One of the most beautiful and inspired cookbooks of the year was The Breath of a Wok. Grace Young's stories and recipes make us want to set off in pursuit of wok hay, the special taste of wok-cooked food. But if the wok itself is too much to tackle, Young gives us permission to stir-fry in a skillet, as her parents did when they emigrated from China to San Francisco.... Young tells us that the Cantonese word for lettuce sounds like the words for "growing fortune," which makes this an auspicious dish to serve for the lunar New Year.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

　　1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

　　1 tablespoon soy sauce

　　3/4 teaspoon sugar

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　2 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　5 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

　　1 pound hearts of romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide pieces

　　1 teaspoon sesame oil (see note)

　　

Step 1

Combine the rice wine or sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and salt in a small bowl.

　　

Step 2

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the vegetable oil, add the garlic, and stir-fry for 5 seconds. Add the lettuce and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it is just limp. Stir the sauce, swirl it into the wok, and stir-fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute more, or until the lettuce is just tender and still bright green. Remove from the heat, drizzle on the sesame oil, and serve.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Note: Use roasted or toasted sesame oil, not the neutral-tasting cold-pressed oil, and definitely not the hot, spicy version. Choose one made from pure roasted sesame seeds and not blended with other oils. Young recommends the Kadoya brand. Sesame oil should be stored in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 1 year.

　　The Breath of a WokSimon & Schuster