A wok is a traditionally Chinese, round-bottomed and high-walled pan. Its unique shape makes it very easily identifiable and it has since become popular all over Asia and the Western world, although its usage is still synonymous with Far-East Asian cooking.
The modern wok that we use, and that you probably use as well, is not exactly the same as the traditional wok in two key respects. First, most woks available today in the West have a flatter bottom, so that they can balance on gas-stove burners as well as electric burners. The traditional round-bottom wok would need to have a "wok ring" when used with a gas burner, and would simply not work with an electric stove.
Second, the woks we buy nowadays are teflon-coated, non-stick woks. Traditionally, woks are cast-iron and well treated with oil to prevent food from sticking. This cast-iron work imparts a specific taste to the food; a mixture of caramelisation of the meat, and the maillard reaction from the high-heat of the iron. This taste is generally missing when using a teflon-coated non-stick wok.
Well, we have to make do with what we can. The thing to remember when using a wok is that it works best when extremely hot. If you toss some meat and vegetables in a wok that is barely warm, you will end up just boiling everything in their juices. If you want to stir-fry, then heat is your friend.
But electric-stoves are not your friend. They take so long to heat up (and in turn get the wok hot) that if you reduce the heat or take the wok of the electric plaque for too long, it will take forever to get hot again and your stir-fry has become a stir-boil. If you are going to use a wok on an electric stove, I suggest you always keep the stove on high heat, and stir the contents frequently to prevent them from burning.
One of the things everybody loves to do when using a wok is to toss the food around in the wok by flipping it. The thing to remember is that it has to be a fluid technique; stop and hesitate halfway through the toss and you will end up redecorating your kitchen and painting the walls soya.
First, you will tilt the wok away from you, which will make the contents slide to the far side wall of the wok, then with an upward flick of your wrist (the one holding the wok handle) you will toss the food from the far-side slope of the wok back into the centre.
I suggest first trying it with your wok off, and placing a dish-washing sponge in the wok. It is not perfect, but will give you a feel for the dynamics. The trick is all in the wrist-flick, in knowing how much to flick ... too much and you will have the food on you, not enough and the food hasn't moved in the pan.
Hope this helps!
The modern wok that we use, and that you probably use as well, is not exactly the same as the traditional wok in two key respects. First, most woks available today in the West have a flatter bottom, so that they can balance on gas-stove burners as well as electric burners. The traditional round-bottom wok would need to have a "wok ring" when used with a gas burner, and would simply not work with an electric stove.
Second, the woks we buy nowadays are teflon-coated, non-stick woks. Traditionally, woks are cast-iron and well treated with oil to prevent food from sticking. This cast-iron work imparts a specific taste to the food; a mixture of caramelisation of the meat, and the maillard reaction from the high-heat of the iron. This taste is generally missing when using a teflon-coated non-stick wok.
Well, we have to make do with what we can. The thing to remember when using a wok is that it works best when extremely hot. If you toss some meat and vegetables in a wok that is barely warm, you will end up just boiling everything in their juices. If you want to stir-fry, then heat is your friend.
But electric-stoves are not your friend. They take so long to heat up (and in turn get the wok hot) that if you reduce the heat or take the wok of the electric plaque for too long, it will take forever to get hot again and your stir-fry has become a stir-boil. If you are going to use a wok on an electric stove, I suggest you always keep the stove on high heat, and stir the contents frequently to prevent them from burning.
One of the things everybody loves to do when using a wok is to toss the food around in the wok by flipping it. The thing to remember is that it has to be a fluid technique; stop and hesitate halfway through the toss and you will end up redecorating your kitchen and painting the walls soya.
First, you will tilt the wok away from you, which will make the contents slide to the far side wall of the wok, then with an upward flick of your wrist (the one holding the wok handle) you will toss the food from the far-side slope of the wok back into the centre.
I suggest first trying it with your wok off, and placing a dish-washing sponge in the wok. It is not perfect, but will give you a feel for the dynamics. The trick is all in the wrist-flick, in knowing how much to flick ... too much and you will have the food on you, not enough and the food hasn't moved in the pan.
Hope this helps!
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