Wok

The wok ({{zh-tsp|t=?|s=?|p=huò}}; Cantonese: wok6) is a versatile cooking utensil used especially in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is identical to gu? (?; ?; wo1) in Chinese linguistic research.

Related Topics:
Cantonese - Cooking utensil - East Asia - Southeast Asia

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In Indonesia the wok is known as a wadjang, kuali in Malaysia, and kawali (small wok) and kawa (big wok) in the Philippines.

Related Topics:
Indonesia - Malaysia

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It is traditionally a round-bottomed pan that ranges from 30 cm to a meter or more in diameter.

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Almost every Chinese family owns one. It is most often used for stir frying, but can also be used many other ways, such as in steaming and deep frying or to make soup. One advantage of woks is that the shape produces a small, hot area at the bottom while using relatively little fuel. The curve helps spread an open flame to cook food evenly and allows for easier use of the toss cooking technique Chinese chefs are famous for using with less spillage.

Related Topics:
Stir frying - Steaming - Deep frying - Soup

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Woks are found composed of a variety of materials, in a variety of sizes. By far the most commonly used material these days is carbon steel, although cast iron was the old standard. Some woks are even made of aluminum, although this is a bit of an overkill. Although an excellent conductor of heat, aluminum does not retain heat as well as these other two materials, which is a vital attribute of a wok in stir frying. Cast iron is by far superior to carbon steel in its own heat retention, but the incredible weight of cast iron makes carbon steel the most popular option due to its relatively light weight, quick heat conduction, and excellent heat retention. A 14" wok is the most common size, suitable for a family of 3 or 4, but woks can commonly be found as small as 10" and as large as 36".

Related Topics:
Carbon steel - Cast iron - Aluminum - Conductor of heat - Stir frying

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Woks are also sold in western countries, where they are sometimes found with flat bottoms and/or nonstick coatings. This makes them more similar to a deep frying pan than a true wok. However, the flat bottoms mean that they can be used on an electric cooker. Woks with curved bottoms normally come with metal rings to stabilize them on a gas stove. When such a wok is used on an electric stove, the ring should normally be placed upside-down so that the wok is in contact with the burner.

Related Topics:
Nonstick - Frying pan - Electric cooker

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In a joke sport introduced by the German comedian Stefan Raab, woks are used to carry people down a bobsleigh track. In November 2003 the first "official" championship was held in Winterberg, Germany.

Related Topics:
Stefan Raab - Bobsleigh - First "official" championship - Winterberg

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