A wok is a steel, iron, or aluminum cooking pan with sloped sides; which was invented somewhere in Asia, thousands of years ago. It is usually associated with Chinese cooking but is actually used all over the Orient and South Asia. It is, perhaps, the most versatile piece of cooking equipment you'll find anywhere on the planet, and is fast becoming popular in the West. Besides durability, versatility, and ease of use; the wok is ideal for cooking techniques emphasizing health and nutrition. Woks also can come in many different sizes and can be used for deep-frying, stir-frying, steaming, boiling, braising, grilling, and even baking.
Besides having multiple uses, the wok is also energy efficient; therefore conserving energy. It uses a fraction of the energy of most modern pieces of cooking equipment. Therefore, a wok is ideal in energy deficient places such as India and Asia. The best woks are made from rolled steel. Aluminum woks are made with a non-stick surface coating and are popular in the West. However, this is basically for lazy cooks and after a while, the non-stick surface becomes damaged and wears off, greatly shortening the life of the wok and also resulting in food sticking to the bottom. If you learn to properly "season" a steel wok, it can last a lifetime. More on "seasoning" later.
The basic cooking principle behind the wok is one of high heat and short cooking time using the technique of stir-frying. Gas is actually the best, since it heats the wok quickly and can be turned off immediately thereby cutting the heat; however this method is still workable using electricity. This takes longer for the wok to heat up and when you want to cut the heat immediately, you must simlpy remove the wok from the stove. The food, particularly vegetables, is seldom overcooked; thereby retaining more nutrition, which is often eliminated through overcooking. The vegetables are crispier and tastier. In food preparation, the meat, seafood, and vegetables are cut into small bit sized pieces. Meats are sliced thin and then marinated in various spices, garlic, and teriyaki sauce for a day or so. Vegetables are cut in various ways but a rule of thumb is usually in half inch to one inch pieces and not too thick. Remember, the cooking time will be for only a minute or two on a very high heat. All food preparation should be completed beforehand as the cooking process is so fast; that you don't want to be still dicing and slicing while trying to sir-fry. If you have to turn down the heat, so that you can catch up, this defeats the whole purpose, and you may wind up with overcooked and undercooked items in the same wok. Certainly an uneven result. This usually happens to novices, so it does take a bit of practice.
Often, different items have different cooking times. For example, a thick slice of carrot will take longer than a slice of zuchinni or handful of bean sprouts. Common sense dictates arranging the food on a dish according to cooking times. Keep meat and seafood separate from vegetables and each other. In Oriental cooking, the meat/seafood is usually quickly braised for a few seconds, before being set aside in a dish. Its not necessary to cook it through and through because it will be added into the wok again, later. A bit more oil is added, and then the sliced vegetables are added, in order of cooking times. Make sure that your wok is hot and the oil is sizzling before adding anything. Constantly stir-fry the food with a spatula for about 30 seconds or so, add water or soup stock (chicken, pork, or vegetable) and spices and seasonings and let simmer another 30 seconds or so. Then you can add the meat/seafood and stir for another 30 seconds or so. If you want to thicken the sauce, you can use a bit of cornstarch. The whole cooking process will take less than five minutes. If your are cooking several dishes, just quickly rinse off the wok in warm water and use a soft brush or sponge/cloth to wipe off any food particles. Do not use any soap. Add oil and start anew. If the wok has been properly "seasoned" and you didn't burn the bottom through overheating or overcooking; then it should be ready to cook the next dish.
Its much better to have two or three woks of different sizes if this is going to be your main method of cooking. One wok should be specifically for deep-frying and steaming. Then have a smaller wok for cooking for one or two people and a medium sized one for larger groups, or dinner parties. Woks are very easy to maintain, although then can get rusty if seldom used and not "seasoned" properly. To "season" a wok, clean it thoroughly first (if rusty, use a steel pad). Use soap to remove any rancid oils on the surface. Then, heat the wok on a low to medium heat until it almost starts to discolour. Add a teaspoon of oil and swirl it around to cover the whole pan. Wipe it with a paper cloth to evenly distribute the oil. Let it sit on the stove for a few seconds (5 or10 seconds only) then take it off the stove and let it cool for a couple of minutes. If you are using a gas stove, then there is no need to take the wok off the stove, just turn off the gas. You can repeat the process one more time by turning on the heat and adding another teaspon of oil when the wok heats up; but be careful not to overheat and burn the wok. The seasoning process acts as a non-stick layer and can be done any number of times. It does take a little practice to do it properly and if you have a problem, just go to an Oriental restaurant and ask one of the cooks to show you how to do it. Remember, that once you have seasoned your wok properly, its not necessary to scrub it with soap to clean it. The soap will remove the oily layer (seasoning). Just brush off food particles (unless they are burnt) with a sponge or cloth and rinse with plenty of hot water. Woks should be stored in a hanging position with nothing resting on the cooking surface. This is not unsanitary as the high cooking heat will kill any bacteria so there is nothing to worry about for those of you who are clean freaks and feel that they must disinfect everything. The only time that you should scrub your wok and soap it down is when you have obviously burnt the food and its stuck to the bottom. Then just soak the wok in warm water until the food loosens and scrub it off with a steel pad with soap. Then of course, you will have to re-season your wok.
Woks are so versatile, they can be used as a deep fryer or a steamer too. Its better to just keep one wok specifically for these two functions. Bamboo or metal steamers can be purchased and placed inside the wok and all you'll need is to add an inch or two of water. Purchase a wok lid, as this will keep the steam inside or in the case of deep frying or stir-frying; prevent splatter; plus, by keeping the heat inside the wok, it also shortens the cooking time even more. Before I forget, I'd better mention that for the typical modern kitchen using the standard stove; its possible to purchase flat bottomed woks, which give the (usually round bottomed) woks much greater stability. This doesn't really change the cooking dynamics that much. Its also important to remember, that you don't have to stick with Oriental recipes. Use your imagination and create your own recipes. Obviously, its not ideal for cooking big slabs of steak but rather smaller bite sized pieces of meat. Mix in vegetables and you actually have a healthier meal. Remember, that the juices released by the vegetables can form a very nutritious gravy, too. When vegetables are boiled in water, unfortunately, they lose most of their vitamins in the liquid which is too often discarded. Seafood, potatoes, squash, and vegetables can also be steamed using a wok.
Invest in a wok cooking book and you'll soon be off to further culinary adventures of the healthier kind. You can now find woks in practically any department store or Oriental food store. Bon Apetit.
www.wanderingwokcatering.com
pingscatering@shaw.ca
COPYWRITE 2006 RICHARD KWONG
