Wok suggestions?

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Chappychap
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by Chappychap »

ronnie_suburban wrote: Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:25 pm
Chappychap wrote: Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:02 pm Delivery from Newquist today. What a beauty!
Mine arrived too and I agree. It's a stunner. I don't think I'll be able to test drive it until the end of the week but I can't wait to let 'er rip.
Chappychap wrote: Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:02 pm My first foray into round bottom stir frying and I couldn't be more blown away. Was egg fried rice and a simple stir fry to test it out as I had to work late. Just a freewheeling collection of oyster mushrooms, bok choy, garlic and ginger, with shaoxing wine, sesame oil, chilli and couple different soy sauces. Was so fun to use. And the best thing - I didn't think about the crappy work day once whilst using this thing.
Outstanding. Really great looking dish and even better that the cooking was able to transport you. No matter how good (or bad) the food is, that's often the best part. :)
Thank you. Couldn't agree more. I was actually in a pretty grump mood until I cooked. I think stir frying is the ultimate forced Zen from the cooking methods. You turn your attention away: it burns. So you don't turn your attention away. It's the ultimate forced meditation :lol:

I hadn't actually realised you'd pressed the button too. Six woks Ronnie now?? Joking aside, I can't wait to see what you turn out with it. Which one did you go for?
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by ronnie_suburban »

Chappychap wrote: Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:32 pm I hadn't actually realised you'd pressed the button too. Six woks Ronnie now?? Joking aside, I can't wait to see what you turn out with it. Which one did you go for?
Yeah, I couldn't resist. I bought the 16" carbon steel, round bottom with the looped, stay-cool handle (like yours). It's a beautiful piece. Feels substantial without being overwrought. Eager to get going on it.

I did manage to trade off one of my other woks (to my sister, in exchange for a c.2001 Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer that she never used), so I did pretty well. And I'm still holding at Ronnie 5-Woks! :lol:
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by Chappychap »

ronnie_suburban wrote: Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:50 pm
Chappychap wrote: Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:32 pm I hadn't actually realised you'd pressed the button too. Six woks Ronnie now?? Joking aside, I can't wait to see what you turn out with it. Which one did you go for?
Yeah, I couldn't resist. I bought the 16" carbon steel, round bottom with the looped, stay-cool handle (like yours). It's a beautiful piece. Feels substantial without being overwrought. Eager to get going on it.

I did manage to trade off one of my other woks (to my sister, in exchange for a c.2001 Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer that she never used), so I did pretty well. And I'm still holding at Ronnie 5-Woks! :lol:
Absolutely hilarious on the c.2001 stand mixer. You drive a hard bargain :lol:
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by Chappychap »

And by the way, looks like this is pretty similar to what I made tonight. No blanching and I added shaoxing, but everything else is basically the same. Including the last minute grab of sugar I added :lol:

Good option for a quick stir fry.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/101 ... h-bok-choy
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by jbart65 »

Looks really nice, but it might be too heavy for me to one-hand wok like I do with the one I own now. I two-hand it sometimes, but I like to use just one hand. It gets hard when the wok is filled up.

How much does yours weigh, Chappy?
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by Chappychap »

jbart65 wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 3:35 pm Looks really nice, but it might be too heavy for me to one-hand wok like I do with the one I own now. I two-hand it sometimes, but I like to use just one hand. It gets hard when the wok is filled up.

How much does yours weigh, Chappy?

Just weighed it for you! 1805g / 3.157 lb.

One thing I would say about one handed - I used to toss with the wok all the time, but Grace Young highlighted in her Craftsy course that this actual cools the temperature more significantly than I had realised. Not that this doesn't have its place, it absolutely does of course, but it changed slightly the way I look at the importance of the technique for the things that I cook, at least right now. But I find this flippable. The handle is long enough to get two hands around too, which is usually how I hold it when I'm flipping things.
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by jbart65 »

That is an excellent weight, 14 or 16 inch?

I've read Grace Young's books and watched her Crafty vids. I don't flip proteins initially. I want them to sear and char a bit. I do one-hand and flip veggies or at the end when I want them to cook everything through, but not overcook. I don't want them to wilt or dry out. As such I actually want somewhat cooler temps in those situations.

My burner goes to 23K, so I am playing with more heat than most.
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by Chappychap »

jbart65 wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 4:27 pm That is an excellent weight, 14 or 16 inch?

I've read Grace Young's books and saw watched her Crafty vid. I don't flip proteins initially. I want them to sear and char a bit. I do one-hand and flip veggies or at the end when I want them to cook everything through, but not overcook. I don't want them to wilt or dry out. As such I actually want somewhat cooler temps in those situations.

My burner goes to 23K, so I am playing with more heat than most.
I am deeply envious of your burner :)

14"
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by jbart65 »

i dont need a new $200 wok, but that one is a work of art. Maybe someday ...
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by XexoX »

jbart65 wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 6:03 pm i dont need a new $200 wok, but that one is a work of art. Maybe someday ...
But $200 for a work of art isn't half bad. You are worth it!
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by ronnie_suburban »

XexoX wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 6:30 pm
jbart65 wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 6:03 pm i dont need a new $200 wok, but that one is a work of art. Maybe someday ...
But $200 for a work of art isn't half bad. You are worth it!
Oh geez . . . I first read that as wok of art and nearly spit water all over my keyboard! :lol:
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by XexoX »

ronnie_suburban wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 7:13 pm
XexoX wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 6:30 pm
jbart65 wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 6:03 pm i dont need a new $200 wok, but that one is a work of art. Maybe someday ...
But $200 for a work of art isn't half bad. You are worth it!
Oh geez . . . I first read that as wok of art and nearly spit water all over my keyboard! :lol:
Well, if I ever succeed in getting you to spit water all over your keyboard, I'm not buying you a new one! :mrgreen: But really, I'm just not that funny, or punny, no matter how hard I try. Sigh. :cry:
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by ronnie_suburban »

Okay, beating a dead horse here but just by coincidence, I received an email from Made In this morning with the subject line Woks are Back in Stock!. Makes sense that this line of text appeared in the email:

"And it's for more than just stir-fry. Our wok is excellent for quick braises, deep-frying, oven broiling, popcorn, and even scrambled eggs!"

Not that traditional woks cannot do all of the above but it does feel like the piece was designed for a very broad range of tasks, and they seem to be marketing it that way, too.
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Re: Wok suggestions?

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ronnie_suburban wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 9:50 am Okay, beating a dead horse here but just by coincidence, I received an email from Made In this morning with the subject line Woks are Back in Stock!. Makes sense that this line of text appeared in the email:

"And it's for more than just stir-fry. Our wok is excellent for quick braises, deep-frying, oven broiling, popcorn, and even scrambled eggs!"

Not that traditional woks cannot do all of the above but it does feel like the piece was designed for a very broad range of tasks, and they seem to be marketing it that way, too.
Yeah sounds like they're targeting it at a slightly different market. Thanks for sharing.
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by XexoX »

My woks from Mamma Fong arrived this morning. Can't say much for the packaging, but seems fine at first glance. Just dropped into a box and mailed, no protection, no packing, no wrapping (other than the plastic bag), just loose in the box. Now to clean and season.
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by 7x57mm@gmail.com »

ronnie_suburban wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 9:50 am Okay, beating a dead horse here but just by coincidence, I received an email from Made In this morning with the subject line Woks are Back in Stock!. Makes sense that this line of text appeared in the email:

"And it's for more than just stir-fry. Our wok is excellent for quick braises, deep-frying, oven broiling, popcorn, and even scrambled eggs!"

Not that traditional woks cannot do all of the above but it does feel like the piece was designed for a very broad range of tasks, and they seem to be marketing it that way, too.
R_S...this wok looks a bit like my carbon steel Pro Peking pan (Joyce Chen...which appears to be discontined now) but designed for better stir fry. I very much like the Peking pan...I use it all the time. Hmmmm. My daughter has expressed an interest in making stir fries....might have to hand that over to her.

This place is really starting to get expensive ;)
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by XexoX »

The waiting is the hardest part. Twenty-four days since my order at The Wok Shop and nothing. I'll give it another week before calling them.

At least Mark will be sending me a knife soon. Where's the Snoopy Happy Dance emoticon when you need it?
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by Jeff B »

XexoX wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 5:35 pm ...Where's the Snoopy Happy Dance emoticon when you need it?
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by gladius »

You might like this...

Today's The Special Sauce Podcast features: Cookbook Author Grace Young on Saving Chinatown & Wok Therapy <<
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Re: Wok suggestions?

Post by Chappychap »

A great wok cookbook from Grace Young on a flash sale... $1.99!

https://www.ereaderiq.com/dp/B00BEHGSLS/
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