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Cooking Woks
offer a number of things you can do such as stir-frying,,
roasting, steaming and deep-frying. And like any other cookware
set in the kitchen, it deserves a little more than just cleaning.
Although considered traditional, carbon steel cooking woks are
still the best since it uses lesser oil when used for frying.
It would be most excellent to know the different types of cooking
woks available in the market according to size, shape and use to
fit your cooking needs. There are Chinese woks, electric woks,
stainless type woks, carbon steel woks and non-stick type woks.
You might be surprised to know that all of these have different
uses when it comes to cooking.
Mostly, the cooking wok types are those we use for deep-frying,
roasting and even for boiling of water.
• Deep-frying -
For this technique, make sure that there is enough oil in the wok.
Aside from this, maintain a medium-high heat, which ranges only up
to 375 degrees. It has a built in structure that can maintain the
heat. After this, you only need to wait until the food
turns golden-brown. Hence, use a wire strainer in removing the
food out of the wok. This is for draining the oil. Another option
is to place a paper towel on the plate. Doing so will help absorb
excess oils.
• Steam - With steaming using a wok, most people often use
bamboo steamers. A bamboo steamer is a round basket that holds the
food over the steaming water. In order for the steam to come out,
the lid should be tightly closed. Then, place the bamboo steamer
in the wok and fill it with some water. The water should be half
inch below the steamer. After this, cover the wok and let the
water boil over high heat. The duration of the steaming process
depends on the particular recipe. Next, carefully remove the
bamboo steamer from the wok. Another way of steaming is with the
use of a so-called "wire streamer". This is a good way of braising
and smoking food. All you need to do is to place the rack inside a
wok and add 1 inch water below the rack. Make sure the water does
not touch the rack. You need to then arrange the food which can be
steamed in a heatproof plate. You will then put the plate on the
rack of the wok. Lastly, cover the wok and maintain medium-heat or
as directed in the recipe
When purchasing a wok, you might want to consider the purpose of
buying one and what you really need to use the new one for. Make a
shortlist in your head the benefits and advantages of each one
before actually buying the cooking wok. You have to be extra
careful in buying cooking woks since there are available in the
market that falls short on quality. As a rule of thumb, you might
want to consider the price but not compromise durability and
quality. There are available buys on the Internet where you can
find inexpensive yet durable ones.
You might find it unusual but woks have accessories too. These
are:
Wok Rack: A wok rack is used for deep-fat fry and draining
the oil completely. It is perfect for draining off excess oil from
the food. It is a semicircular or doughnut-shaped wire rack
hanging from both sides of the wok.
Steamer Rack: A steamer rack is very good for steaming. As
steamer rack holds the food over the simmering water while it
circulates the steam and allows the food to cook.
Wire-Mesh Strainer: The wire
mesh strainer is recommended to use during deep-frying. It works
magic by helping you remove cooked food from the hot oil and
protects your hand from intense heat. However, you may use a
long-handled slotted spoon in the absence of wire-mesh strainer.
Chopsticks: Two thin sticks employed chiefly in picking up
food to the mouth. In Asian countries, this is not only used for
eating but also for cooking.
Tongs: Tongs are used for removing fried food or steamed
food. They come in wood or metal materials.
Bamboo Brush: Bamboo brush helps in making sure you may use
your woks longer and keeps its quality at its best. In the absence
of a bamboo brush, you may also use loofah. Bamboo brush is known
for its gentle quality making it the perfect utensil cleaner.
Avoid using any abrasive pad or cleaner that may damage non-stick
or seasoned surface.
Most of the woks present in the market are dishwasher safe but to
achieve a spotlessly clean work, it is best to use your hands in
washing. It is imperative that you clean your wok after every cook
to keep your wok in perfect condition and maintain superb hygiene.
You can follow these very simple steps in cleaning your wok and be
assured of an enhanced durability that almost last a lifetime.
Simply use your hands in washing the wok however, if you are not
satisfied with how you clean your wok, just soak it in plain water
for hours and then clean it again. You can also use a soft wipe to
clean the pot and rough wipe to get rid of spot and grease.
You might find it amusing to know that you can also use table salt
to take away hard-to-clean remove food particles. All you have to
do is gently rub the table salt onto the area and then rinse with
warm water. Please take note that it would be very ideal to dry it
over low heat to avoid rusting as compared to air-drying.
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