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Best Carbon Steel Wok

By Lillian Price


No Chinese kitchen is complete without a wok. It only makes use of less oil.

It has been hypothesized that wok has its origins in the helmets that ancient warriors used to wear, which would double as cooking vessels on the battlefield. Most woks have a diameter range of 30 cm to 2 meters or more. Mostly used for stir-frying, woks are also used for stewing, deep frying, smoking, steaming, braising and making soups.

First of all, you need to think about the size of the wok that you need. Whatever size wok you need depends on how many people you routinely cook for. There are two kinds of woks. Woks come in many sizes, but the most common is the 14-inch variety.

The traditional ones work on top of a gas stove or over the fire. They are perfect to toss the food. Today, you can find woks made out of many types of material like aluminum, steel, and cast iron. You should avoid buying aluminum woks at all cost. Although cheaper than the alternatives, aluminum woks are not sturdy and can bend easily.

However, the disadvantage here is that heat distribution is uneven. In contrast, a flat bottom wok can produce uneven heat, making food get burned easily. If it comes into contact with acidic ingredients like vinegar, tomatoes, or lemon juice, the acid can actually begin to react with the metal, giving your dish an off taste. As the high flame spreads below the surface of a wok, due to its shape, it enables even distribution of heat.

The best wok shape is a medium concave wok rather than the shallow and deep concave wok. These types of woks heat evenly and get hot quickly.

It enables quick preparation of food and they can thus sell volumes. Another option is the cast iron wok. Each of the materials has their own advantages and disadvantages. This advantage is that they retain heat very well. Iron woks are naturally non-stick once you season them. Woks from cast iron are perfect for stirring and tossing. If they fall, they can easily spoil. It can be scoured with steel wool in order to restore the newness after each use. Because of their shape, rounded woks are not practical for home cooks since they will not sit on a home range without rocking and rolling all over the place. There are several advantages of using a wok made in stainless steel.

This is since it can provide a greater contact with the heating element of an electric stove. A better option for home cooks is the flat-bottomed wok.

An iron wok has a natural non-stick surface once it is seasoned. Therefore, there is no seasoning required. You can use warm or hot water in washing the wok so as to avoid the risk of ruining the seasoning of the wok.

Most often, these hybrid woks are made out of cast iron.

Flat Bottom: A stainless steel wok with a slightly flat bottom is the best to use. Single-handled woks are better if your wok is light and you like to toss your food around by flipping it into the air. Double-handled woks are a better choice if your wok is heavy since you can use both hands to carry the weight.

This makes it possible for them to be carried anywhere. If you are interested in Chinese cooking, you owe it to yourself to buy a wok.




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