Problems With Chinese Cookware

Seasoning

• Cast iron and carbon steel woks require proper seasoning, initially and on an ongoing basis, in order to produce quality food at high temperatures. Well-seasoned woks offer a nearly nonstick cooking surface. Before seasoning your wok, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, scrub the pan to remove any oils added during manufacturing, and dry the pan thoroughly. Apply a coating of vegetable oil to the inner cooking surface. Place the wok in the oven for 20 minutes. Repeat the oiling and baking cycle a total of four times. To work with the wok while it’s hot, manipulate wadded paper towels with a pair of chopsticks to spread the oil. Alternative ways of seasoning woks include stovetop and salt seasoning methods.

Materials

• Woks made of lighter metals and featuring rounded bottoms may tip more easily during cooking. Cast iron pans may sit more firmly on your stove than lighter woks, and flat-bottomed woks work better with sealed cooktops; however, carbon steel and cast iron woks can rust if not properly oiled. Cast iron woks offer superior heat retention and thick sides, but these are not considered positive features in a wok. Modern stainless steel and combination stainless steel and aluminum woks solve these problems. Stainless steel heats evenly, is easy to clean and resists rust, but stainless cooking surfaces are not nonstick and require additional oil to prevent food from sticking. An aluminum core or exterior provides improved heat response and distribution.

Cooking

• Wok cooking requires the use of high heat. Most woks are made of thin metal for fast distribution of heat for this reason. Round-bottomed woks will not work on gas or electric stoves without a wok ring, as they will have poor contact with the heat source. Wok cooking is fast, but labor-intensive. You can only cook small amounts of finely chopped food at a time, and you must stir constantly, moving nearly cooked items to the sides of the pan. Heat the pan first, then add your oil, swirl it around in the pan, discard it, and add new oil before cooking your food, recommends Chef Shirley Cheng. This cuts down on issues with sticking.

Cleaning

• To some, it is counterintuitive not to scrub a dirty pan with soap and water, but this type of cleaning strips away some of the seasoning built up on your wok. Usually, rinsing your wok and using a wok brush is enough to remove any food from the interior. To sanitize a wok, the Food Service Warehouse website suggests you briefly submerge it in boiling water. Dry the pan immediately, and re-season as needed.

Steamers

• Steaming is a healthy method of food preparation, and steamers are very common pieces of Asian cookware; however, larger metal Chinese steamers may not fit American cooktops. Bamboo may burn if accidentally placed on a hot stovetop. Bamboo steamers are difficult to clean because food becomes trapped in the gaps where the outer ring meets the inner tray and in crevices in the steam vents cut into the tray bottoms. Rub your steamer with oil, or place food items on plates, banana leaves, waxed paper or cheesecloth to prevent sticking, suggests the Temple of Thai website.