Please help a total newbie buy a wok (and learn to stir fry)!

[levdrakon]

I have a well used Le Creuset cast iron wok, flat-bottomed. It’s worked well on gas & the infrared glass-topped electric stoves. I’m not going to recommend it though. It’s heavy as hell, so you aren’t going to be practicing your wok-fu like the Chinese chefs using lightweight carbon steel whatever woks over ten inch flames. Once it gets good and hot though, it does force you to work very fast at stirring and scooping things out quickly. It also doubles as simply a large cast iron pot for other things, so it’s not a one-use item.

[Broomstick]

@Novalyne

I’ve been slowly but surely moving into a cook more/cook healthier attitude. I’ve lately been very interested in learning how to stir-fry, but my “research” is leaving me hopelessly confused, especially my search for the perfect wok.

I am convinced there is an entire industry out there determined to make cooking as complicated as possible.

Stir frying is not rocket science.

First off, I have a flat-burner glass electric stove. Can I even USE a wok on this? Do I get a flat bottom wok or a round bottom with a collar? Or do I forget the stove and use an electric wok? Or forget it and use a regular skillet? If it matters, I am only interested in stir-fry, no other type of cooking in the wok.

All the websites I’ve read have recommended a carbon steel wok. Is this true or does it really matter? (Remember - total newbie here, only interested in basic stir-fry.) And is 14 inches a good size? Can I go cheap or will I regret it if I skimp?

A carbon steel wok? Really?

I’ve owned several woks in my life. During college I had an electric wok, which worked very well until my husband set it on fire while cooking egg foo young one day (imagine man with half paralyzed legs running through a house with a wok full of egg foo young flambe, flames shooting up towards the ceiling, out into the back alley and a raging thunderstorm on his way to dump the mess out back…) If you buy an electric wok buy quality.

If you have an electric stove, either flat burner glass or electric element, I’d suggest a flat bottom wok. Round bottoms with rings (in my opinion) work best with gas flames or open fires.

Yes, you can use a regular skillet. Purists will cringe, but particularly if you’re a beginner there is unlikely to be much difference in your end result.

Currently, I have a stainless steel wok and a cast iron wok. The cast iron one can be used on electric stoves, gas stoves, and I’ve also used it more than once over a campfire. It is also heavy, very heavy, and takes a while both to heat up and cool down. Neither is non-stick, I don’t find it a problem.

Oh, one last question - is there a “stock your wok” list of materials/spices/sauces that I should know of to get started?

You can get started (again, my opinion) with just:

soy sauce
garlic
ginger
cooking oil (I don’t recommend butter or olive)

Start simple, with minimal ingredients. You need to get used to having everything prepared in advance and to the high-speed cooking style, and the fewer complications the better.