1. We've had very few donations over the year. I'm going to be short soon as some personal things are keeping me from putting up the money. If you have something small to contribute it's greatly appreciated. Please put your screen name as well so that I can give you credit. Click here: Donations
    Dismiss Notice

Food Non-American styles: What about Woks?

Discussion in 'Tilted Food' started by ThePriseInferno, Nov 18, 2013.

  1. THEPRISEINFERNO

    ThePriseInferno Slightly Tilted

    Surprised a thread about this didn't exist already.

    So I'm a really big fan of stir-frying, but I've been extremely limited on my recipes as well as suitable hardware with which to do so. Within the past few days I've started seriously considering a mid-to-decent quality wok so that I can expand my culinary prowess further than just casseroles and stews; more stir-frying of stuff, making more curry, expanding into other non-American styles of cooking, etc etc.

    Around the 'net this one seems to get pretty good reviews for the price: link here

    Carbon steel, which has similar thermal dissipation to cast iron but without the weight. Seasoned well and well taken care of, one of these should last me for a good long while.
    Waiting until I get my paycheck tomorrow (er, I guess, later today) to order one.

    So what does the TFP think about woks? Do you have one? What do you do with it? What *can* you do with it?
     
    ThePriseInferno, Nov 18, 2013
    #1
  2. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    We do not have a wok. For us, it would kind of be a unitasker--I have pans that do similar tasks to a wok and stir-fry pretty satisfactorily. Additionally, we're on electric, which isn't ideal when cooking with a wok, even if it does have a flat bottom. A wok really needs a higher BTU burner.

    Here's a great piece on how to season your new wok: How to Buy and Season a New Wok Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn | The Kitchn

    Honestly, if you have a TJ Maxx, Homegoods, or the like around, I'd check out their kitchenwares. I picked an enormous, heavy Cuisinart stainless steel fry pan up for $30, and it's very versatile, since it has more than enough room for anything I want to cook in it. It works very well for stir-frying, as I can shift food around as needed. It really gets a beautiful sear on things. Depending on what kind of curry you're making, we prefer to use our enamel cast iron, which is a Lodge. If you ever go the route of buying one of the cheaper enamel cast iron Dutch oven, I really recommend Lodge, as their customer service is AMAZING. The last Dutch oven I had pinged off some of the enamel after several months. I emailed them about it; they asked me to send in pictures, and voila, I had a new Dutch oven in the mail, free of charge.
     
    snowy, Nov 18, 2013
    #2
  3. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    When I was a kid we had a wok that was used on occasion.

    Now we mainly use a nice heavy skillet that has angled sides. It takes up less space than a traditional wok and has a wider variety of uses since we don't have stir fry that often.
     
    Borla, Nov 18, 2013
    #3
    • Like Like x 1
  4. Leto

    Leto Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Toronto
    Inherited my mother-in-law's wok over the weekend. She's downsizing, moving into a senior's residence and they frown on that type of cooking in the units - even tho they are a Chinese residence (!!). This wok has been in constant use since my wife was a girl in public school (oh, let's say 1975 -ish) and I have enjoyed many a meal prepared in it over that past 30 years. Well seasoned, and extremely useful. hardly have to use up too much oil to get the perfect effect - from simple stir frying, to braising, to steaming to deep fry. I love it. Thinking about having some chicken wings in it for dinner tonight.
     
    Leto, Nov 18, 2013
    #4
    • Like Like x 1
  5. GeneticShift

    GeneticShift Show me your everything is okay face.

    Location:
    The land of drugs, violence, and 8 Mile Road
    Like @snowy, I find that woks don't get the kind of power they need unless you're cooking over gas, and if I recall correctly, you have electric. We just got gas in my kitchen a couple of years ago, and even now we still prefer larger skillets over the wok that's collecting dust in the pantry. Not saying it's a bad idea, it just might make more sense to invest in an angled side skillet with lots of cooking space so you can move things around. A very heavy skillet will still have the even heat distribution and capacity, but might be more useful for other dishes too.
     
    GeneticShift, Nov 18, 2013
    #5
    • Like Like x 3
  6. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    I have a steel wok. It's about 20 years old, I treat it just like an iron skillet. It doesn't get washed it gets wiped down and wiped off. I haven't used mine in so many yeas, but it's the best cooking pan ever. I'd tell you that if you use one, it's not so much about the pan but it is about the preparing everything. Go to the take out joint where you can see the chef. You'll see that he keeps everything moving in the pan and then tosses new items in. You can't prep and cook with a wok, it's cooks too fast. Mes en plas learn it, love it. Apply it to your other pans and you'll see that maybe you don't need to use a wok so often.

    You need flame not electric.

    those flat bottom woks are not woks, they are high side pans pretending they are woks, kind of like a poseur pan.
     
    cynthetiq, Nov 18, 2013
    #6
    • Like Like x 1
  7. RedSneaker

    RedSneaker Very Tilted

    Wok and Roll!

    I have one, and when it was first gifted to me (late 90's) I used it quite a bit. Now, I never use it. Not really sure why I stopped, because I recall everything made from it was pretty tasty.

    Thanks for the reminder.
     
    RedSneaker, Nov 18, 2013
    #7
    • Like Like x 1
  8. Leto

    Leto Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Toronto
    Like @ RedSneaker: you reminded me of my brother's project in university. He was taking an Honours in Outdoor Recreation (yes it's a real degree) at Lakehead University - That's in Thunder Bay Ontario - and he had to do an outdoor survival course. His presentation on outdoor cooking was called:

    A Wok in the Woods.
     
    Leto, Nov 18, 2013
    #8
    • Like Like x 2
  9. omega

    omega Very Tilted

    Heat is the issue, getting the wok hot enough and hot around the sides as well. Food needs to be cooked hot and the moisture in the vegetables needs to flash off into steam, thereby cooking itself with steam. Can't really do that with electric. Its hard even on a regular gas stove. Probably be best on a propane gas grill with the grill removed to put the wok right down in there.
     
    omega, Nov 19, 2013
    #9