Want to buy a wok for cooking but can’t quite decide? After reading this post, it’ll be crystal clear—and you won’t be able to cook some recipes without a wok.
The wok (kuo in Mandarin), which literally means "container in which it is cooked," is a utensil originally from and very popular in China.
One of my favorites and one I use often is the Le Creuset Wok. One of its main advantages is that it is made of cast iron, which retains heat and heats evenly. It also prevents rusting and food from sticking. This utensil It has the perfect shape for sautéing, stewing, boiling, or steaming; its great versatility offers a wide range of culinary possibilities.
Photo: Le Creuset wok
Its wide, deep shape creates different temperature zones: hotter at the base, where foods brown quickly, and milder along the sides to keep them warm once cooked. The wok allows you to use very little oil or fat, so everything I cook in it is very healthy and flavorful.
Then there’s one of the most used and best-selling woks in the world, the Ken Hom wok. It’s a wok made of carbon steel (an iron wok), practical and that distributes heat wonderfully. It comes in its most common version, for gas and ceramic cooktops (the Ken Hom Everyday wok, this one) and also the version that is also suitable for induction cooking (the Ken Hom Professional wok, here). Both the Ken Hom Everyday and the Ken Hom Professional offer unbeatable value for money.
If you're looking for a wok lighter than iron woks, we highly recommend the Kuhn Rikon one. It is a wok with a practical handle and its nonstick coating is highly reinforced, which is very interesting and convenient for cookware that operates at high temperatures, as is the case with a wok. This Kuhn Rikon wok can be used on all types of stovetops, including induction.
Ken Hom carbon steel woks, Everyday (for gas and ceramic hobs) and Professional, for induction cooktops; and Kuhn Rikon Nonstick Wok
For ceramic lovers, Emile Henry has made the the first ceramic wok, called "Flame®". With ceramic, the wok quickly reaches cooking temperature, but also stabilizes, preserving flavors and keeping foods crisp. The Emile Henry wok ensures healthy, very easy cooking, while maintaining the traditional character of ceramic cookware.
Photo: ceramic wok
Another excellent wok you'll love is made by Silit from Silargan ceramic. It's a highly durable material, very scratch-resistant, non-abrasive, and nickel-free. The base, suitable for all cooktops including induction, has a smooth design to protect the cooking surface and is also a very good conductor of heat, saving energy.
And for those who love outdoor barbecues, I want to show you a tool you're going to love. This stainless steel wok pan is perfect for enjoying your barbecue even more. You can cook vegetables, seafood, or even meats or fish in it easily while keeping all the barbecue flavor and aromas. What do you think? Wonderful, right?
Photo: stainless steel wok-style frying pan
Well, I hope this has helped you get to know a bit more about this great yet little-known kitchen utensil, which, besides giving us excellent results, helps us take care of ourselves and cook in a very healthy way.
Have you already chosen the wok that best suits your needs and tastes? I hope this post has given you some clues about how to choose a wok. I would keep them all!
