The secret to success is to cut your meat, poultry, fish and vegetables into bite-sized pieces that cook evenly in minutes. The big myth of stir-frying is that only a wok will do. In fact, a skillet or a Dutch oven works fine, some argue better, since American stoves don't deliver enough heat to make the sides of a wok piping hot. If you're keen on using a wok, the ideal set up is a wok in a ring-shaped stand on a gas stove. Special flat-bottomed woks are good on electric stoves.
Electric woks are also available and usually have a non-stick finish.
In a traditional stir-fry, meat, poultry and fish serve as seasonings and vegetables are the main event. Get creative, asparagus is just as good in a stir-fry as broccoli or water chestnuts. And be sure not to crowd too many ingredients into your wok or skillet because the food will steam instead of sizzle and sear. Instead, it's better to stir-fry in batches. It's important to use oil with a high smoke point like peanut oil or grape seed oil so that it doesn't burn.