Cookware & bakeware · Pan

Wok

A deep, round-bottomed or flat-based pan with flared sides, used for stir-frying, steaming and deep-frying.

Useful to have · Used on the stovetop · 114 recipes

Photo: Wok to Walk International, S.L., via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

A bowl-shaped pan with high sloping sides, either a single long handle or two loop handles. The small hot centre and cooler sides let food be seared then pushed aside. Round-bottomed woks suit gas burners with a ring; flat-bottomed ones suit electric and induction hobs.

What it’s for: Very hot, fast cooking with constant tossing, plus deep-frying and steaming thanks to its depth.

How to use it

Prepare and cut all ingredients before heating; stir-frying is quick.
Heat the wok until very hot, then swirl in oil.
Add aromatics, then ingredients in order of cooking time, tossing constantly.
Add sauce at the end and toss to coat.
For steaming, set a bamboo basket or rack inside over a little boiling water.

Good to know

Tasks: stir-frying, deep-frying, steaming dumplings and fish, tossing noodles and fried rice, smoking with tea or wood chips
Cooking methods: Stir-fried, Deep-fried, Steamed, Sautéed, Smoked, Braised
Materials: carbon steel, cast iron, non-stick, stainless steel
Care and cleaning: Carbon-steel woks are seasoned with oil until they darken; wash with hot water and a soft brush, dry over heat and wipe with oil. Avoid long soaks, which cause rust.
Limitations: Home hobs rarely get hot enough for restaurant-style results; overcrowding drops the temperature fast.

Safety

A round-bottomed wok needs a wok ring to stay stable.
When deep-frying, fill no more than about a third with oil and never leave it unattended.

If you don’t have one

Frying pan / skillet — Use a large one and cook in smaller batches.
Cast-iron skillet — Gets very hot for searing, but tossing is harder.

Equipment guide

How it works: A thin, curved bowl concentrates the burner's heat at the base, creating a very hot zone in the middle and cooler sides. Food is tossed between zones, so it sears against hot metal and then rests briefly, which lets it brown without stewing. On powerful burners, flame reaching the wok's rim and oil droplets igniting during tossing contribute to the smoky 'wok hei' flavour.

Material	Good	Watch out
Carbon steel	Lighter and thinner than cast iron, heats faster, seasons to a slick surface; takes very high heat.	Rusts if left wet; needs seasoning; reacts with acids until well seasoned; thinner pans hold less heat than cast iron.
Cast iron (bare, seasoned)	Very high heat capacity, so it holds temperature when cold food goes in; excellent for searing; oven-safe; lasts generations.	Heavy and slow to heat; heats unevenly on small burners; needs seasoning and drying; long simmering of acidic sauces can strip seasoning and give a metallic taste.
Non-stick wok	Easy release for beginners.	Coating cannot take the very high heat that good stir-frying needs.
Stainless steel, clad (tri-ply or multi-ply)	Non-reactive with acids, takes high heat, dishwasher-tolerant; the aluminium or copper core spreads heat evenly; builds fond for pan sauces.	Food sticks unless the pan is preheated with fat; heavier and slower to respond than bare aluminium.

Round-bottomed wok: Traditional; works best on a gas ring with a wok ring or a dedicated wok burner.
Flat-bottomed wok: Sits flat on electric and induction hobs; slightly less tossing range.
Hand-hammered wok: Hammer marks help food rest on the sides; thin and responsive.
Cantonese (two loop handles) vs northern (single long handle): Loop handles for heavy loads; a long handle for tossing.

Buying guidance

Starting out: A 30–36 cm flat-bottomed carbon steel wok with a wooden handle.

Keen cook: A round-bottomed carbon steel wok with a wok ring if you cook on gas.

Professional: Round woks of several sizes over dedicated high-output burners.