|
|
 |
WokThe wok is a versatile round-bottomed cooking vessel (see cooking utensil) originating in China. It is used especially in East Asia and Southeast Asia. The word "wok" comes from the Cantonese Chinese word for the item: "wok6" (鑊). Standard Mandarin refers to woks by using the word "gūo" (锅), or the phrases "gūozi" (锅子), or "chǎo cài gūo" (炒菜锅). Although the word "gūo" in Mandarin refers to any type of cooking vessel, using the word on its own typically means a Chinese wok. In Indonesia the wok is known as a wadjang, kuali in Malaysia, and kawali (small wok) and kawa (big wok) in the Philippines. Woks are traditionally round-bottomed pans that can be made from a wide variety of materials, in a wide variety of sizes. Most woks range from 30 cm to a 2 meters or more in diameter. Smaller woks of 36cm (14 inches) is the most common, but woks can commonly be found as small as 20cm (8") and as large as 91cm (36"). They are suitable for a family of 3 or 4 and are typically used for quick cooking techniques at high heat such as stir frying (Chinese: chǎo, 炒 or bao, 爆). Large woks over a meter wide are mainly used by restaurants or community kitchens for cooking rice, soup, or for boiling water. The most common materials used in making woks today are carbon steel and cast iron, although the latter was the most common type used in the past. Cooks tend to be divided on the whether carbon steel or cast iron woks are superior to the other. Cast iron: Two types of cast iron woks can be found in the market. Chinese cast iron woks are thin (~3 mm) and weigh about the same as a carbon steel wok of similar size, while western cast iron woks tend to be thick (~9 mm), tend to be heavy, and require very long heating times. Cast iron woks are superior to carbon steel woks in heat retention and eveness of heat distribution. They also form a more stable carbonized layer of seasoning which makes it less prone to food sticking on the pan. However, both types of cast iron wok have distinctive disadvantages compared to carbon steel woks. Chinese style cast iron woks, although quicker in heating and relatively light, are fragile and are prone to shattering if dropped or mishandled. Western type cast iron woks are slow-heating and slow-cooling, which makes temperature control more difficult. Furthermore, heavy western cast iron makes the tossing action required in stir-frying and bao difficult or impossible. Carbon steel: The most popular type of wok material due to its relatively light weight, quick heat conduction, and high durability. However, carbon steel woks are more difficult to season, and the carburized season is easily removed in younger woks. Carbon steel woks vary widely in price, style, and quality, which is roughly based on ply and forming technique. The lowest quality woks tend to be single ply and stamped straight from a piece of steel. These woks have a higher tendency to deform and misshapen. Cooking with them is also more difficult and precarious since they often have "hot spots" due to uneven heat distribution. Higher quality woks are almost always made of two sheets of steel and formed into shape by hammering, "ring-forming", or hand forging. The latter being the highest quality and the most expensive. Aluminium: Although an excellent conductor of heat, aluminium does not retain heat (heat capacity) as well as cast iron or carbon steel. Although anodized aluminium can stand up to constant use, plain aluminium woks are too soft and damage easily. Non-stick: Teflon coated woks are common in the western market. These woks are easily scratched and cannot be use to cook in the high heat required for stir frying to excess of 232°C (450F) since the coating will break down chemically at these temperatures. Stainless Steel Clad: Less commonly found are clad woks, which sandwich a thick layer of aluminum or copper between two sheets of stainless steel. These woks perform extremely well but are often quite expensive and usually cook no better than carbon steel or cast iron woks. Their biggest advantage lies in the durability and ease of maintenance of a stainless steel exterior and cooking surface. Many of these vessels are dishwasher safe. Check out the following recipes that are tagged "Wok":
|