3 secrets to cooking in the wok

Sautéing in the wok is quick, simple and healthy, as it requires little oil, preserves the nutrients and enhances the flavor.

This peculiar utensil is part of “the 4 treasures” on which the rich gastronomic culture of China is based: the knife, the table, the bamboo steamer and the wok, simple objects that reflect a simple but practical lifestyle. Typical of that ancient culture. Unlike a conventional skillet, the wok is extremely versatile.

WHAT CAN BE DONE IN A WOK?

In it you can fry, steam with the help of a bamboo steamer or its rack, or even cook a broth. This is possible thanks to its high walls, which allow it to be used as a pot. But where the wok shows its best qualities is in quick stir-fries, due to its unique hemispherical shape and the material with which it is made, traditionally iron.

THE ADVANTAGES OF THE WOK

With its concave base and high walls, the heat is distributed more evenly and smoothly than in a frying pan. The ingredients always return to the center, even if they are stirred with energy, and as they slide they are in permanent contact with a cooking surface.

This allows you to use little oil, one of its main advantages, and thanks to the conductivity of iron, cook at very high temperatures. Food is done right away, which saves time, and is browned on the outside and semi-cooked and crispy on the inside.

Cooking in the wok like this allows preserving a good part of the color and nutritional properties of the food, which does not absorb as much oil, and gives it a very characteristic delicious flavor.

3 SECRETS TO SAUTÉING THE WOK

1. It is important to cut the ingredients into small, homogeneous pieces so that they cook evenly. If we cut them to different sizes, we run the risk of getting some too done or too raw.
2. Before you start sautéing, heat the wok over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of oil and shake the container to distribute it over the walls. Peanut oil is traditionally used, but any vegetable oil that tolerates the heat of cooking well works well, and olive oil is also ideal.
3. With the oil very hot (but without smoking), it is time to add the food to the wok: first add the ingredients that need more time , such as the roots, and at the last minute the most delicate, such as sprouts or sprouts sheets. The food must be constantly stirred with a wooden paddle to avoid burning, but without removing the wok from the heat, in order to maintain a stable temperature.