I’m half Chinese and I love Asian cuisine. It’s one of the first things I learned how to cook with my dad (who is very much not the Chinese parent). I have to laugh at my dad being the cook in our house, because I found that to be pretty unorthodox in my friend’s families. Mostly their moms did the cooking, and their dads only grilled.

My mom occasionally cooks, but she just doesn’t enjoy it like my dad and I do. I remember her listing off things she could cook once and included in that list were sandwiches, and oatmeal; and I just have to laugh at that because to me those don’t really count for cooking, those are more assembling in my book. She has many gifts, but cooking just isn’t one of them and that’s okay!

Stir frying is a really fun and easy way to cook, but it can be temperamental. Stir frying food uses large heat differentials (hot oil, cold ingredients), and it cooks food really quickly. I’m still mildly traumatized from my mom force feeding me burnt stir fry broccoli. Let me give you a quick tip, if you stir fry something, don’t turn your back on it. This stir fry recipe is pretty forgiving and good one to learn with, plus it’s really, really good!

• 1 1/2 lb of tenderized steak
• Large zucchini
• Head of bok choy
• Tofu
• Onion
• Tbs garlic
• Tsp garlic salt
• Tbs soy
• 2 Tbs hoisin
• Tsp ginger powder
• Tbs Canola oil

Directions: Start by cutting your tenderized steak into large cubes or strips. On a separate cutting board, slice the zucchini. Dice the onion and bok choy. Cube the tofu and lightly coat with corn starch or flour. I do this by putting a 1/4 of flour or a 1/8 cup of corn starch in a gallon bag, throw in the tofu, seal the bag, and then shake it until the tofu is coated evenly. Once everything is prepped, put the canola oil in a wok, or large deep pan, and leave it on medium/high heat for 3 minutes so the oil is hot. After the pan and oil heat, start your stir fry by adding the tofu. Continuously toss the tofu in the oil for 2 minutes. Then add your onions, bok choy, and zucchini. Toss for about 1 minute and then add meat and garlic. Continue to toss for 3-4 minutes and without changing the heat, add ginger powder, garlic salt, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce and toss until evenly coated.