A cooking method in which small, bite-sized pieces of food are tossed and stirred rapidly over high heat in a small amount of oil, usually in a wok or wide skillet. The technique originated in China, where it made efficient use of limited fuel and cooked food quickly enough to preserve texture, color, and nutrients; the English name was popularized by Buwei Yang Chao's 1945 cookbook "How to Cook and Eat in Chinese." It typically uses thinly sliced meat, seafood, tofu, or vegetables seasoned with sauces and aromatics such as soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and chili, and is now central to Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese cooking as well as many Western weeknight meals. Stir-frying differs from sautéing mainly in heat and motion: it uses higher heat and more continuous tossing, traditionally in a wok's curved surface rather than a flat pan.