# Tips and recipes for wok?



## molly (Jan 27, 2004)

I just bought a wok and am not sure exactly what to do with it. I made fried rice and chicken and veggies the other night but I'm looking for recipies and tips for other things. If you have any ideas please send 'em my way! Thanks!


----------



## Atomic Jed (Jan 27, 2004)

Hi Molly! Does your wok have a round or flat bottom? Is it high carbon steel, stainless, or non-stick? Are you using gas or electric for your "heat source"? A wok is a "pot" and a "pan" It fries, steams, boils, and poaches, anything. Experiment! "Nothing ventured, Nothing Gained"! Welcome, Take care! You, and ALL!!!..........Atomic Jed!


----------



## molly (Jan 28, 2004)

Thanks Jed! 

Lets see...it has a flat bottom, I believe it is high carbon steel, and I use an electric stove top. I did read that you shouldn't use olive oil with it. I suppose it is because it gets so hot and olive oil heats at such a high temp. I bought some canola oil to use with it because olive oil is what i mostly use for everything else. 

It did come with a big steamer rack. I guess I am to skewer veggies and stuff and steam them with water in the bottom of the wok?

I'm going to experiment a little bit with it this weekend when I have some time to burn food! 

Thanks again!


----------



## GB (Jul 15, 2004)

The trick to wok cooking is getting the heat as high as possible so anything you can do to make that happen will help. Next time you go to a Chinese restaurant, ask if you can take a peek in the kitchen. You will be amazed at the flames shooting up around their woks. It looks like a jet engine.

Peanut oil is a very good oil to use when cooking with a wok as is the canola oil you have. 

Another important aspect of wok cooking is mise en place. This is the technique of having everything ready before you start cooking. Have all your meats and veggies cut up and waiting for you. Have all your liquids measured out and waiting for you. Once you start to cook, everything happens very quickly and the difference between a fantastic outcome and a ruined dish can be a matter of seconds.

Have fun with your wok! It is a great way to cook.


----------



## Bangbang (Jul 17, 2004)

I hate woks. I have had a few in the last 35 years. I just use my cast iron pan for stir frying. Great even heat even on an electric stove.


----------



## SierraCook (Sep 4, 2004)

This is one of my favorite recipes.  It has great flavor and is really easy to make.  I usually have egg drop soup with it.

SC 

Cashew Chicken
Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:
8 ounces (225 g) boneless chicken breasts, skinned and cut into 1/2 inch cubes 
Marinade
1 egg white
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon cornstarch
5 fluid ounces (150 ml) cooking oil (vegetable or peanut) 
2 ounces (50 grams) cashew nuts
2 teaspoons dry sherry or rice wine
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon spring onions, finely chopped as garnish (if desired)  

Directions:
Add the marinade ingredients to the chicken cubes, mixing with chopsticks and adding the cornstarch last. Allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 - 20 minutes. While the chicken is marinating, mix together the dry sherry and light soy sauce and set aside. 
Heat the wok and add oil. When the oil is ready, add the chicken cubes and stir-fry on medium heat, stirring quickly to ensure that the chicken does not stick to the wok, until it turns white. Remove the chicken from the wok and set aside. 
Clean the wok with a paper towel and add one tablespoon of oil. When the oil is ready, add the cashews and stir-fry them for about 1 minute.  Add the chicken, and the sherry/soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry the dish for about another 2 minutes. If you don't like raw spring onions, you can add them to the dish at this time. Otherwise, remove the dish from wok, garnish with spring onions, and serve.  

(This recipe is adapted from Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery)


----------



## WayneT (Sep 23, 2004)

*Chinese steamed Sponge Cake*

*CHINESE STEAMED SPONGE CAKE*






_This is a lovely no fuss, pretty well fool proof sponge cake. The original recipe suggested cake flour as it was closest to rice flour so I thought I would go one step healthier (for the sake of my concience) and try Brown Rice flour. Worked a treat. Works fine with all porpose flour and possibly with cornflour. Texture is not as fine as traditional sponges but quite spongey all the same. I love it. I have also tried some other cakes this way and they turned out good. As with microwaving, there is no browning on top (I can live with that) but I think a better result overall than microwaving, cheaper and more foolproof than a conventional oven._

*
Ingredients*
5 large eggs OR 6 average size, at room temp
1 tbsp. water
1 tsp Almond essence (traditional) OR Vanilla or essence of choice preferred
1 cup sugar
1 cup Brown OR White rice flour (all purpose flour if Rice not avail)
1 tbsp. melted butter

*Preparation:*
Beat eggs, water and sugar for 10 minutes at high speed or for 20 minutes by hand. The consistency should be thick and creamy. Fold in flour, then melted butter. Line bottom of a 9-inch round or 7-inch square baking pan with cooking parchment paper. Pour batter into pan.
*
Cooking:*
Have water in wok boiling. Set cake pan in Bamboo steamer or on a steaming rack and cover. Steam 20 minutes at medium heat. Insert tooth pick to see if done.

Turn cake out and peel off backing paper. Cut into squares or wedges. Serve warm or cold au naturale or with fresh berries and cream or jam and cream etc.


----------



## Yakuta (Sep 24, 2004)

Molly the tips you got are what you need to keep in mind.  So high heat and quick stirring are a must for wok cooking. You can control the heat if you had gas but you can make it work even on electric.  

Here is a favorite of mine and it's a version of Pad Thai.  I personally think that a wok is best for dishes that are noodle based because it gives you enough room to stir things around.  

Chicken Breasts and Shrimp roughly diced ( I use about 3 chicken breasts and 10-15 shrimps and do a fine dice)
2 eggs lightly beaten
3 cloves of garlic finely minced
Bell peppers (I use red and green) cut into thin strips
Carrots julianned 
1 can of straw mushrooms - available at Asian stores (rinse them well before using)
1 can of baby corn - rinse them well
Cilantro for garnish
salt to taste
3 tbsp of oil
One lime cut into quarters

Sauce
2 tbsp of smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp of dark soy
1 tsp of sambal (or less if you like it mild)
2 tbsp of brown sugar
2 tbsp of rice vinegar
1 tsp of fish sauce (optional)
1 tbsp of oyster sauce

Stir to combine and keep on the side

Rice Noodles - soak in hot water until soft.  Drain and keep on the side


Place the wok on the stove until hot.  Next add the oil and the diced meat and cook rapidly stirring constantly.  Next add the eggs and stir it to scramble.  Once the eggs and meat look cooked add the garlic followed by the veggies.  After a couple of minutes add the sauce and continue to cook on high for another minute.  Finally add the drained noodles and stir to combine.  Adjust salt and continue to cook on high for another 3-5 minutes until everything is well mixed.  

Serve in large bowls, topped with cilantro and lime.  

I also like to dry roast some white sesame seeds in a pan and then sprinkle them on the noodles before serving.


----------



## subfuscpersona (Sep 24, 2004)

here's a link giving the smoke point of various oils - you'll see some inexpensive oils with a higher smoke point than canola

http://www.hormel.com/templates/knowledge/knowledge.asp?catitemid=42&id=571


----------

