Frying pans wok: what is it, what is needed and how to choose?

Today on the Internet you can find a huge number of clips about cooking in Asian countries. Dishes, resembling pancakes, are usually cooked on round or rectangular plates without sides, but all other dishes are made in cone-shaped cauldrons, pans, saucepans — you won’t even figure out what it's called. This is so unusual dishes for the European mentality that those who are planning to master the preparation of Asian food, should be better acquainted with this household utensils.

Traditional Oriental pan is called wok. In the classic version, it has a rounded bottom, so it cannot be put on a flat surface. To answer the question why this dish looks so strange, you should turn to history.

China is considered to be the birthplace of wok, where it is still used as combustible materials as fuel: thin branches, straw, corn cobs. And such "firewood" burn through so rapidly that you need to use iron utensils, which quickly give up their heat to the products.

There are woks in which they cook liquid dishes or use them as steamers. But they still differ from the usual frying pan (pan) with its greatly expanding neck. Modern manufacturers offer such dishes for use in homes, as well as over an open fire. Wok is available with one or two handles, which can be looped or long.

Today, wok is traditionally used in Asian countries. Such a kind of cauldron can be called differently. In India, for example, similar dishes are called karahi. But more and more fans of wok are found in European countries and on the American continents, because the pan is multifunctional, and the food is more beneficial to health due to the speed of cooking.

Wok is so versatile dishware what is possible in it:

• fry meat, vegetables, fish, nuts, cereals without oil, with the addition of oil or deep-fried;
• stew dishes under cover;
• cook liquid dishes: soups, jams, sauces;
• cook food for a couple.

The peculiarity of cooking in a thin-walled pan is constant stirring. Thanks to this technology, you can use a minimum of fat or even do without it. Frying products acquire a golden crisp, and this happens in just a few minutes. Meals are prepared quickly, retaining the original useful properties, and have a special taste and aroma.

Before you make the final choice in favor of the purchase, once again try to determine the advantages and disadvantages of wok. Clear advantages:

• universality of dishes - it will replace several options for household utensils;
• saving of time due to fast cooking;
• the ability to use the minimum amount of fat due to the fact that the pan heats up quickly;
• preservation of nutrients;
• fuel economy: it will take several minutes for roasting, for extinguishing - low heat;
• due to the special shape, the contents can be turned over without a spatula;
• the ability to cook several dishes at once using the grill: one dish is fried (stewed), the other is steamed;
• due to the high walls, it is difficult to imagine that the dish boiled away or something fell out of it while stirring;
• removable handles that save space;
• changing the shape of the bottom towards the plane allowed using this type of frying pan on electric, gas, induction stoves, and not just on an open fire.

The disadvantages include the following points:

• metal handles - hinges often cause burns, so elementary rules of operation must be followed;
• only wooden shovels are suitable for use, it is impossible to interfere with the dish with metal objects;
• wooden shovels are not always included in the kit - they need to be purchased;
• for a large family, a large wok is needed, but it may not fit in the oven.

Wok pans are distinguished by the shape of the bottom, size, volume, material, coating, type of handles, compatibility with the plates, configuration, price.

In this case, the wok can be:

• traditional - for open fire, used in furnaces of a special form, suspended over a fire (brazier) or mounted on a gas stove on a special stand;

• Indian: Tamil will have a larger diameter; a smaller griddle is called karahi;

• flat-bottomed - for use on an electric or induction stove.

When buying a pan for any type of plate manufacturer indicates the diameter of the upper edge, bottom and height of the walls. That is, on the price tag it will look like this: 40x20x6.5 cm. This dish has a wide variety of sizes. For professional use in catering places, a wok with a diameter of 2 meters along the top edge is used. For Eastern countries, this is normal.

For the first and second dishes, the volume of dishes should be different, and it does not always depend only on the diameter. To a greater degree - from the height of the walls. And here an “ambush” awaits: this is not a pan, nevertheless, the volume of the frying pan will grow with the diameter. It can be found on 1 liter and on 10. At a height of 9.5 cm, a wok per 10 l will be about 40 cm in diameter.

The metal from which the wok is cast will be of fundamental importance for the technology and the cooking time. Not all materials can interact with an induction or glass-ceramic stove, so when buying, it is necessary to study the information for which plates a particular wok is intended.

Aluminum pans are instantly heated, have a minimum weight, but a dish without constant stirring quickly burns. It is possible to use such ware on gas and electric stoves. However, a frying pan without a non-stick coating does not tolerate high temperatures, and even with a coating, it wears out quickly.

Steel woks are most popular. But keep in mind that steel is also different. Manufacturers offer carbon or stainless steel frying pans, as well as in combination with other metals (aluminum, copper, nickel, chrome). Coverage will be crucial.

If the choice fell on the dishes without coating, then you need to know the following:

• carbon frying pans have better non-stick properties, and when using a stainless steel, you will have to pour more oil;
• "Carbon" woks are more suitable for frying, stainless steel - for extinguishing;
• if the bottom is thin, then carbon steel will soon be curved, the stainless steel is not deformed;
• it is easier to care for stainless steel, carbon material dishes start to rust faster;
• it is possible to use dishes on all types of stoves, as well as on open fires;
• the fatter the pan, the longer it will serve;
• any steel withstands high and low temperatures;
• it is believed that dishes cooked in stainless steel retain their beneficial properties to a greater degree;
• uncoated steel cookware is inexpensive, weighs a little, it has good thermal conductivity.

Cast-iron pan - this is, on the one hand, excellent non-stick properties, and on the other - gravity and fragility. A wok with a wall thickness of 3 mm will heat up faster, but it can crack at any time. Thick-walled 9-mm wok is much heavier, but stronger. It will slowly heat up, but will also retain heat longer due to its smooth cooling. In a thin-walled pan, it is easier to cook traditional Asian dishes by shaking. In heavy cast iron dishes it is uncomfortable to do.

Since the dishes may rust due to water, cooked food must not be left in a cast iron wok. In general, such dishes are easy to care for, it can be used on any type of stove, it is durable. But cast iron absorbs all odors, so you need to clean the dishes thoroughly.

Perhaps the coating is even more important than the material of the Chinese frying pan. It prevents food from burning and contributes to the development of rapid mixing techniques. Consider the main types of coverage.

Now there are dishes with any such characteristic. In fact, all these are synonyms, indicating the deposition of stone chips on the metal. This method allows you to give a high wear resistance of dishes. Stone chips and mineral particles that make up these coatings turn the non-stick layer into reliable protection of the metal from scratches. Such a wok does not need butter or is used in small quantities.

Frying pans with a ceramic coating are distinguished by a uniform distribution of heat over the surface and its long retention. The ceramics is very comfortable in operation: metal shovels and spoons can come into contact with it, it is not afraid of detergents. It is designed for high temperatures, but negatively refers to the temperature difference: you should not take out a hot frying pan to the balcony in the winter cold. The result of this treatment may be cracks on the surface.

Negative properties include a large weight of dishes. And for slow stirring, like cast iron, it is not suitable. But in a dish that keeps warm well, very tasty stewed and deep-fried dishes, Asian soups are obtained. Ceramic woks can be put on electric and gas stoves.

Teflon coating is most popular. It is distinguished by resistance to aggressive detergents, high non-stick properties. But when working with such a surface, you can only use silicone or wooden blades.

Titanium coating is called environmentally friendly - according to numerous studies, it does not emit substances harmful to humans. Titanium is resistant to mechanical damage, has excellent non-stick properties, will last 25 years.

Enamelware has always been valued as a means of protecting food from the oxidation of metals. In the manufacture of dishes for frying and extinguishing used vitreous enamel, which does not allow for careless handling: metal brushes, shovels, spoons on such a surface should not be used. But on the enamel coating does not linger the smell of food, it is resistant to alkalis and acids, and does not interact with products. Enamel is easy to care for.

When buying a wok, you need to keep in mind that the purchase equipment may be very different. For fast cooking, you will definitely need a wooden spatula, spoon, skimmer. Chinese sticks will be useful, for some coatings - silicone spatula. But it is advisable to buy some accessories right away with a wok in order to choose the right size This is a grill and cover.

• Special grille will occupy half of the wok. It is designed for steaming. At the same time in the pan itself can be poured ordinary water or prepare another dish.

• Metal rings (wok ring) and wooden coasters to hold classic wok on the stove and on the table are a must.

• Some buyers purchase higher power burner (wok burner), to comply with all the technology of cooking in the pan.

• The most important value is a properly selected lid.if it is not included. The lid may be ordinary, usually from the same material as the wok itself. But many are trying to get a frying pan with a vacuum lid. It is equipped with a silicone sealant and a long handle, with which the lid can be put on its side, as well as a valve-indicator closure and a valve to release steam.

• Besides, for wok buy bamboo steamersthat set in the pan on the stand. Then water is added to the metal dish, and steaming products are put into the bamboo basket. Tuyok closed bamboo cover, and wok - metal.

Among all kinds of wonderful frying pans, electric wok stands out. In fact, it is a frying pan standing on an individual hotplate. This design has many advantages:

• safety of use due to the fixation of the wok on the stand - such dishes will not move or lean on the stove;
• more than 10 temperature regimes that allow easy control of the cooking process;
• quick heating of dishes;
• long heat retention;
• overheating protection.

When compiling ratings, the authors rely on a number of criteria that are important for different authors. We have chosen the material of which wok is made as the main criterion. But often manufacturers offer and multi-layer (steel / aluminum / steel), which allows to improve the cooking properties of dishes.

Stahlberg Zenit 1585-S - the smallest specimen, only 20 cm, with a marble coating. The volume of dishes - 1.8 liters. The obvious advantages are ease, speed of cooking, strength, the presence of an induction disc at the bottom. Wok has a drain spout through which excess fluid can be removed. The pan can be used in the oven. Minus is the price (about 4 thousand rubles).

"Neva Metal Tableware" series "Titan" - it is a cast pan with a four-layer polymer-ceramic non-stick coating. It has a removable handle that allows you to use it in the oven or put it in the freezer. The wok heats evenly, almost defies deformation, allows strong heating and cooling. You can put on gas, electric and induction stoves.

Fissman Vesuvio Stone (4247) differs in bilateral non-stick spraying: from the outside and inside, which makes the pan strong and durable. It is quite resistant to temperature changes and mechanical damage. The advantages include a weight of 1 kg, an ergonomic handle, the possibility of using induction hobs, washing in the dishwasher, as well as a low price. The downside is screw unreliable fastening handle.

"Seaton Ch2680d" - This is a budget version of the Ukrainian brand, which is very popular with customers. He drew attention to the possibility of removing the handle with a wooden lining. It is convenient to work in the technique of slow stirring and cook in deep fat. You can put on a gas burner and induction stove, as well as in the oven. Very comfortable price.

Gipfel Diletto 2147 - thick-walled compact solid cast wok with a lid. Handles are a single unit with dishes. This utensil has a small diameter - 24 cm, but a good depth - 8 cm. Due to the thick walls there is a good warming up, in such dishes you get tasty stews. Suitable for all cooking surfaces and ovens. Before you start using a wok, you almost do not need to start it - it is being processed already in the enterprise. The price is quite adequate - 2.5 thousand rubles.

"Biol 0526S" its properties resemble the previous instance. But in the complete set the Ukrainian manufacturer offers a heat-resistant transparent cover with a bakelite handle. Thanks to such a handle, you can safely remove the cover from the wok. The manufacturer claims that when working with these utensils, you can use metal objects. And if the pan is used without a lid, you can put it in the oven. This model is suitable for induction plates.

Classical Chinese woks are exactly steel dishes, most often from high carbon steel.

Granchio Marmo Induction (88013) - This is a big wok of stainless steel, with loop-cast solid short handles. A convenient convex lid with a glass insert allows you to simultaneously cook two dishes using a grill grate. The pan has a non-stick coating of marble chips, which is not afraid of mechanical damage. It covers the pan from all sides. The wok heats quickly and evenly and is compatible with induction hobs.

Paderno Ethnic Cuisine 49604-36 - This is a classic wok of thin-walled carbon steel. The wooden handle, the absence of non-stick coating, almost hemispherical shape - this is all that is needed to prepare these oriental dishes. The ware is not heavy, suitable for slow stirring, it warms up instantly, in seconds it will fry meat, fish, vegetables, without drying food. The pan has a reasonable cost - about 2 thousand rubles.

Tefal Illico (G7011914) - a popular stainless steel model with a non-stick coating based on titanium. Like most representatives of Tefal, the pan is equipped with an indicator in the form of a red circle at the bottom, from which it can be determined that the wok warmed up to 180 degrees. The bakelite heat-resistant handle is additionally wrapped in a silicone coating with anti-slip. The weight of this model is about a kilogram. Almost no oil is required for cooking. Meat, fish, vegetables, quickly roasted, keeping the juice. Suitable for induction cookers. The wok is easy to clean by hand, but can be done in a washing machine.

Absolutely all professionals will tell you that you should choose wok depending on the compatibility with the stove. Aluminum woks or ceramic coated models are compatible with gas burners and electric stoves. Models of iron and steel can be put on any stove, as well as open fire. For an induction cooker, it is important to have the properties of a magnet in the material of the dishes, so the most suitable dishes made of iron-carbon alloy.

The bottom shape is another important criterion. For electric stoves definitely need to buy a wok with a flat bottom and high non-stick properties. Also flat-bottomed should be a frying pan for induction and glass-ceramic plates. But for gas stoves and burners, you can use a classic wok or a metal stand for such dishes, which are sold in a set or separately.

The size of the dishes should be selected depending on:

• plates - the diameter of the bottom should not exceed the diameter of the burner;
• the number of family members;
• places of use - for home use it is not recommended to buy a frying pan more than 30 cm - it is more difficult to cope with it during cooking and difficult to store.

The most reliable pens - solid. But they can get very hot over an open fire or gas. In addition, such a handle will not allow you to put the wok in the oven. Therefore, many prefer removable copies. For shaking it is more convenient to have two holders. However, manufacturers offer a very good option: a long handle and a short loop. Do not forget to take care of anti-burn silicone or wooden linings.

When comparing prices, consider the presence or absence of accessories in the form of a lid, grill, paddle, skimmer, etc. Prices for woks are varied, for example, a cheap frying pan is 1.5 thousand rubles. A reasonable price is from 2.5 to 5 thousand rubles. But there are dishes for 16-20 thousand.

Before you start using a wok, you need to prepare it for work: “open” or, as the Chinese say, hoi wok. But this applies to cast iron and steel woks. If the pan is not put into operation correctly, then all products will constantly burn. Therefore we execute the following instruction.

1. Dishwashing detergent or soda to wash the purchase of shipping grease and dust.
2. Remove the rest of the detergent by boiling clean water for 5 minutes over medium heat, filling up the wok as much as possible.
3. Drain boiling water, check the dishes for fat content with a napkin. If there are traces of fat, then you need to wash the wok again.
4. If the preparation is done in the house, then you should close the door to the kitchen, turn on the hood and open the window. If possible, the further procedure should be carried out on the street (on the grill, campfire, in the summer kitchen).
5. Dry clean wok put on maximum fire (maximum power).
6. After a few minutes the bottom will become a bluish tint due to the high temperature.
7. Gently tilting the pan in different directions, you need to ignite the vessel from all sides.
8. When both the bottom and the walls become bluish, pour 80-120 ml of vegetable oil into the dishes so that the bottom is completely closed.
9. Tilting from side to side, it is necessary to ensure uniform spreading of oil over the entire inner surface.
10. 2-3 minutes after turning off the fire, the oil is drained and the dishes are cooled under running water: first from the outside, then from the inside.
11. At maximum heat, the wok is again heated, allowing the remaining water to evaporate.
12. 30-50 ml of oil are poured into a dry frying pan, spread over the entire surface and allowed to stand until smoke appears.
13. Dishes are removed from the switched off plate.
14. Observing precautions, you need to rub the hot oil into the inner and outer surfaces (paper towels or something similar).
15. The wok is left on the stand until it cools completely.

During cooking, too, has its own rules of operation of wok.

• Food should be constantly stirring from the center to the edges.
• The harder the product, the finer it should be cut. But all the ingredients should be about the same size.
• First, heat the pan (without coating), and then lay the products.
• The sequence of bookmarks: any meat, chopped carrots, onions, fleshy pepper, herbs, spices, thin noodles.
• Rice or noodles are often boiled separately.

An increasing number of home and professional chefs choose wok. There are no complaints about the frying pan model itself. According to user feedback, this is a very convenient and functional dish. In a classic wok it is convenient to fry, in cast iron - stew and cook. Absolutely all users are satisfied with the wok, but they recommend carefully choosing the dishes, paying attention to the material, weight, size, attachment handles and accessories. And then the purchase will be successful.

How to cook in a wok pan, see the following video.