Wok
A wok is a deep, round-bottomed pan from China for stir-frying, steaming and deep-frying over high heat. Here is how to season and cook in one.
Also called Wok pan.
A wok is a deep, bowl-shaped pan with sloped sides, from China and used across East and Southeast Asia. Most are thin carbon steel, which heats fast and becomes nonstick once seasoned. The shape gives a very hot spot at the bottom and cooler sides, so you can sear food in the center and push it up the sides. It is the pan for a stir-fry, and it also works for steaming, deep-frying, braising and smoking.
How to do it
To season a new carbon steel wok:
- Scrub off the factory coating with hot soapy water and steel wool. Dry it.
- Heat it over high heat, turning it, until the metal changes color, often to blue-gray or bronze.
- Rub a thin layer of oil over the inside with a folded paper towel held in tongs.
- Stir-fry onions or scallions with a little oil for a few minutes over medium-high heat, then discard them. Repeat the oil step a few times.
To stir-fry:
- Prepare everything first. Stir-frying takes minutes.
- Heat the wok until a drop of water evaporates in a second or two, then add oil.
- Add aromatics, then meat in small batches. Velvet chicken or pork first for a soft texture.
- Keep food moving with a wok spatula. Add sauce last.
How to store it
Rinse with hot water and scrub with a soft brush. Use little or no soap. Dry it over the burner, then wipe on a few drops of oil. Store it dry.
Common mistakes
- Overcrowding. A home stove cannot reheat the wok fast enough and the food stews. Cook in batches of a few handfuls.
- Using a round-bottomed wok on a flat electric or induction stove. It wobbles and does not heat. Use a flat-bottomed wok.
- Choosing a nonstick wok for a stir-fry. The coating is not made for the high heat a stir-fry needs.
- Cooking acidic sauces for a long time in a new wok. They strip the seasoning.
- Letting it rust by leaving it wet.
In recipes
"Heat the wok until smoking" means very hot, with a wisp of smoke as the oil goes in. Without a wok, a large carbon steel pan or cast iron skillet is the best swap. The smoky taste of restaurant stir-fries is called wok hei, "the breath of the wok".
Recipes made with it
27 recipes from the sites we collect.
Related terms
- Stir-fryStir-frying cooks small, evenly cut pieces of food in a very hot wok with a little oil, stirring constantly so they sear and cook through in minutes.
- Carbon steel panA carbon steel pan is a light, fast-heating iron pan that turns nearly nonstick once seasoned. Here is how to season it and keep it rust-free.
- VelvetVelveting coats sliced meat in egg white and cornstarch, then cooks it briefly in water or oil before stir-frying. It keeps the meat soft and silky.
- SteamSteaming cooks food over, not in, boiling water, using the hot vapor that rises from it. Vegetables, fish and dumplings stay tender, moist and bright.
- SpiderA spider is a wide, shallow wire-mesh skimmer with a long handle for lifting food out of hot oil or boiling water. Here is how and when to use one.
- Deep-fryDeep-frying cooks food fully submerged in hot oil, usually 170 to 190°C (340 to 375°F), for a crisp shell and a moist inside. Here is how to do it safely.