Why do Chinese use woks?
Wok, thin-walled cooking pan, shaped like a shallow bowl with handles, widely used in Chinese-style cooking. Food when cooked may be moved up the sloping side of the wok to stay warm without cooking further, while other food is cooked at the bottom. The wok was developed as an implement to conserve scarce fuel.
Why is a wok so special?
So, what is it that makes a wok so special? Primarily, the wok is handy because you have a section of it that is directly applied to heat, and a bunch of extra surface that can still hold food but isn’t going to cook the food it’s holding. At the other end of the spectrum, you can deep-fry in a wok as well.
Why is cooking with a wok better?
A wok is ideal for stir-frying; as the food is cooked, it’s pushed up to the sides of the wok while the remaining food is cooked on the bottom. A wok uses less oil than a conventional large skillet, and its high, sloping sides contain most of the splatter. The cooking is very quick and requires attentive stirring.
What is the advantage of using a wok for stir fry?
One obvious benefit of cooking in a wok is that its high, sloping walls allow you to easily move food around the surface without spilling it over the sides. I also discovered that a wok’s tall sides create two distinct heat zones that work in tandem to cook food efficiently and evenly.
Can you cook scrambled eggs in a wok?
A wok is great for scrambling eggs, especially in large quantities. The eggs cook almost instantaneously, with no sticking, even if you’ve pre-cooked some vegetables before adding the eggs to the wok.
When to use a wok for Asian food?
In other words, you use it only when cooking Chinese food. Even if your wok gets a lot of use when cooking stir-fries or other Asian food, it has so much more potential. Consider these unique ways to make better use of this versatile utensil. With its wide top and plenty of room, a wok is great for tossing a salad.
What to do with a wok when cooking Mexican food?
When cooking a Mexican-style meal, set your wok on very low heat and use it to keep tortillas warm. It makes a dandy room freshener—put some water and a piece of lemon, orange, lime, cinnamon stick, etc, and put it on low heat.
What can you do with an electric wok?
A wok is great for scrambling eggs, especially in large quantities. The eggs cook almost instantaneously, with no sticking, even if you’ve pre-cooked some vegetables before adding the eggs to the wok. Use an electric wok for beef fondue. It beats a regular fondue set—no denatured alcohol burning (and smelling),…
Where does the term wok come from and where does it come from?
A wok (from Cantonese: 鑊) is a versatile round-bottomed cooking vessel, originating from China. The use of the wok is very prevalent in South China (particularly Guangdong Province).
