| Non-stick woks do not require seasoning, and | | | | takes literally seconds to go through the drill once |
| come with simple cleaning instructions from the | | | | you get some practice. This process allows the |
| manufacturers, while steel carbon and iron woks | | | | traces of grease from the last dish to settle into |
| require seasoning. Cleaning a seasoned wok is a | | | | the carbon steel's pores, further seasoning the |
| lot different than a non-stick wok, and this is | | | | wok. |
| what we will cover here. | | | | After you are finished cooking a meal, cleaning |
| We will start with an important reminder: Do NOT | | | | the wok, and ready to put the wok away, it is |
| use a steel wool scouring pad (or any abrasive | | | | always a good practice to apply another thin coat |
| product) on a seasoned wok, EVER! It will waste | | | | of cooking oil. Store it in a dry, airy spot until you |
| all the effort you put forth in seasoning your wok, | | | | use it again (hopefully, very soon). Once the wok |
| and will require you to re-season it again. | | | | is well-seasoned, it becomes self-sufficient, and will |
| A freshly seasoned wok will need some extra | | | | not require re-coating again. As mentioned before, |
| tender-loving-care. Immediately after cooking each | | | | It takes time, care, and regular use before a wok |
| dish, rinse the wok with plain hot water only. It is | | | | develops a patina, where the wok becomes |
| important to not use any other cleaning product | | | | virtually non-stick, and the dishes impart that |
| to avoid damaging the seasoning. Often, there will | | | | elusive "wok hay". In addition, clean-up and care |
| be some bits and pieces of food particles stuck | | | | will be easy, requiring little time and effort, often |
| on the surface of a freshly seasoned wok. To | | | | only involves rinsing it with plain hot water and |
| remove them, gently lift them off with a bamboo | | | | little scrubbing, as none of the food should stick to |
| brush (highly recommended), or a non-metallic | | | | the wok. |
| scrubber. Then rinse the wok once more with | | | | As the black patina develops from frequent |
| plain hot water. To dry the wok, instead of wiping | | | | repeated use, it will also appear on the bottom |
| it dry, put the wet wok on the stove and set it | | | | exterior. It is also a layer of carbon from cooking |
| on high heat. Heat the wok until a faint smoke | | | | at a high heat. In a household kitchen, where the |
| arises from the bottom, then either let it cool and | | | | stove does not reach as high a temperature as it |
| store it away, or continue to cook another dish. It | | | | does in a restaurant, this is actually a good thing. |
| is a common practice for chefs in Chinese | | | | It helps conduct the heat faster, concentrates the |
| restaurants to immediately put the wok back on | | | | heat to the bottom of the wok, and brings the |
| the stove, pour hot water into the wok, scrub it | | | | wok to an even higher temperature. A nice bonus |
| quickly with a bamboo brush, dump out the | | | | is that it also enhances the flavor of the dish. So, |
| water, and then place the wok back on the hot | | | | there is no need to scrub the exterior of the |
| stove while he/she prepares another dish. By the | | | | wok, either. Just a simple hot water rinse after |
| time he/she is ready to cook the next dish, the | | | | cooking should be enough. |
| wok is already hot, dry, and primed to go. It | | | | |