WOK cooking (?)
Nana
I here it is pretty simple...so maybe someone might give some help, please
thanks
Mr3Putt
Make no mistake, you can (IMHO) cook with less oil using a wok than a regular
pan, due to it's shape... but for making a good stir-fry, I get just as
favorable results using the non-stick fry-pan as with the wok. And the FP is
easier to clean.
Probably flame-fodder, but just my O.
Nana wrote:
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______________________________________________
Michael Little
mwli...@earthlink.net
NOTE: skip the 'PAR3' in my address to reply
=====================================================
Laugh while you can, Monkey Boy! -J Warfen
Mcc6050
>Can anyone tell me how the wok is used ?
The wok is used for three major purposes
1. Stir fry
The wok is traditional in Chinese cooking but is not absolutely necessary, and
any dish that can be cooked in a wok can be cooked in a skillet.
You will almost always get a cover and a wok ring with the wok. The ring is
essentially a safety device to hold a wok over a burner.
The shape of the wok, the deep sloping sides and the small bottom surface, is
designed for stir frying with high heat. The wok is heated over high heat, oil
put in, the foods you wish to cook are put in also (cut into small uniform
pieces and added/removed generally in a specific order) and the food is
stirred/tossed to cook it very rapidly. The point of the stirring/tossing is to
keep the food in contact with the hottest surface. A large spatula, a large
spoon, or traditional Chinese utensils can be used to stir fry. A perforated
scoop is really useful for removing food with as little oil as possible.
2. Deep Frying
This is cooking foods in heated oil, much as you would cook foods in oil in a
deep fryer. Wok is great for tempura, egg rolls, etc.
3. Steaming
Steaming foods is very easy with a wok, and the bamboo steamers are excellent
for this purpose. Water is boiled in the wok and the bamboo steamer is placed
in the wok, above the water as in any steaming procedure. The bamboo steamers
are layer so that different foods may be steamed at the same time.
An electric wok can be used for stir frying but it does not really become hot
enough to cook the foods rapidly. I use my electric woks for making soup,
braised foods, steaming, and as serving dishes.
Hope this helps. posted/emailed
Christine
Just Geo1
In article <364BDD39...@earthlink.net>, Mr3Putt
<mwPAR3...@earthlink.net> writes:
>A wok, very basely put, is used much as a frying pan.
>
>Make no mistake, you can (IMHO) cook with less oil using a wok than a regular
>pan, due to it's shape... but for making a good stir-fry, I get just as
>favorable results using the non-stick fry-pan as with the wok. And the FP is
>easier to clean.
>
>Probably flame-fodder, but just my O.
No flame, but Wok cooking is fabulous! And they are easy to clean if they are
seasoned correctly. Just rinse and let it dry! :>
Jolly Time BBS
Just for the Halibut!
(206) 244-8108
arron
Mcc6050 wrote:
> Nana asked
>
> >Can anyone tell me how the wok is used ?
>
Just adding a little to this posting:
>
> The wok is used for three major purposes
>
> 1. Stir fry
>
> The wok is traditional in Chinese cooking but is not absolutely necessary, and
> any dish that can be cooked in a wok can be cooked in a skillet.
> spoon, or traditional Chinese utensils can be used to stir fry. A perforated
> scoop is really useful for removing food with as little oil as possible.
>
> 2. Deep Frying
>
> This is cooking foods in heated oil, much as you would cook foods in oil in a
> deep fryer. Wok is great for tempura, egg rolls, etc.
>
Much of the above advantages of a wok are due to the concave shape of the wok which
always makes the oil flows to the middle and therefore gives much control to oil;
and the
thick cast iron side (a wok is not a selfrespecting- wok if it is not made of
cast iron or some other very thick metals)that allows heat to be (regionally)
evenly distributed and yet high heat could be used.
The cast iron once well seasonded (having also soaked in some oil into the metal),
makes it very resistant to getting dirty...almost attain the ability of the
non-stick pan. Washing is easy and can take any scrubbing with up to mild scouging
brush or powder.
If wok is badly burnt jusst gives it a thorough scrubbing, even polishing and then
reseasoned.
> 3. Steaming
>
Deborah F. Ryan
Just Geo1 wrote:
Had an in-law (or perhaps out-law???) nearly gag because I didn't wash my Wok.
Seems to me the high temp of the burner would kill all any germs after rinsing.
Right? tanx! peace...debbie
JUST AN H
>Wok.
>Seems to me the high temp of the burner would kill all any germs after
>rinsing.
>Right? tanx! peace...debbie
>
Rinsing the wok under hot running water and using a plastic scrubber to remove
the more stubborn particles is fine. But for goodness sake, don't ever use
soap or, worse, brillo pads to clean a wok. You'll ruin a perfectly seasoned
wok that way.
As for bacteria, well, heating the wok next time you cook with it kill any and
all bacteria.
J.
Deborah F. Ryan
JUST AN H wrote:
Tanks! I think that's what got her so wired. I used a bamboo brush that I
purchased in China Town and hot water. Nothing else. Then put the Wok back on a
high burner for a few minutes. Been doing this for a good long while and we
haven't gotten sick from it yet. Guess some ppl just have to see those suds in
order to feel like something is sanitary ;^) peace...debbie
Deborah F. Ryan
arron wrote:
> JUST AN H wrote:
>
> > >
> > But for goodness sake, don't ever use
> > soap or, worse, brillo pads to clean a wok. You'll ruin a perfectly seasoned
> > wok that way.
> >
>
> If your wok is made of cast iron as it should be.....................scrub as much
> as you like
> brillo, or any scrubbing powder, then wash it clean and carry
> on....................
> A wok that is used for frying (with oil ) once a while will be self
> seasoning.................
Oops. Mine isn't cast, but it cooks very nicely. No hot spots. Oh ok, sometimes food
will stick a little, but I assumed that was my fault for not keeping it moving.
Wouldn't cast rust like my mother's old cornbread pans? Ya got me curious
now....peace....debbie
arron
JUST AN H
>much
>as you like
>brillo, or any scrubbing powder, then wash it clean and carry
>on....................
>A wok that is used for frying (with oil ) once a while will be self
>seasoning.................
A cast iron wok? I don't think so. There are aluminum woks (yuck!) and
Teflon-coated electric woks (again, yuck!), but the best woks still come from
China and are made of heavy-guage carbonated steel.
Even if one could find a cast iron wok this side of the Iron Age, one would
care for it as carefully as one would care for a modern day cast iron pan or
skillet.
Again, I say that no soap or brillo pads should ever be used on seasoned metal
cookware. The seasoning and non-stick qualities of such cookware are best
preserved by cleaning with hot water and a plastic (or bamboo) scrubber.
J.
Just Geo1
In article <364F6051...@jorsm.com>, "Deborah F. Ryan" <fa...@jorsm.com>
writes:
>>
>>
>> No flame, but Wok cooking is fabulous! And they are easy to clean if they
>are
>> seasoned correctly. Just rinse and let it dry! :>
>Had an in-law (or perhaps out-law???) nearly gag because I didn't wash my
>Wok.
>Seems to me the high temp of the burner would kill all any germs after
>rinsing.
>Right? tanx! peace...debbie
>
That and if its properly seasoned, there should be little or no food left
behind anyway! I haven't used soap on our wok for months or maybe even years...
:)
Dusty G.
>Teflon-coated electric woks (again, yuck!), but the best woks still come
>from China and are made of heavy-guage carbonated steel.
>
>Even if one could find a cast iron wok this side of the Iron Age, one would
>care for it as carefully as one would care for a modern day cast iron pan or
>skillet.
Just for grins, Lodge and some other cast iron mfg. are making cast iron
woks selling for about $25. Thought I'd make your day <G>
My woks are heavy gage carbon steel, & I use them on the stove, on braziers
(kinda like hibichis) and over a fire.
Dusty