Cooking With the Basic Wok Accessories By David H. Urmann At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

A wok is one of the primary cooking vessels which can provide an extended cooking surface. Most woks come with basic accessories, making cooking easier and productive.

Woks evolved centuries ago as a result of fuel shortages. It is commonly used in stir-frying which can withstand high temperatures while cooking. Buying the right accessories for your wok will not only bring out a good cooking experience for you, but will also make cooking more fun. Here is a list of accessories that comply with cooking using your wok.

1. Wok Lid/Cover – A wok lid or cover comes in dome tops or flat tops. Some would even have deep or shallow types. Lids should be able to fit the rim of the wok. Aside from this, it should be high enough to cover the whole chicken underneath.

2. Spatula – A spatula is basically used in stir frying, for stirring, tossing and the shifting food inside the wok. It is a long-handed utensil that has a flared, wide and slightly curved metal blade. The wok spatula is especially designed so to avoid wok scratching. A wooden spoon can also be another option. This is without harming the nonstick surfaces.

3. Steaming Basket – This is a round basket that holds the food over steaming water. The steam allows the food to become cooked. There are 2 types of steaming baskets, the bamboo baskets and metal baskets. Bamboo baskets are tightly woven wooden bamboo strips. It is much better than metal because it absorbs the moisture, allowing the steam to circulate inside. Metal baskets can spoil the taste of the food because of the dripping water. This can be avoided by wrapping the metal steamer with a thin towel. Steaming baskets comes in various sizes and are stackable.

4. Wok Ring – A wok ring is used so as to stabilize the weight of the round-bottom wok on the stove. Two kinds of wok rings would include the open and close sided, along with a series of holes venting around the ring. Open-sided rings are best suited for gas stoves while closed sided rings are suited for electric stoves.

5. Wok Skimmer – A wok skimmer is a wire mesh strainer that has a long bamboo handle (also comes with metal handles). It is used for taking out wantons, noodles, dumplings and deep-fried foods from boiling water. Aside from this, it is ideal for serving mussels, clams and vegetables. The wire mesh allows the “dripping-off” of the oil from the food.

6. Wok Ladle – A ladle is the most commonly used utensil of most Chinese chefs. This is used in adding water stock and other seasonings while cooking. It is also used in scooping ingredients, instead of using a measuring device.

7. Bamboo Brush or Cleaning Whisk– A bamboo brush is especially used for cleaning woks. Other cleaning alternatives are nylon or plastic scrubbers.

8. Wok Rack – A wok rack is a semi-circular rack which is used for hanging one side of such woks. It also works when draining water or oil while preparing other dishes. It can also keep the food warm.

9. Wire Steamer Rack – Wire steamer racks fit in woks, for steaming purposes. Examples would be braising and smoking.

10. Tongs – Tongs are used in removing and maneuvering hot food from woks. It comes in different styles, materials and length.

11. Deep-fry Thermometer – A deep-fry thermometer is used in deep frying. Its purpose is to assure the right temperature while cooking. Hence, the bulb of the thermometer should not touch the bottom part of the wok so as to achieve the most accurate reading.

12. Chopsticks – Two-thin sticks are used in cooking or mixing of ingredients inside a wok.

Other accessories would include the portable gas stove, clay pot, perforated ladle, paella pan, wok trolley, etc.

Woks are considered as one of the world’s multifaced cookware pieces. This is along with the necessary accessories that can help one cook with ease. These custom utensils are made as a part of wok cooking.

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