Stir-fries might cook in minutes, but they demand precision. TV chef and School of Wok founder Jeremy Pang has some simple tricks for stir-fry success.

1. Use the right kit

You don’t need a kitchen full of gadgets, but you do need the right basics. Start with a good cleaver and sturdy chopping board – Jeremy’s number-one essential. Then add a wok, a  wok spatula or ladle and a bamboo spider-style strainer for blanching and draining.

2. Prep like a pro

Most stir-fries fail before they even hit the heat of the wok. Slice ingredients evenly, marinate your protein and mix your sauce. Line everything up beside the hob because, once you start stir-frying, there’s no time to chop ‘just one more thing’.

3. Use the ‘wok clock’ method

With stir-fries, the cooking part is often just minutes – sometimes seconds. Jeremy teaches all students his ‘wok clock’ method, which separates the prep stage from the cook stage, and involves arranging ingredients by order of use on a board or plate, like numbers on a clock face. You start at 12 o’clock and work your way clockwise round the plate, adding to the wok as you go.

4. Get the wok properly hot

That smoky flavour you get in Chinese restaurants – wok hei – only happens at high heat. If your wok isn’t hot enough, ingredients steam instead of sear. Don’t overcrowd the pan and keep everything moving.

5. Master one technique

Once you understand the rhythm of a classic stir-fry (egg-fried rice is the perfect starting point), you don’t need to memorise endless recipes. The flow always stays the same: aromatics, protein, veg, sauce. Learn that technique once and you can adapt it to whatever is in your fridge.

6. Serve immediately

Stir-fries don’t wait. The texture, heat and smokiness are at their peak the second they leave the wok – so get everyone to the table first, not the other way round.