How to Use a Wok
In this blog we will guide you about how to use a wok. Also, we will tell you other related things for working with a wok. So, let’s start to dive in the details.
What is a Wok?
A wok is a type of cooking pan originating from China. It is round with sloped sides and a handle on one side. It was initially designed as an efficient cooking vessel that can be used on a stovetop or open fire. It is a versatile cooking pot for stir-frying, steaming, pan-frying, and deep frying.
How to Choose an Ideal Wok?
When choosing a wok, you have to think about four things.
- The material
- The size
- The type of handles
- The shape of the base
You can get woks made of aluminum, cast iron, carbon steel, even stainless steel, and non-stick woks. But carbon steel is the best material for making a wok. You can season it, it’s durable, and it’s dirt cheap too.
The size of your work is significant because You want to have a wok that’s manageable for your stove. A domestic stove is small, so the 30 to 35 range is pretty good for a domestic wok.
Next, regarding the type of handles, I prefer the stick handle. You can toss them like a frying pan. You can use it just like you would any other pot. The loop handles are a bit more challenging to use because you got to get a wet cloth around there, and you can look a bit professional, but this is my choice now.
Talking about the base, round-base woks are suitable for heat distribution throughout the wok. It is because you could easily move stuff around it with an electric stove. However, you can’t put a round base onto an electric stove. Hence, I recommend using a regular fry pan because many flat-based Woks are like traditional fry pay.
Benefits of Using a Wok
These are some benefits of using an electric wok.
- It is good to cook food quickly with little fat or oil.
- It can save time because it can cook more food in less time.
- It also uses less fuel than other cooking methods, making it eco-friendly.
- It is easy to use and does not require any oil or fat for cooking.
- In contrast to traditional Chinese stir-frying, which involves a lot of oil or fat (usually about four tablespoons (60 ml) per person), electric woks allow for up to six times less oil and fat used per meal.
How to Season a Wok?
Treat the surface with oil when you season your wok so that food doesn’t stick to it. It will also keep your food from burning while cooking.
The oil will also ensure that it is easy to clean and you don’t have as much of a mess as you would with non-stick cookware.
Different Ways to Use a Wok
There are various ways to use it. Let’s see them in detail.
Stir-frying
This is one of the most popular ways to cook with the wok. The ingredients are often cut into small pieces and then stir-fried at high heat for about 2 minutes.
Pan frying
This is another popular way to use the wok for cooking. The ingredients are often cut into larger pieces and then pan-fried at high heat until they are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
Deep frying
You can use your wok as a deep fryer by filling it with oil up to 3″/7cm from the top edge and heating it to 350F/175C before adding food in batches so that it cooks
How to Clean a Wok?
There are many ways to clean it for the first time. For example, you may use soap and water, salt and water, baking soda and water, or vinegar and water.
You should never put it in the dishwasher because it will ruin your non-stick coating.
Conclusion
The wok is a versatile cooking vessel that you can use in several ways to cook various dishes. We hope you got an idea of how to use it. For more such interesting content, keep reading our page.
