Help With A New Wok

[buckytom]

lol, we're just getting started.

i haven't done it myself, but i saw a show recently where loose tea was put into a dry wok over high heat, with a steamer tray supported on chopsticks above it in the wok. a few seabass steaks were smoked on the tray, about 6 ozs. each. the tea was brought to a smoke, then the wok covered until the fish was opaque throughout, aroud 10 - 15 minutes.

i've been thinking of trying it with monkfish.

 

[GotGarlic]

I've been using peanut oil (mostly because I heard it had the highest smoking point and I have a tendency to burn everything) but I do want to try the sesame oil. Do I need to keep the temp lower?

Cooking Asian, especially Chinese, food with peanut oil gives the most authentic flavor, imo. Don't cook with sesame oil - it has a relatively low smoke point. It's used at the very end of cooking as a flavoring.

I have a favorite stir-fry recipe at home - I'll try to remember to post it tonight.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Another great use for the wok (and by the way, thanks BT for pointing out that the wok is a multi-tasker) is as a deep fryer. The wide top, coupled with a relatively small but stable base allows you to easily controll the oil temperature, and to cook 4 to 5 egg rolles, or a bunch of tempura chicken balls, or whatever in the oil. Use that ever present and all purpose spider to remove the food from the hot oil. I have also used my wok to make things like sweet & sour sauce, egg-drop, hot & sour, and various other soups, mumerous stir-fries. And don't be shy. Because of its shape and size, the wok lends itself wonderfully to the task of browning ground beef, cooking mushrooms, battered or not, to perfection. I've even made doughnuts in the thing. And its great for making battered onion blooms, or onion rings, and as has been mentioned, for steaming veggies, fish, or whatever needs to be steamed. Try placing water into the vessel, bringing it to a boil, adding salt to the water, and then turning the heat down until the water no longer bubbles, but remains jsut under the bubbling stage. add a couple of raw eggs gently into the water and be prepared for wonderfull poached eggs.

The wok is a very versatile vessel. As you play with it, you may find that it is one of the most usefull tools in your kithcen.

Tip, as with any metal pan, after cooking, deglaxe the pan while it's still hot with ordinary tap water. Run the spatula over the bottom to loosen any stuck-on particles. Drain in the sink and wash with a stiff plastic brush. Everything will come off as if you were cooking with non-stick.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[BBQ Mikey]

Everything SirGoodweed said is right on.

My wok is one of my most useful cooking devices, anything from fried foods to stir fries to eggs in the mornin'! Sunnyside eggs on the wok are fab. Just remember they cook fast!