Well, I seasoned my wok today and tried out my first stir-fry recipe. Spicy Orange Chicken. I didn't realize I needed to roast and grind the Sichuan peppercorns beforehand, so they didn't end up in my version. I also had trouble getting the temperature right. When I was seasoning my wok, I had my stove set to High since that's what the book called for. The author said that a bead of water should evaporate in 1 to 2 seconds, but I didn't double-check that. When I put the peanut oil on, which which was recommended for its high smoking point, it burst into flames and created a lot of smoke. Oops. I dialed the stove down to Medium High and tried again. At least my wok now looks well-used with its blackened well.

From the book: "Spicy orange chicken is a great recipe to make when I'm pressed for time, yet still want to cook something special." I obviously need to be a much better cook, as all of the preparation and steps made it a long process for me. Thankfully, my mom was around to cut a lot of stuff for me.

The recipe called for high heat again, but I was naturally not wanting to repeat the large flames and outpouring of smoke. I think maybe I need to find a magical place in between the two settings, as I couldn't seem to adhere to the times it was supposed to take to cook the dish.

In any case, it still turned out edible. I think I misjudged how much salt to add. I should have actually measured, but instead I just shook some in. It was a little salty. Not horrible, but noticeable. I'd be tempted to leave the extra salt out it if I make it again, relying on the soy sauce in the recipe to provide the saltiness. My dad didn't like the tomatoes in it, but otherwise he thought it turned out well. He liked the "warm glow" that built up in his mouth as he ate it.

I saved a small portion for my coworker so she can confirm that I need to improve. Ha ha. The flavor definitely had me excited about the potential of stir-fry, though. I hope I stick with it and can learn to wing it over time.