John Myers
With classic cooking in the wok, the ingredients are cooked particularly gently despite the high temperatures. Vitamins and nutrients are preserved better than frying in a flat pan because meat and vegetables are constantly stirred between the hot bottom and the cooler walls. This cooking technique is called stir-frying. Ingredients that have already been cooked through can be pushed to the edge of the pan and continue cooking there over low heat. This is made possible by the special shape of the high-walled pan.
All kinds of meat, fish, and vegetables can be prepared in the wok. The cooking times when stir-frying are very short because high heat is essential for the cooking method. Before you start cooking, all the ingredients should be prepared and ready to hand. High-temperature frying requires heat-resistant oil with as high a smoke point as possible, such as soybean oil, peanut oil, or corn oil. Virgin olive oil, butter, and margarine, on the other hand, are not suitable.
The wok is first heated before the oil is added. The ingredients then follow, taking into account their individual cooking times. The meat goes into the pan first. If it is already cooked through before the other ingredients, it is pushed to the edge or taken out of the wok. This is followed by hard vegetables with longer cooking times such as carrots or peppers, and finally fast-cooking, soft vegetables or mushrooms are added.
Soy sauce should only be seasoned at the end, as it burns easily. If the temperature in the pan is too high, the dish can be deglazed with a little water. If you want to cook for several people, you should note that a wok is designed for smaller portions. If you want to prepare large quantities of meat or vegetables in the wok, you should do this in several stages.
In traditional woks, the bottom and wall are made of the same material. The bottom is also rounded because the original cooking areas are not flat, but have a wide opening. The western wok models, on the other hand, have to stand firmly on the stovetop. At best, classic woks with a rounded base can also be used on gas stoves. The ideal diameter for beginners is around 32 centimetres. In addition to a lid, the basic equipment also includes a wooden spatula with which the ingredients can be stirred without damaging the coating. In addition to classic stir-frying, the wok is also suitable for cooking, roasting, steaming, steaming, deep-frying, or stewing food.
