| Chinese food can be cooked using any pan at all | | | | heat as little of the rounded bottom is in direct |
| but if you want a really versatile implement in | | | | contact with the heat source. |
| which you can stir fry, braise and deep fry, you | | | | Regardless of the heat source, once hot, meat, |
| must have a wok. This simply designed yet | | | | chicken and vegetables with a little oil cook |
| incredibly useful tool has been used in Chinese | | | | tremendously quickly in a wok while the high sides |
| cooking (and indeed the cooking of other Far | | | | and large surface area ensure that the food can |
| Eastern countries) for centuries but even today is | | | | be moved around safely to prevent burning. |
| indispensable to professional chefs and home | | | | Equally, it can be used to flash-fry meat before |
| cooks alike. | | | | braising, which is another commonly used Chinese |
| Woks come in many shapes and sizes; some with | | | | cooking technique. It can also be used to deep fry |
| flat bottoms, some with two handles and some | | | | such things as spring rolls and won tuns as well as |
| with one. Cast iron is often used in wok | | | | braising spare ribs or a whole duck. A wok with a |
| manufacture but the resulting pan is very very | | | | lid is excellent for steaming whole fish or Chinese |
| heavy and cumbersome to use. Non-stick woks | | | | dumplings. In fact, the wok is probably the most |
| are also available but the surface can't withstand | | | | versatile cooking pan ever invented. |
| the very high temperatures needed for Chinese | | | | Because the food cooks so quickly while stir |
| cookery and aluminum pans, while conveniently | | | | frying, there is no time for continuing preparation |
| lightweight and cheap, don't conduct or retain heat | | | | while you cook. In fact, organisation is the key |
| as well as cast iron. However, by far the most | | | | here; all meat and vegetables should be prepared |
| effective is the classic wok which is made of | | | | in advance, sliced in evenly sized and shaped |
| beaten steel, has a rounded bottom and a single | | | | pieces; other ingredients should be measured out |
| wooden handle. Of course, if the purpose of the | | | | into separate bowls and spices measured onto a |
| wok is purely for serving, it doesn't matter what | | | | plate. Make sure that stock is ready in a jug and |
| it's made of and all sorts of decorative varieties | | | | if possible have sauce ingredients all mixed |
| can be found. | | | | together. |
| The traditional wok works best on a gas cooker | | | | Once all the component parts are prepared, the |
| or a charcoal stove as the flames will heat the | | | | actual cooking will be completed in minutes and |
| rounded bottom more effectively. Using a special | | | | with some practice anyone can cook using this |
| stand, a wok can be used on an electric hob but it | | | | marvelous piece of equipment. |
| is much slower to achieve the same intensity of | | | | |