Wok

From ArticleWorld

A wok is cooking utensil commonly used in Chinese and Southeast Asian cooking. Traditionally a wok has a distinctive round-bottomed shape, a long handle on one side for easy turning and tossing, and a smaller handle across to help in lifting. Generally a slightly concave steel utensil is used to move food around in a wok. Woks are the utensil of choice for stir-frying, as well as braising and steaming.

Woks come in sizes ranging from a foot across to a metre across. Larger ones can be used to steam or braise whole fish, ribs, etc. cast iron is the classic material for a wok, but the weight is a deterrent for many, who opt instead for carbon steel, which is also easy to season and provides a smooth, fast-heating surface. Round-bottomed woks often come with a ring which can be placed upside down on the hob to stabilize the wok. The wok is called kwali in Malaysia and kawa in the Philippines, wadjang in Indonesia and karhai in North India.

Round versus flat bottom

Although flat-bottomed woks are available and generally used in countries where the wok shape is not traditional, and the structure of electric hobs makes balancing a round bottom a little tricky, there are many reasons why the traditional form is preferred. The round shape means that a greater area of the bottom comes in contact with the heat-source, allowing for fast and even heating of the wok. The spatula, one end of which is curved, follows the shape of the wok and allows cooks to move food around evenly so there is no part of the surface where grains could stick and get overcooked. The angle in a flat-bottomed wok makes the swift tossing and turning technique more difficult and less effective, increasing cooking time. The round shape is also easy to empty out thoroughly, so the next dish can be prepared without the wok needing to be cleaned to prevent mingling of flavors.