| Buying a wok | | | | amount more to get one made of two sheets of |
| Why a wok? | | | | carbon steel. Carbon steel woks should only be |
| I'm not a good cook. However my family and I | | | | washed in warm water to avoid damaging the |
| do love Chinese food and we've been inspired by | | | | seasoning. But they need to then be dried |
| Ken Hom to use woks for oriental recipes. | | | | thoroughly as they can rust relatively easily. The |
| Although stir frys are the most common use for | | | | best looking 14 inch one I've seen is available here |
| them, they can also be used for boiling, braising, | | | | from Amazon. |
| steaming, and stewing. | | | | Which leaves stainless steel. This is the type I |
| Their unique advantage is that they use less oil - a | | | | bought. Chromium is added to carbon steel to |
| small hot area at the bottom allows food to be | | | | prevent rusting. They have a hard surface which |
| seared. The oil remains in a small pool at the very | | | | will not chip, flake, peel or break. Some have |
| bottom. The rest of the wok is cooler, with | | | | much improved surfaces that can withstand much |
| curved sides, allowing the food to tumble back to | | | | higher temperatures. They heat and cool quickly. |
| the hottest area when tossed or scraped. | | | | And can be scoured with steel wool to restore |
| Woks also have a much greater usable cooking | | | | the shine after each use. Here is the one I'd |
| area than traditional pans. | | | | recommend - a great contemporary look to it. |
| Healthy food - and lots of it - great! | | | | Shape |
| Materials | | | | Traditionally, woks are round-bottomed. This |
| I was given my first wok around 25 years ago as | | | | makes food easier to toss, and minimises |
| a wedding present (I say "around", but I do know | | | | splatters. |
| the exact date, honest!) | | | | It is slightly more difficult to move the food |
| It is a very large, traditional cast iron one - good | | | | around in a flat bottomed wok, although most |
| looking and probably very expensive. It distributes | | | | woks are flat as they can be used in more places. |
| the heat really evenly. However it is very heavy. | | | | If you have a gas stove, you're lucky - you could |
| And takes a long time to cool so food needs to | | | | go for either a round bottomed or flat bottomed |
| be taken out once ready, or it will continue to | | | | wok. However a wok ring is desirable for a round |
| cook. If you're feeling strong the best looking one | | | | bottomed one on a gas stove. It will help stabilise |
| I've found is here from the Wok Shop at | | | | it and also directs the heat to the very bottom of |
| Amazon. | | | | the wok, where it's needed. |
| We were finding it too heavy as middle age crept | | | | Money Saving Tip - an upside-down grid on a gas |
| up on us. | | | | stove is sometimes the right shape to act as a |
| So, in the 90's I cast my eye around for a | | | | wok ring. |
| replacement. Non-stick seemed like a good idea. | | | | For an electric stove you need a flat bottomed |
| These woks are usually made from steel with a | | | | wok. These need to be cleaned well after each |
| Teflon non-stick coating. A bad move! Although | | | | use to avoid small food particles getting stuck on |
| they may be non-stick, they're not non-scratch - | | | | the pan. |
| and some members of the household (maybe me | | | | An alternative, if you have an electric stove, is to |
| included, I'm not telling!) damaged the surface | | | | get an electric wok. These are stand-alone |
| fairly soon after we bought it. Not only that, but | | | | appliances with good heat conductance properties. |
| these woks cannot cook at the high heat | | | | They are, however difficult to use if you want to |
| necessary for stir frying. Once the temperature | | | | flamboyantly toss your creation around, so |
| gets close to the right temperature the coating | | | | perhaps lose some of the magic? The best one I |
| can breaks down. Also, the surface doesn't allow | | | | saw is here. |
| the juices to stick to the pan and brown - losing | | | | Size |
| much of the traditional stir-fry taste. | | | | Sizes range from 10" that would be large enough |
| The wok became virtually unusable, so, last year I | | | | for a meal for 3, up to 16", enough for 12 people, |
| started looking around for a replacement. | | | | or much larger for commercial use. |
| I saw that some woks are now made with the | | | | Accessories |
| latest non-stick materials including Xylan and | | | | Consider getting a wok lid, spatula and a ladle - all |
| Excalibur and I'm told by friends that they work | | | | useful for several recipes. |
| very well. | | | | Handles |
| Joyce Chen endorses this latest 12 inch non-stick | | | | There are two types of handles - loop and stick. |
| wok here. And this smaller (11 inch) one here and | | | | Loop handles are the most common and are |
| larger (14 inch) one here are very good value | | | | usually made of bare metal, although some have |
| from money from Amazon. | | | | wooden or plastic covers. Cooks need to hold the |
| However non-stick wasn't for me again. | | | | wok with a thick towel or oven gloves. A fair |
| Aluminum seems like a good material - light and | | | | amount of hand, arm and wrist dexterity is |
| an excellent conductor of heat. However it | | | | needed for tossing the food. |
| doesn't retain heat well - an important | | | | Stick handles are long and usually made of steel, |
| requirement. And, although anodized aluminum | | | | although, again, sometimes covered. Sometimes |
| alloys can stand up to constant use, plain | | | | called Peking Pans, these are easier to toss if the |
| aluminium woks are too soft and damage easily. | | | | wok is not too large. Larger woks often have a |
| Also, they won't work on induction hobs. Good for | | | | loop handle as well. |
| wok lids, but not for the wok itself, in my opinion. | | | | Seasoning |
| The best looking one I've seen is here | | | | Carbon steel and cast iron woks need to be |
| Woks are traditionally made from carbon steel. | | | | seasoned before their first use. This involves |
| They are relatively inexpensive and lightweight, | | | | rubbing the inside of the wok with oil, placing it |
| have quick heat conduction and reasonable | | | | over a gentle heat so that it begins to smoke, |
| durability. However they need seasoning (see | | | | and then removing and allowing to cool. After |
| below), which, if not carried out, makes the food | | | | removing excess oil with kitchen paper, the |
| stick. Lower quality ones are single ply and can | | | | process needs to be repeated two or three |
| deform and misshape. You need to pay a fair | | | | times. |