What are five restaurant secrets that every home cook should know?

I don’t have 5, just two I learned from a couple of chefs I knew over the years and have casual conversations.

And these tips are specifically for Chinese restaurant cooking.

Number 1: The reason restaurant vege look and taste so good is because of the open flame high-temperature stove and large woks.

you can see how big those woks are

High temperature (open flame) and large wok can quickly cook vegetables, while still maintain their green color and taste crisp.

Not something a regular family could get easily. So if you don’t end up with green and crisp stir-fry vegetables like the restaurants, don’t feel too bad about it.

Another thing I learned is lard.

If you want to make your vegetable taste good, use lard instead of regular oil. Lard is the soul of Chinese cooking. It really is. Most Chinese restaurants stir fry their vegetable with lard, to give it that rich flavor.

I occasionally make lard from fat at home. It really makes all the difference.