The basics of cooking...um....stuff:

essetial utensials:

Frying pan, at least ten inches or more.
Tongs and a towel: You don't want to be burned? These are your main weapons, large claw tongs too, not wire ones.
Canola oil: Stop using butter. It covers the taste, and canola oil is healthier.
Big ass pot: for boiling stuff and such, also a steamer if you have a stand. Plus it can substitute as a fryer if your frying pan is on the fritz.
Optional: Wok (then must have a large spatula): It really depends on how to buy your wok. I would opt for the traditional if and ONLY if you have a gas stove. For a electric stove, go with a wok with a flat bottom, sans stand. Woks are very versitle if you know how to use them. They are basically three untensils in one; a fryer, steamer and boiler (optional deep fryer as well). Note that boiling is better off done with a pot since being so vertical, the heat is not just in the center of the wok at all times, but it's all up to you.

Care of wok: Unless you have a non-stick wok, DO NOT WASH WITH SOAP!!. Woks are often steel, not stainless steel. I don't know about today's wok because our wok is older than I am. Why not use soap? RUST. Last time I checked, rust was not an essential nurtient. The natural grease layer is clean enough to use another time. So this means:

1. Everytime you use the wok you just wash with plain water.
2. To dry the wok throughly, wipe dry with a clean towel, or more sanitary napkin/paper towel. Then place back onto hot stove to evaoprate any other water left.
Extra advice: Note, if you cooking session with a wok ends with water in the wok, then at least get rid of the water ASAP. Rust may form.

How to know when a wok is ready: There are many ways, such as toss some water in the pan to see if it's hot enough. Since the wok is more bowl like, it lends to more "aura" heat. Therefore you can stick your hand into the wok, about 2 inches from the bottom. If you feel heat, then it's ready. You can adjust accordiningly depending on how hot your stove gets and such. The most important thing is with electric stoves, know how to use them, since it takes time to vary the heat. I prefer to use the frying pan on electric stoves since you can control the heat by lifting it up. But the main thing is to crank the heat up to max and then bring it down accordingly to the appropriate heat.

Recipies:

Stir Fry:

Ingrediants:

Canola oil
Meat of some sort
various types of vegetables: (generally 2 types)
water, soy sauce and corn startch/tapioca starch -> stir fry sauce.
Optional: garlic or ginger

Procedure: Preferable in a wok, but can be done in a frying pan.
1. Cut everything to about bite size pieces. That way it cooks faster.
2. Heat the oil: enough to cover the meat or at least the bottom of the wok. Usually it's about 1.5 - 2 tablespoons of oil. To add it you can take a spoon (or the container) and pour it down in a circle around half-way up the wok. The other way is to pour the oil in, and use the spatula to spread the oil around.

For some more aromatic flavour, add some garlic or ginger and fry them up to infuse the oil. Remember, to keep it short, or turn down the heat. Garlic and ginger might burn easily due to the high heat. Either that or toss in the meat ASAP so they do not burn.

3. Cook meat: just brown it and to almost done. Steak is the only thing that can be left a bit rare, all other meats must be cooked throughly. The small pieces should cook fast and easy. Remove when done to a small plate.
4. Add enough oil to cover the veggies, about one tablespoon this time, since there is enough oil from last time as well. Cook until they change to a bit transparent. You want to get the natural sugars to come out.
5. Add meat and stir together for about a minute, lower heat. Let things cook together if you want to, add flavour accordingly like pepper.
6. While you wait, prepare the stir fry mixture. Combine one heaping teaspoon of corn-startch with a bit of soysauce just enough to cover, about 1:1 ratio. Then add a bit of water to dillute it, about a small splash aka teaspoon.
7. Turn up the heat, and push the meat and veggies to the side to make a small clearing in the center. Add the sauce right in the middle and let it boil until a bit thick. Add more powder or water accordingly, enough to make the sauce kinda thick.
8. Combine everything together and voila...a stirfry dish. Serve with Rice or whatever.
Etra info: Note that this can be made with any combination of anything. You don't even need meat for vegetarians out there, tofu can be used. Make sure that for those ingrediants that require more time to prepare, then please do cook them ahead of scedule.

More cooking lessons in the future.