add 1 teaspoon canola oil. When you see a wisp of smoke, stir-fry carrots, about 30 seconds, adding a pinch of salt and pepper (add less pepper than salt each time you do this). Remove carrots and spread on a cookie sheet to cool.

Wipe out the wok and repeat this process with the snow peas. Reserve.

Wipe out the wok and heat a teaspoon of oil until it begins to smoke. Add bean sprouts, turn heat to medium-low and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add bamboo shoots to the bean sprouts and combine, stir-frying for another 30 seconds. Pour the vegetables into a large bowl, cool and reserve.

Wipe out wok and heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat until you see smoke. Add lily flowers, shiitake and wood- ear mushrooms. Turn heat to medium-low and stir-fry, adding another pinch of salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Pour vegetables into the bowl containing the bamboo shoots and bean sprouts.

Wipe out wok and heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat until it smokes. Add tofu and stir-fry until soft, about 2 minutes. Slightly lower heat, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the bowl of stir-fried vegetables back into the wok with the tofu, stirring to combine over low heat and adding carrots. Add pickled vegetables and stir to combine, adding a pinch of salt and pepper, and sesame oil. Remove wok from heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.

Pour into a large bowl, pulling the ingredients up the sides to cool them. Make a well in the vegetables. Add snow peas and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature or refrigerate before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH GARLIC CHIVES

Break the eggs into a bowl, add salt and pepper and stir the eggs with a pair of chopsticks. You can beat them fully, or stir them so that there are still discernible whites.

Heat the wok over medium-high heat and add the oil, swirling to coat the pan. Heat until you see a wisp of smoke, then add chives, stirring.

Pour in the eggs and stir around until soft-scrambled, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings.

For this recipe, red spinach or amaranth (ying choy) or regular spinach can be substituted for water spinach. Fermented spicy tofu (aka salted bean curd cubes) is found at Chinese markets. Keep a saucepan of simmering water or chicken or vegetable stock on the stove to add as needed during cooking.

FU YU ONG CHOY (STIR-FRIED WATER SPINACH WITH SPICY FERMENTED TOFU)

Heat a wok over high heat and add the canola oil, swirling it around in the wok to coat the pan. Heat until you see a wisp of smoke. Add the garlic and ginger, and quickly stir-fry, only a few seconds, stirring with chopsticks.

Add the spinach stems and stir to coat the vegetables. Add 1 tablespoon hot water and cover the wok. Let the spinach stems steam for about 2 minutes, stirring once or twice and checking to make sure the vegetables don't burn. Add a little more water if necessary, and a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Add the spinach leaves and stir as they wilt, about 30 seconds. Make a little well in the middle of the vegetables and add the fermented tofu. Stir over low heat until the tofu is completely incorporated and dissolves into the spinach. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.