Wok

Wok is the fastest dinner you can make: high heat, a short time in the pan, and a sauce that pulls it together. At FUDI you will find the wok sauces, the noodles, the oils and the Asian vegetables it takes.

What goes into a wok?

Four parts, added in this order: something firm such as meat, prawns or tofu; vegetables that stand up to high heat; a noodle or rice on the side; and finally the sauce. Bamboo shoots and water chestnuts stay crisp all the way through, and sesame oil belongs right at the end – it will not take frying, but it carries the aroma.

Which sauce is best for a wok?

It depends on what is in the pan. Ready-made wok sauce is the easy route and comes in everything from black bean to kung pao. Oyster sauce adds depth to vegetables and beef, hoisin is sweeter and suits duck and pork, teriyaki gives gloss and caramelisation, and satay belongs with chicken. If you would rather mix your own, soy sauce, mirin and a little sugar is the base recipe.

Which vegetables are good in a wok?

The ones that take heat without collapsing: peppers, carrot in thin batons, sugar snap peas, onion, broccoli, Chinese cabbage and mushrooms. Cut everything to the same thickness so it finishes at the same time. The crisp tinned things – bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and wok mix – are in this selection, while the fresh ones sit in the chilled and frozen sections in store.

How to keep the wok from steaming instead of frying

Heat the empty pan right through, and add the oil only then. Fry in small batches: put everything in at once and the vegetables release liquid, the temperature drops and the food steams. Dry the ingredients before they go in, and add the sauce right at the end so it has time to thicken without burning.

Frequently asked questions about wok cooking

Which noodles work in a wok? Egg noodles are the standard for chow mein and lo mein, rice noodles for pad thai, and glass noodles for japchae. Cook them just done, rinse in cold water and stir through a little oil so they do not clump while you stir-fry.

Do I need a real wok? No. A large, heavy frying pan does the job at home as long as it gets hot enough – the point of the wok shape is that food can be pushed up the side while the base holds the highest heat. We do not stock woks, but the bamboo steamers in this selection sit well in one when you want to steam dumplings or fish.

Can I fry in sesame oil? No, it burns. Fry in a neutral oil and stir the sesame oil in after the pan is off the heat.

How do I get the meat tender? Slice it thinly across the grain and toss it in a little cornstarch and soy sauce twenty minutes before frying. The technique is called velveting, and it is why restaurant meat is more tender than the version at home.

What is the difference between wok sauce and stir-fry sauce? Little, in practice. Wok sauce is thinner and made to thicken in the pan, while stir-fry sauce is often thicker and also used as a dip. Both sit in the same selection.

See also the Chinese and Thai kitchens.