Want to know more about Asian cooking? Then here one thing to keep in mind – WOK! A lot of traditional Asian food is cooked with a wok. Not just Chinese food but a whole lot of other Asian recipes from other Asian countries as well..
A wok is a round-bottomed cookware that originated in China. While you can also cook most Asian dishes without the work , its distinct advantage lies in it’s ability to spread heat fast yet evenly, uses less oil and makes tossing food around the pan easier as it keeps the food inside that pan. It also uses a lot less fuel because it can heat up very fast.
Woks are popularly used for stir-frying, but it can also be used for deep-frying, braising, stewing and I’ve even seen it used for steaming! They are usually used with a long handled mixing spoon to prevent the cook from getting burned.
Distinct features of the wok is its round bottom. Though nowadays there are flat-bottomed woks available for some types of stoves. Classic woks are round bottomed and this is much easier to use, it heats up faster and it is easier to move the food around.
Woks are usually made with carbon steel or cast iron materials. Nowadays there are also woks made with stainless steel and non-stick materials. Which one is the best? Still its the one made with carbon steel.
Round bottomed woks usually comes with two handles on the side while flat bottomed woks comes with a long handle on one side..
Here’s a video I found featuring how to’s and tips on using the Asian wok..
