If you think stir fries are the only dishes you can cook in a wok, think again. Steam adds moisture to the dish and you can’t build enough steam if the wok is uncovered throughout the cooking process. Even if you intend to cook stir fries and nothing more, there are recipes that require the wok to be covered for a couple of minutes to allow meat (and, sometimes, vegetables) to cook in the combined heat of the oil and steam. Should you buy a wok that comes with a cover? That’s large enough to cook meals for four to six people, but still small enough for easy washing and storage. For home cooking, the ideal size is 12 to 14 inches. Awesome, isn’t it? Non-stick without worrying about coating that will chip and peel off in time. Wipe with a clean cloth or kitchen towel before using again.Īs your carbon steel wok ages, it will turn darker and its surface will become more and more non-stick. Here’s a short video that shows the process.Īfter every use, wash and scrub. You wash and scrub it, you heat it and then you brush it with oil. To start with, you need to season your carbon steel wok before first use. But if you use it properly and give it the care it needs, it will last for years and years. From the moment you unpack it, it will require more than casual attention. Well, that’s the thing about carbon steel wok - or even a cast iron wok, for that matter. Is it easy to maintain a carbon steel wok? I have owned at least a dozen non-stick woks and none lasted more than two years. I used a stainless steel wok for years and, after switching to carbon steel, I realized how wanting stainless steel was. What you don’t want is a stainless steel (bad heat conductor) or one with non-stick coating (the coating will corrode in high heat).īeen there done that. It’s lighter than cast iron but it is just as sturdy and as able to withstand the extremely high temperature required for stir frying. If you’re getting a wok, I’d recommend carbon steel. Cast iron was the preferred material in my father’s generation. The West’s penchant for electric stoves gave birth to a flat-bottomed variant of the Asian wok.īeyond its shape, the material with which the wok is made makes it ideal for high heat and even cooking. A cross between a pot and a frying pan, classic woks have flared sides and a rounded bottom which fits snugly over a gas burner. The Chinese might be getting the lion’s share of credit for the invention and universal usage of the wok but, in truth, it is used all over Asia although it is known by different names. China is the most popular answer although there is at least one claim that the Chinese might have adapted it from the Indian kuali.
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