"Imagine it less like a pan and more like a brilliantly shaped cooking surface". So Tim Hayward introduces the chapter on the wok in his book The tools of modern cooking. "Compared to western pans," he continues, "food comes into contact with greater heat, in small shots and many times, becoming more crispy on the outside and more uniformly."
The wok it is in fact a special pot, with a very ancient history but with an extremely contemporary use. Born in China, is one of the most popular and commonly used utensils there and across Asia. Most likely it is the elaboration of the pots that the nomads of Central Asia – in particular of Mongolia – brought with them on the move, with the need to have a single tool that offered different types of cooking.
Characteristic is the round shape, to which two handles or a single long handle are attached, and the bottom which is traditionally concave, but in certain versions it adapts to the western stove and therefore becomes flat. For the same reasons for which it was born over 2000 years ago in the Han dynasty China, i.e. to cook economizing on oil and other condiments and for the need for a versatile cooking utensil, today the wok is perfect for lifestyle and contemporary needs: speed, lightness of preparations, eclecticism in use and consequently ability to replace different types of tools in one go.
The materials
The wok is used all over the world and is present in various diameters and in different materials. The traditional is in cast iron, now replaced by more manageable materials with good heat conduction, such as carbon steel. To be able to retain heat for a long time is the distinctive feature of this pot, which thus reduces cooking times and requires less oil and therefore guarantees a kitchen with less use of fats. Multifaceted, not only to cook oriental food but to prepare any type of cuisine, in the wok you can do it fried, steam cooking, smoke, stew, brown or prepare braised is stews. Just equip it with the necessary accessories such as the grate and the perforated ladle for frying, the steaming basket and the lid for smoking or to keep the ingredients already cooked warm before.
Magic "jump"
In the wok, the cooking ingredients "jump" continuously from the center to the edges, so that they cook evenly, remaining crunchy on the outside and softer on the inside. The Chinese speak of wok-hei, which means "breath of a wok", and it is that typical flavor that a wok gives to the food that is cooked in it. But reaching the wok-hei is difficult: only a very skilled chef is capable of obtaining this flavor, I ask for temperatures, with the speed of gestures and the control of every single ingredient, in addition to the perfect balance between quantity and heat of food and oil. Within the home it is essential to follow a valuable advice: use little oil (with a high smoke point), continuously move the ingredients to be cooked towards the center and those that are already cooked on the edges. Herbs, spices and herbs should only be added at the end.
Chef secrets
ZHANG GUOQING IS AT THE GUIDE OF THE BON WEI CHINESE HIGH RESTAURANT, IN MILAN, WHICH PROPOSES REGIONAL SPECIALTIES THAT CANNOT BE FOUND ELSEWHERE.
WHICH WOK TO BUY AND HOW TO USE IT?
MY ADVICE IS TO PURCHASE A WOK FROM THE ROUND FUND, AS PER CHINESE TRADITION. IN THIS WAY THE FLAME ENVIRONS IT COMPLETELY AND THE COOKING IS HOMOGENEOUS. AND ATTENTION: WITH THE WOK FROM THE ROUNDED BOTTOM, SUPPORT MUST BE OBTAINED, OTHERWISE IT WOULD TILT ON THE COOKER. THE FIRST TIME IT IS USED IT MUST BE REFINED THE TECHNIQUE: BETTER COOKING DISHES WITH SAUCE OR STEWED, WHICH WILL LESS THE RISK OF BURNING.
WHAT IS BETTER NOT COOKING IN THE WOK?
"DRY" PREPARATIONS, SUCH AS GRILLED MEAT THAT WOULD BE BURNED.
HOW TO CLEAN?
I PASS IT WITH A CLOTH, THEN I LEAVE IT ON THE FIRE 10 MINUTES, UNTIL IT BECOMES INCANDESCENT. THEREFORE DIVE IN THE COLD WATER TO AVOID THE THE FORMATION OF RUST.
by Martina Liverani
photo Felice Scoccimarro and Daniele Mari
on Sale & Pepe Magazine of May 2020
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