Wok (frying pan): what is this? Frying pan wok: recipes, reviews, price

Relatively recently on the shelves of our stores a new kind of cooking utensil - a wok-frying pan - appeared. "What it is? What to cook in it? "- these questions became quite expected, as many buyers were perplexed, for what it is needed, since there are saucepans, pans and usual frying pans. So first, let's talk about what exactly is a wok, and only then will we understand the features of cooking with it.

Wok-frying pan: what is it

Frying pan wok has its distribution directly from Asian countries - it is through this utensils that food is prepared everywhere. The history of the subject counts for many centuries: the wok was invented even in Ancient China by low-income villagers, who tried to save everything, including fuel for their hearths. For them, it was important to prepare food quickly and at the same time keep it warm for as long as possible. These goals were the creation of a kind of frying pan with chamfered walls.

The current frying pan for wok practically does not differ from its ancestors. It likewise has a conical shape with a flat, sometimes convex, small bottom, a fairly large diameter, thin walls and a pair of handles. Due to the original structure of the wax, the products, regardless of their category and density, are prepared faster than in a conventional frying pan, as the pieces of food get lost to the center where all the heat is concentrated.

Characteristics of woks

Before buying this very exotic item of kitchen utensils, you first need to decide exactly where you are going to cook in it and how often it is planned to use it. On this depends the shape, size and material from which the wok-frying pan will be made. What will it give? Let's try to figure it out.

Material

Woks can be made of different types of steel, cast iron, copper, ceramics. In addition, some models have a special non-stick coating, such as the Tefal frying pan.

Specialists in the field of Asian cooking say that the most durable and durable are woks made of cast iron and carbon steel. In addition, these materials have the property of evenly distributing heat throughout the surface of the frying pan, thereby ensuring the use of the useful area to the maximum. Dishes on these woks are obtained with a more intense and vivid taste. It is worth noting that, due to its characteristic qualities, the steel still cools down much faster than cast iron, but at the same time it warms up faster.

Shape of the bottom

There are two types of bottoms - flat and convex - which have a wok-frying pan. What does this mean?

If you plan to use a frying pan at home, in particular for cooking on an electric or induction cooker, preference should be given to a flat bottom dish - it is more stable and warms up better.

Those who have a gas stove, are recommended woks both flat and convex. In the second variant, a special ring is used to install the rounded wok on the grill, which ensures reliable stability of the utensils and protects the burner from contact with the dishes.

For cooking on the street or during a picnic, wok can be found with a special stand, at the very bottom of which there is a hearth.

Types of pens

Today, among the variety of wok models, one can meet both traditional species with two rounded grips, and one rounded, and the second - elongated. There are also a lot of options with a single handle, like the usual classical frying pan.

Since 1 kilogram - the minimum weight that a good frying pan has , the reviews about the convenience of this or that type of handles are useless to look for - you need to try on each model and choose the one that will fit most comfortably in your hands.

Diameter

This parameter depends entirely on how many people are in the family and how often guests come to you. Woks with a diameter of up to 35 centimeters will be convenient for one person, and for a family of 2-3 people. A large company, accordingly, will need a much larger wok - a diameter of 40 centimeters.

In addition, it is worth remembering that a good wok is not cheap: it is better to buy goods from a well-known manufacturer of dishes that will last a long time. Prices for quality woks start, as a rule, from 1000-1500 rubles, depending on the diameter and the availability of additional accessories. For example, a wok frying pan with a lid or a special set of spatulas will cost an order of magnitude more expensive than a similar product without accompanying paraphernalia.

What can I cook in a wok

Speed cooking, versatility, the ability to maintain the maximum benefit of food - these are the basic qualities that the frying pan wok is known for . The recipes for cooking in this dish are so numerous that it is not possible to list them all - each Asian nation has its own culinary delights. However, the most common recipes are the following dishes:

- Rice, buckwheat and wheat noodles with vegetables and meat, chicken or seafood. It will be required: noodles, bean sprouts or string beans, carrots, sweet peppers, toping (chicken, beef or shrimp), soy sauce, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper, onions. The topping is pre-marinated in soy sauce, then cut into pieces fried in a wok. Next, finely chopped vegetables, cooked until half-cooked noodles are added, the dish is flavored with spices and garlic, filled with soy sauce and brought to the ready for 5-7 minutes.

- Curry. Ingredients: chicken, chicken broth, curry seasoning, tomatoes or tomato paste, garlic, onion, red pepper and paprika. First, the vegetables are cut and fried in a wok in tomato paste or grated tomatoes, then pepper, salt, curry and paprika are added. Chicken is cut into thin strips and also put in the wok. Then half a glass of broth is poured and stewed until ready. Curry is most often eaten by rice.

- Fried chicken with nuts. Ingredients: chicken, onion, mushrooms, walnuts or cashews, bean or soy sauce. Chopped chicken fried in a wok about 5 minutes, then add mushrooms and onions. After 5-7 minutes nuts are poured and sauce is poured in. The dish is cooked and served with rice or noodles.

For those who lose weight, it is the frying pan wok that becomes the real salvation. Reviews about the benefits of dishes cooked with it, are only positive color. When frying, the oil is used at a minimum. Accordingly, the amount of cholesterol consumed and caloric content decrease.

Rules of cooking in a wok

- Use of soy sauce and spices (black and red pepper, ginger, turmeric, sesame, curry).

- First in the wok laid meat and especially dense vegetables.

- It is necessary to constantly stir the ingredients to avoid burning them.

- For special piquancy, meat, chicken and seafood are pre-marinated for 2-3 hours.

Frying pan wok is an outlet not only for those who are crazy about Chinese and Asian cuisine. It will also please the owners who love tasty and healthy food, but at the same time have a minimum of time to prepare it, and the shape and depth of the wok will not only fry the food, but even boil the soup and put out the vegetables.