Instructions: IT REALLY doesnt take many tools to cook simple meals. You may be able to scrounge what you need from hand-me-downs from your family and friends. The flea market also is an excellent source. Just be sure you wash everything thoroughly before you use it.

All you really need to cook basic fare for yourself is: Saucepan, at least 3-quart capacity, with lid.

Frying pan at least 10 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep, with lid.

Knife, 8- to 10 inch chefs type preferred.

Cutting board, plastic is fine.

Spoon, a large wooden one.

Pancake turner, preferably plastic.

Can opener.

However, if you want to feed other people or cook much beyond soup and scrambled eggs, youll need a better-stocked kitchen. Take your time to get decent equipment, if necessary building up your collection slowly. It makes a big difference in your cooking. A bad knife can make chopping ingredients tedious. A lightweight pan burns food quickly. Youll want to look for heavy, well-balanced knives that fit comfortably in your hand and are easily sharpened.

Stay away from the ones that say theyll never need sharpening. Theyre a joke.

High-carbon stainless steel is best. Although Wusthof and Henckels are among the top brands, theyre fairly pricey. Chicago Cutlery makes some good but more economical knives.

Non-stick pans are fine, especially when youre beginning to cook. Just be careful not to scratch their interior - use wooden or plastic spoons. Any pan should be fairly heavy so it doesnt warp with high heat. Nothing really beats the old-time cast iron pans, but theyre bears to clean and must be kept seasoned. Stir-frying, one of the simplest and most economical ways of cooking, requires little more than a deep, heavy frying pan and a modicum of organization. In this form of cooking, meat or poultry is used more like the seasoning rather than the heart of a meal. A few bits of leftover beef or chicken, a generous portion of chopped vegetables and rice or noodles make a satisfying meal for relatively little outlay. Or you can skip the meat altogether and still have a delicious dish. To start, you need a wok or a large, deep iron skillet and a good knife. Gather your ingredients first and chop or slice them as directed. Chopping is the critical step, and each recipe has different requirements, but generally the ingredients should be cut into small, uniform pieces so they will cook quickly. Meat may be cut into paper-thin slices if you partially freeze it first.

Heat the pan on high heat until it is hot enough to make a drop of water sizzle. Add the oil and let it heat until bubbling. Peanut oil is good because it can take high heat without smoking, but most salad oil will do; never use olive oil. Add the meat, energetically stirring so it cooks on all sides without burning. If the pan becomes dry and ingredients start to stick, add more oil by dribbling it down the side of the pan - never pour oil directly on the cooking ingredients. Remove the meat and set aside.

Next, add the vegetables to the hot pan a handful at a time, starting with those that need to cook longest, such as onions or broccoli. Add delicate vegetables such a snow peas last because they cook very quickly. When theyre just about ready, add the meat again. The seasoning, which may be just soy sauce or a bottled sauce, is added last
by dribbling it down the sides of pan just as you do with the extra oil.

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