How to cook using a wok

stir-frywok

I've heard that using a wok helps ensure not only perfectly cooked meats and vegetables, it also just makes food taste better. I've purchased a new wok and am looking forward to putting it to use. As a beginner, what are the key steps I need to follow to cook properly using a new wok?

Best Answer

Um ... just off the top of my head, important things when cooking with a wok:

  1. Make sure all of your items to cook are ready before the first thing goes to the heat; it's quick cooking, and you don't want to be trying to chop something while you're trying to stir things at the same time.
  2. You want to cook over high heat. The oil should be just about to smoking before cook with it, and you want to use an oil with a high smoke point (eg, peanut, canola, soy, corn)
  3. Don't cool off the pan. Add ingredients in stages (harder, longer cooking things first), so you don't drop the temperature too quickly.
  4. It's called a stir fry for a reason -- you need oil to help transfer the heat. You can saute, if you really want to, but it's not quite the same.

... and unfortunately, most residential stoves can't put out enough heat for the wok to work perfectly -- it might be good, but you'll never quite get the same as what you get from a restaurant. If you're cooking for a large number of people, it's sometimes easier to cook the ingredients individually or it batches, then combine it all back together at the end.

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