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jugtree
82
Nov 19, 2017
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Ok, some wok talk, from my end. I have fallen in love with 8-10 year old Calphalon non stick (Unison line, I think) 13" flat bottom wok with glass domed lid. But it is not staying with me (story for another day).
It's main service at my place is to make curry's, some veggies and the odd stir fry. The stir fly's are becoming more common place, and I want to get into Pad Thai as well, but let's stick with the curry's or saucy meat dishes for now. I had been cooking on a gas range, but have recently switched to a glass top stove. I love the space the wok affords me, to create dishes that serve up to 10 portions and the clean up is FANTASTIC. Clean up is huge for me right now, but if you can convince me otherwise, I will listen. A good portion of my cooking in this vessel is NOT using high heat, such as would be used in the case of stir frying.
My first instinct was to just watch for sales and pick up it's current incarnate replacement - https://www.amazon.ca/Calphalon-Unison-Nonstick-13-Inch-Flatbottom/dp/B0028UAALE or http://www.calphalon.com/en-US/calphalon-cookware/cookware-by-category/woks-stir-fry/calphalon-unison-nonstick-13-wok-with-cover-ca-1756067
So my question, after layman that all out - do I just got with the tried and proven, or is there something different, new, better out there, that I need to consider? If it doesn't come with a lid, that might be ok, as I have some large glass lids which I can share to the wok.
Nov 19, 2017
b9d9ffdad3ac59e7f6f
135
Nov 21, 2017
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jugtreeIf that's what you're comfortable with, and really using it as a large sloped-side pot/pan, then go for it. In the realm of nonstick woks, whatever preferred form factor has the nonstick surface you want at the price you want is the one you want.
If you want to make Pad Thai I suggest using a flat saute pan. The goal is to evaporate the liquid, which a flat pan is going to do much better than a wok. In Thailand they use a flat pan/griddle with very short sides. While the dish does have Chinese origins, they don't use a wok to cook it.
For Chinese stir-frys, the wok's sloped sides lend it to easy tossing, such that you can cook with one hand, and with a side effect that the extremely hot flames can vaporize the air-suspended oil droplets and release the "wok hei" back into the food. No one is going to be doing this at home unless they've expressly outfitted a kitchen for it. So what I've been doing is using an oil mister with my blowtorch to achieve this. Suffice it to say, this is very dangerous and I can't recommend it unless you are well-prepared for the worst. You'll need something better than those recalled Kidde fire extinguishers.
But fret not! Chinese restaurants have high-heat burners so they can get orders out quickly. You can still stir-fry thoroughly enough at home, it'll just take longer. For meat, use the technique called "velveting", it's how it becomes tender quickly. http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/07/chinese-velveting-101-introduction-water-velveting.html
Nov 21, 2017
jugtree
82
Nov 21, 2017
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b9d9ffdad3ac59e7f6fWow, thanks for the great reply. Yes I like the slope-sided pan effect of the wok. Didn’t think I would, but I grew fond fast.
Water velveting, grin, this is gonna be good. Up until now my relatively good stir frys have employed sliced meat coated in corn starch alone, so of a self taught,watch and cook process. Of course I never thought to YouTube or further research this. I’m sure ducted to try this technique. Rice wine, egg white and CS sound like extra layers of authenticity.
I promise to to read up on Pad Thai before making it again. Thanks for the great directional advice!!!
Nov 21, 2017
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