desertrat Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Decided to try some cooking, sent the maid for a wok, she bought back aluminium, don't want to risk Alzheimers (arguable of course), so sent her off again. This time a stainless steel one, with instructions as microscopic as used for the TV sports listings in the bangkok post sports supplement. Also stuck with immovable tape. NASA might use it, no amount of heat will burn off the residue, also the parts not in contact with the cooking just blacken and smoke, so it is also junked. Please don't suggest that my maid assist in any of these kitchen problems, her duties lie elsewhere. Should I stick to toast ? or can I buy a useable wok.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircut Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I love the cheap aluminum woks. You need to season it before you can use it, here's how: leave it on the low heat for about 20 minutes until it gets a black - blue color. turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. i find the aluminum woks to conduct heat fast and it is crucial for stir frying where u want high heat and short cooking time. Do not under any circumstances buy a wok with a non stick coating! That is not a wok... that is a crepe pan. and the wok should be round without a flat base.... enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertrat Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 I'm not very ambitious, try to make those very crispy "omelettes"? (no content, just eggs), always wind up with a soggy greasy, very uncrisp result...I'm OK with the toast..sometimes. What is the secret please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suegha Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I suggest a smaller flat pan, use very little oil and cook on a lower heat for longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircut Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I'm not very ambitious, try to make those very crispy "omelettes"? (no content, just eggs), always wind up with a soggy greasy, very uncrisp result...I'm OK with the toast..sometimes.What is the secret please? The secret is SCREAMING VERY HOT OIL !!, let it smoke, let it scream, it should be at the highest heat possible !! fry max of 2 eggs at the time, beaten with some water and seasoned with fish sauce. practice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suegha Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Yes, start with very hot oil and after dropping in the mixture flip quickly and reduce heat to 'nothing'. Practise makes perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertrat Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 Yes, start with very hot oil and after dropping in the mixture flip quickly and reduce heat to 'nothing'. Practise makes perfect. TVM..by "flip" do you mean sort of toss it in air the so it turns over and lands other side up..If so do we practise with dummy things, I can imagine me and the stove being covered with boiling oil and egg mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 (edited) Best wok material is old fashioned carbon steel. You will need to season it with salt. Best high temp oil is groundnut / peanut oil, if you can find it, it's what the Chinese chefs use without a flame up. Don't forget to buy a copy of "101 Ways to Wok Your Dog" Edited January 25, 2009 by GungaDin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanno Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Agree with GungaDin: steel Wok, filled with salt every so often and put on the burner until the salt is well roasted (be careful when discarding, it is HOT). Don't forget to buy a copy of "101 Ways to Wok Your Dog" Probably more recipes than that here in Vietnam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphodbeeblebrox Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 the wok should be round without a flat base.... That's for an electric stove. If you have a gas flame with a ring to hold the wok in place, you can buy a round bottom. Obviously, the gas/round bottom is the preferred way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertrat Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 Best wok material is old fashioned carbon steel.You will need to season it with salt. Best high temp oil is groundnut / peanut oil, if you can find it, it's what the Chinese chefs use without a flame up. Don't forget to buy a copy of "101 Ways to Wok Your Dog" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertrat Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 Best wok material is old fashioned carbon steel.You will need to season it with salt. Best high temp oil is groundnut / peanut oil, if you can find it, it's what the Chinese chefs use without a flame up. Don't forget to buy a copy of "101 Ways to Wok Your Dog" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertrat Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 (edited) Best wok material is old fashioned carbon steel.You will need to season it with salt. Best high temp oil is groundnut / peanut oil, if you can find it, it's what the Chinese chefs use without a flame up. Don't forget to buy a copy of "101 Ways to Wok Your Dog" Hi..Please advise where to buy carbon Steel wok, I've looked but only see Al, SS and Teflon..which I don't want Thank You Edited January 26, 2009 by desertrat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Try the small chinese-thai general stores, they usually sell a lot of household plastics and hardware. Usually run by mom & pop. Where are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertrat Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Try the small chinese-thai general stores, they usually sell a lot of household plastics and hardware.Usually run by mom & pop. Where are you? Hi half pattaya half bangkok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Ok, if you come in to On Nut, park up at Carrefour and walk out onto the main drag, yr on Soi 77, loads of little shops selling kitchen stuff. I'm assuming you have transport. I'm sure Patty would have similar stores? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertrat Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Ok, if you come in to On Nut, park up at Carrefour and walk out onto the main drag, yr on Soi 77, loads of little shops selling kitchen stuff.I'm assuming you have transport. I'm sure Patty would have similar stores? TVM will buy and use near pattaya (15km south), the thought of living IN pattaya makes me feel faint. will keep you upated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Take this pic with you. & they'll probably send you to a restaurant. The extra handle is important, so is the lid. Good luck! TVM??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durjohnson Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Is there such a thing as a copper Wok? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 There's a few working for the Met in London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpuiman Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I've been marveling at the seasoning suggestions here...there must be a lot of rusty woks out there. Try this method, suggested by a Thai chef and cooking instructor. The wok may be seasoned like any cast-iron pan, by brushing the surface with cooking oil and baking in a moderate oven for an hour. However, because of its shape and center of gravity, oil tends to flow down and gather in the center, resulting in an unevenly seasoned surface. For this reason, I prefer to do the seasoning over a burner on top of the stove.Probably the best fat to use is lard – traditionally when you bought a wok you were given a piece of pig fat to season it. I have also used peanut oil. Polyunsaturated oils are not recommended as they can make the wok very "gunky." When using lard you can carefully brush the lard directly on the wok, all over the surface. Palm oil also works well Heat the wok for a few minutes until its entire surface is hot. Using a heat-proof brush (e.g., the type for barbecuing) or a piece of cloth, brush your lard or palm oil in a thin layer over every inch of its surface. You can also use an oil with a high smoking point such as peanut oil or corn oil, but you will find it more difficult to get an even coating; the high smoking point minimizes oil fumes. Make sure you have plenty of ventilation – turn the fan on high and open all the windows. If you do not have proper ventilation, do not season the wok in that room.Make sure there are no flammable materials near the stove or the wok. Tilt the wok from side to side, subjecting the entire surface to intense heat to burn the oil into it. After burning a few minutes all around, turn the heat off and let the pan cool completely to room temperature before beginning round two. When the wok has cooled, sop up the excess grease in the center with a paper towel. There will be less excess grease with lard or palm oil and more with a vegetable oil. Turn the heat on high and let the wok heat for a few minutes until wafts of smoke can be seen lifting off its surface. Turn the pan from side to side and again "roast" every inch of it to further burn in the first layer of oil. Then, brush in another coating and proceed as before to burn this second layer into the pan. After a few minutes, turn off heat and let pan cool completely to room temperature. Repeat the foregoing steps a few more times, alternating heating with cooling, each time burning in the previous layer before adding another layer. Make sure to sop up excess grease that tends to collect in the center before each reheating to prevent a thick, gel-like coating from forming there. After several coats of oil have been burned in, the wok will begin to turn dark, though the coloring may be uneven and splotchy. When the wok has developed enough of a tacky, oily surface that does not look dry when heated up, you may begin to use it for cooking. After Seasoning Your Wok Stir-fry only as described earlier – always heating the wok until it is smoking hot to open up the pores before adding oil to seal them. Initially, bits and pieces of food may stick to the wok's surface. Avoid cooking starchy foods, which have a tendency to stick, and foods that are either acidic or require prolonged cooking by simmering with lots of liquid, as this can cook off some of the seasoning. Deep-fat frying, on the other hand, can help build up the layers of seasoning. At the beginning, your wok will require a little more attention and care. Following each cooking session, rinse only with plain water and never use soap on it. If there are bits of food sticking on the surface, use a soft sponge and work the area gently – just enough to remove the food particles. Do not wipe with a towel after rinsing. Instead, dry the wok over a burner set on high heat, allowing the traces of grease from the cooking session to burn into the surface. Heat until the wok is smoking and if the surface does not look shiny and oily, brush in a thin coating of lard, palm oil or cooking oil, letting it burn thoroughly into the metal. Let cool, sop up the excess grease before putting away. After repeated use and the proper care, your wok will develop a beautiful, black patina and food no longer will stick to the surface during cooking. Even if it does, a coaxing with the wok spatula lifts it off without damaging the seasoning. By this time, you may no longer need to re-season your wok after each cleaning. Simply rinse with water and soft sponge and dry either on the stove, or turn it over on the drain board to dry on its own. From time to time, heavy usage may deplete part of the seasoning. When this happens, re-season after cleaning like you did in its earlier days. I pay little attention to the bottom side of my wok. I neither clean it, nor season it. Over time, it develops a thick layer of carbon from oil and food spilling over the side during cooking. This crusty layer gives the wok more heat and sometimes contributes a smoky dimension to your cooking. A well-seasoned wok will not rust and its blackened surface greatly enhances the flavors of food like no other non-stick pan can. It is as if it has stored memories of the many meals it has cooked and calls on this storehouse of experience to enrich the food it is now asked to cook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Thanks for that. I can just see old Desert Rat following those great instructions I've printed it out for later use myself. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpuiman Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Thanks for that. I can just see old Desert Rat following those great instructions I've printed it out for later use myself. cheers The simple version is to apply a thin coat of oil and bake it in the oven. The wok can be placed in the oven upside down to prevent the pooling of excess oil. Place some foil or a sheet pan under it to catch any drippings and keep your oven clean. By performing an internet search on seasoning cast iron pans...you should find loads of information on this method. Good luck to the OP. One thing I cant stress enough is the complete removal of the protective greasy, sticky coating that you find on new woks. It requires some work to remove....I found steel wool to be a help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Steel wool. !!!!! Jeeeezus, do you know the name of steel wool in Thai, and where to buy it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpuiman Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Steel wool. !!!!!Jeeeezus, do you know the name of steel wool in Thai, and where to buy it? Sorry, I don't. If it's not available..lots of hot soapy water and a scrubbing brush or sponge will do. My friend who runs several Thai restaurants here in the US burns off the sticky coating first, by placing it over the huge burner at the restaurant...then washing with soap and water. This method may not be possible for most though, as those volcano like burners are only found in commercial establishments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Note to self: get a mule to bring in 12 boxes of steel wool next trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertrat Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 Thanks for that. I can just see old Desert Rat following those great instructions I've printed it out for later use myself. cheers mmmmmmmmmm.....better I stick to bread and cheese TVM = Thanks Very Much TVM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 DR, by chance I found a huge catering supply joint this arvo. CS woks of all sizes. I bought a 14" diameter one for 180 baht, 15" were 199. Hope that gives you a guide on price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 For anyone looking for a wok stand, this is what they look like. http://www.londonwok.com/acatalog/info_18.html The wire one is useful for resting the hot wok on the kitchen work bench. The holy (sic) one can be used on the cooker and as a resting place and both are reversible . Spend some time on the londonwok.com catalog and print out pics of what you want for when you go shopping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GungaDin Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Seasoning a carbon steel wok. Short video Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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