Isn’t it, though? I’m seriously lovin’ it.
I don’t know if you’re missing what I was missing, but for me the answer was sherry. Suddenly everything was tasting like it was supposed to.
Of course I definitely have to recommend the fresh ginger and garlic as well, and for some dishes, sesame oil.
My wife coats the thin sliced or shredded meat with corn starch adn water to make it soft when cooking. Also probably don’t cook it too long.
This is similar to a process called “velveting,” in which the meat is marinated for a few hours in a mixture of cornstarch, egg white and oil before cooking. This gives the food a smooth texture and helps keep it from drying out during cooking. Many web sites have directions on this technique - just search for “Chinese velveting.”