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3. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the scallions, Sichuan preserved vegetable, and garlic, and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the green beans and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir-fry until the beans are heated through and the sauce is almost completely evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add the sesame oil, and serve immediately.

Note: Preserved Sichuan vegetable can be stored in a plastic container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Or you can freeze it in a plastic bag for up to 6 months. If you cannot find it, then double the amount of scallions and garlic.

THIS SICHUAN DISH is a first cousin of Broccoli with Garlic Sauce. Soft, silky eggplant is cooked with the same piquant sauce of hot bean paste, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and scallions, but the amounts of hot bean paste, sugar, and vinegar are increased, making the dish notably spicier. Makes 4 servings

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

4 small Japanese eggplants (about 1 pound total), trimmed

Vegetable oil, for passing through

Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 scallion, white and green parts, trimmed and minced

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon hot bean paste

1 teaspoon hot chili oil, optional

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Keep the water at a simmer. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place it near the stove.

2. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the skin of the eggplants in a crosshatch pattern, with the lines about 1 inch apart. Halve or quarter the eggplants lengthwise to make sticks about ½ inch wide. Cut the sticks into 2-inch lengths.

3. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 325°F. Working in batches without crowding, add the eggplant to the oil and fry just until it softens but still holds its shape, about 45 seconds. Do not overcook. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, dip the eggplant briefly in the hot water, then spread it out on the paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, wiping the strainer dry after each frying. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok.

4. To begin the sauce, mix the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, rice wine, and white pepper in a small bowl, and set it aside. Dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water in another small bowl, and set it aside.

5. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the scallion, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the hot bean paste and the soy sauce mixture, and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add the eggplant and stir-fry until the sauce is boiling and the eggplant is hot, about 30 seconds. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until the sauce thickens, about 10 seconds. Add the hot chili oil, if using, and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the sesame oil, and serve immediately.

IF YOU EVER ATTEND a traditional Chinese banquet, chances are this lovely Shanghainese dish of glossy, braised mushrooms on a bed of emerald green baby bok choy will be served. At these special occasions, it is made with the very best dried mushrooms (meaning the largest, with the most beautifully marked caps). At home, use normal-size dried mushrooms, and the results will still be excellent.

Makes 4 servings

Lily in the Wood

Vegetable oil, for passing through, plus 2 tablespoons

12 Chinese dried black mushrooms, soaked in hot tap water until softened, drained, stems trimmed, patted completely dry with paper towels

1 cup Chicken Stock (page 70) or canned chicken broth

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon oyster sauce

12 bok choy hearts or baby bok choy

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water