Wok Hei: Preparing the Wok

Wok hei (hay) - breath of the wok

I recently realized that I was using the wrong kind of wok when making Chinese food. Who knew that a non-stick wok was such a big no-no? Not me...a girl that was born and raised in Taiwan. I mean, I knew that Chinese chefs don't use non-stick woks, but I didn't know that much about using carbon steel woks. I didn't know how much better they are. I suppose it is because we didn't actually cook most of the Chinese food we ate. We usually just went out to a local restaurant or street vendor. Why spend hours upon hours making Beef Noodles, Jiaozi (dumplings), or any other such yumminess when you can simply walk down the street? There is no real question which we did, right?

I've taken numerous Taiwanese cooking classes in the last year or so at a local place with a Taiwanese teacher. She encourages people to use whatever they have to cook with, which is great and accessible for the average cook. I, however, am serious about cooking Chinese food. I want authenticity in the whole experience of preparing Chinese feasts. I want the entire process and experience to transport me back to Asia. So, needless to say, I want to be using the right wok in the right way.

A carbon steel wok starts out looking like stainless steel and must be properly cleaned and seasoned. With frequent use, the interior of the wok will begin to change, usually within 1 to 2 months. This color change will start out with the wok looking bruised/mottled and eventually the well will blacken. I can't wait for my wok to develop that patina!

Benefits of a carbon steel wok:

• Becomes non-stick once the patina develops
• Meat and vegetables sear better
• Source of iron in your diet
• Inexpensive (mine was $30) and will last a lifetime
• Heats up quickly and cools down quickly

To season a wok you will need:

• Stainless steel scouring pad
• Peanut oil
• 1/2 cup fresh unpeeled ginger, sliced
• 1 bunch scallions cut into 2" pieces, rinsed and thoroughly dry

My new wok right out of the box. Shiny!

Clean the wok of the factory coating:

1. Scrub with hot soapy water and a stainless steel scouring pad. Repeat several times on the inside and once on the outside. This will take a while.
2. Rinse.
3. Set on stove over low heat until all of the water has evaporated. Don't be surprised if there is a smell once heated.
4. Cool.
5. After this first scouring, only clean wok with a regular sponge.

Scrub with a stainless steel pad.

Seasoning the wok seals it from rust and begins the development of the patina:

1. Open windows and turn on exhaust fan to ventilate room.
2. Heat wok over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to ensure wok's surface is completely dry. Color may start changing.
3. Turn off heat and cool.
4. Heat wok over high heat until a bean of water vaporizes within one to two seconds of contact. (My wok began changing color immediately upon heating. Even though I knew to expect it, I was still a little taken aback by it. I panicked for just a second. LOL.)
5. Swirl 2 tablespoons peanut oil in wok.
6. Add ginger and scallions.
7. Reduce heat to medium and slowly stir-fry for 5 minutes. As mixture begins to soften, use spatula to press the seasonings onto the entire inside surface of the wok for 15 minutes, adding more oil if mixture becomes dry.
8. Remove wok from heat and let cool. Discard mixture.
9. Wash wok's entire inside surface with hot water (no dish soap) while rubbing with the soft side of a sponge.
10. Heat wok over low heat until there are no longer any water drops visible on surface, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
11. The wok is ready for cooking!

Seasoning the wok.

I'm really glad I read up on the changes that a carbon steel wok will go through. After cooking with it for the first time and washing it, it looks dirty! If I didn't know better I would think I ruined my brand new wok. Phew! ETA: Rusty thought I ruined my pan. LOL! I had to tell him that it's still good. :)

The patina begins.

A few more wok tidbits:

• Preheat wok and then swirl oil around edges.
• Cook meat in small batches.
• To clean wok - soak in hot water; then gently scrub with a soft side of sponge, hot water, and minimal dish soap. Use scrubbing side of sponge sparingly. Dry over low heat on stove.

I'm sure I will have more wisdom to share with you at a later date. Here's to developing great patina!