Cooking with a Wok
A most useful and versatile piece of equipment, the wok, now widely available, is the best utensil for stir-frying, blanching, deep-frying and steaming foods. Its shape, with deep sides and either a tapered or a slightly flattened or round bottom, allows for fuel-efficient, quick and even heating and cooking. When used for stir-frying, its deep sides prevent the food and oils from spilling over; when used for deep-frying, much less oil is required because the shape of the wok concentrates the heat and ingredients at its base.
There are two basic wok types: the traditional Cantonese version, with short rounded handles on either side, and the pau or Peking wok, which has one long handle, from 30โ35 cm (12โ14 in) long. The long-handled wok keeps you safely distanced from possible splashes of hot oils or water.
The round-bottomed wok is best for gas cookers and is used with a wok ring to stabilize the round bottom. More practical are woks now available with flatter bottoms; though these are designed especially for electric burners, they work well with modern cookers of all types. This shape really defeats the purpose of the traditional design, which is to concentrate intense heat at the centre, but it does have the advantage of deeper sides than ordinary frying pans. I highly recommend this type of wok.
Choosing a Wok
Choose a large wok โ preferably about 30โ35 cm (12โ14 in) in diameter, with deep sides. It is easier, and safer, to cook a small batch of food in a large wok than a large quantity in a small one. Be aware that some modernized woks are too shallow or too flat-bottomed and thus no better than frying pans. A heavy wok, preferably made of carbon steel, is superior to the light stainless-steel or aluminium type, which cannot take very high heat and tends to blacken and scorch the food. There are now good, non-stick carbon-steel woks on the market, which maintain the heat without sticking. However, these woks need special care to prevent scratching. In recent years, the non-stick technology has improved vastly, so they can now be safely recommended. They are especially useful when cooking foods that have a high acid level, such as those containing lemons.
The wok can also be used as a steamer: simply pour 5 cm (2 in) of hot water into the wok, then place either a bamboo steamer or a rack inside the wok (it must be set so as to allow the domed cover to fit snugly). Put the food to be steamed on a heatproof plate, place the plate on the steamer or rack, cover and steam according to the recipe instructions. The ring of a tuna fish can - that is, with top and bottom removed โ can also be used to support the heatproof plate.
Seasoning a Wok
All woks (except non-stick ones) need to be seasoned. Many need to be scrubbed first as well, to remove the machine oil applied to the surface by the manufacturer to protect it in transit. This is the only time you will ever scrub your wok โ unless you let it rust up. Scrub it with washing up liquid and water to remove as much of the machine oil as possible. Then dry it and put it on the stove over a low heat. Add two tablespoons of vegetable cooking oil and, using kitchen paper, rub the oil over the inside of the wok until the entire surface is lightly coated. Heat the wok slowly for ten or fifteen minutes and then wipe it thoroughly with more kitchen paper. The kitchen paper will become blackened. Repeat this process of coating, heating and wiping until the kitchen paper comes clean. Your wok will darken and become well seasoned with use, which is a good sign.
Stir-frying in a Wok
Once the wok is seasoned, you must then use the proper cooking procedure, which means getting the wok hot before you add the oil. The technique acts as a sealant to the porous carbon-steel wok and helps heat the oil to the high temperature that is necessary for successful wok cooking.
When stir-frying, it is important to first heat the wok or frying pan until it is very hot before adding the oil. It should be so hot that if you toss in a few drops of water, it will immediately evaporate. When you add the oil, it should begin to smoke slightly. That is the signal to you that the wok is ready. You must get your wok or pan hot enough for successful stir-frying. The resulting dish will have smoky nuances โ the hallmark of proper stir-frying.
Cleaning a Wok
Once your wok has been seasoned, it should never be scrubbed with soap or water. Plain, clear water is all that is needed. The wok should be thoroughly dried after each use. Putting the cleaned wok over a low heat for a minute or two should do the trick. If by chance it does rust a bit, it must be scrubbed with soapy water and re-seasoned, as per the instructions above.
