I do love my wok. I use it every day for cooking all kinds of things and, while stir-fries are the most obvious dish, I do have a few other uses for it up my sleeve. Let’s talk about the best things to cook in a wok in a minute but first, here’s a quick recap on ways to generally get the best out of your wok.
Firstly, remember to season your wok
Always season a new carbon steel wok before using it (if you use a non-stick one, or my MAKO wok, which comes pre-seasoned, you can skip this part). To season a new wok, first wash any oil or coatings off using hot, soapy water and a gentle scrub, Then dry it off, place it over high heat, turning it so it gets hot all over. This burns off residual industrial coatings and should turn the metal a blue-ish colour.
Cool the wok using hot water, then dry it off again. Return it to the heat, then lightly swirl the inside with vegetable oil to lightly coat and heat for about 1 minute to form a light, burnt-on layer of oil. Use paper towel to wipe off any excess… and you’re good to go. You want to keep that surface on the wok (don’t scrub it hard to clean if you can avoid it); it should lightly build up every time you use it. Any moisture allowed to settle on the bare surface of your wok will cause rusting so if you’ve scrubbed it a bit bare, just season it again.
The right oil and the right utensils are key to wok-cooking
Speaking of cooking oil, you want to use one with a high smoke point; peanut or canola oil are excellent. You need to be able to get your wok really hot, especially for stir-frying; a good extractor fan or open windows are essential!
Use the right utensils; a Chinese ladle is handy. It’s shallower than a regular ladle, making it excellent for scooping up sauces and mixing ingredients too. A perforated scoop is good for removing food from liquid or oil; a stumpy brush with bristles that won’t melt is important for proper cleaning.
I also recommend using wooden spatulas to do all that flipping action. If you use a metal utensil, you run the risk of damaging the surface of your wok. Not what you want in the slightest.
My other top tip? Always have everything prepped and ready to go before you cook. This is super-important, especially with fast cooking like stir-frying. There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through, then realising you’ve forgotten to chop your carrots or mix up your sauce. Annoying!
So, what are my favourite things to cook in a wok?
As promised, here are my favourite recipes to cook in my wok, and some of them, particularly the last one, might surprise you. But I promise, this dish will change your life forever…
Red-Cooked Salmon With Asian Greens
Sweet, sticky and succulent, this is one of the yummiest ways to cook salmon I know. The wok makes quick work of it; you just crisp your salmon up in the hot oil, add your sauce, then let everything bubble down to gooey deliciousness, and it’s done.
Mongolian Beef Udon Noodles
Apart from quickly cooking the noodles in a pot of water, all the cooking action happens in the wok. You get it really, really hot, then the meat and veggies cook in around 5 minutes. Add your noodles and sauce mixture, quickly toss, then boom. Done.
Ayam Goreng (Malaysian Fried Chicken)
You know how obsessed I am with fried chicken and this is one of my favourite recipes of all time. It’s crunchy, spicy and crazily juicy and, after making the spice paste and giving your chicken a marinade, it fries in the wok in just 15 minutes!
Express Thai Red Fried Rice
Fried rice in a wok? It’s a no-brainer. I love this recipe because it’s not just amped with all the good flavours, but has fried eggs too! You use the wok to do the lot; fry your eggs first, scoop them out, fry the rice then bring it all together on plates with chill and plenty of fresh Thai basil.
Taiwanese Braised Pork & Rice
Glossy, sticky, soy-braised pork melts the heart; it’s such a comforting dish. And that flavour! Oh my goodness. I make mine in my wok because not only does everything cook to tender perfection, the spice-infused liquid reduces to just the right light, saucy consistency at just the right time.
Coconut Sweet Chilli Chicken
Wrapped and ready in half and hour here’s another recipe where a wok makes short work of the cooking. This is one of those recipes I turn to during a busy week and it never fails to deliver on easy, creamy, lip-smacking goodness. It’s a firm family fave.
15-Minute Bolognese
I know everyone claims they have ‘the best’ bolognese recipe… but this one actually is! I mean, what’s better than a rich, meaty pasta sauce made in just 15 minutes? The secret is all in the wok, my friends. And for this recipe, I’ll even allow olive oil.
