these pans online as well—they’re called half sheet pans.
Nordic Ware makes a fine one for about $15.)
HOW TO BUY AND CARE FOR A
WOK
A good wok is one of the most versatile pans in the kitchen.
There are those who argue that on a Western stove, with its
flat, relatively low-output burners, a regular nonstick skillet
is a superior vessel for stir-frying; they may have even
showed you some fancy charts proving that a skillet gets to
a higher temperature and maintains its heat better. This is
utter and complete nonsense. All the charts in the world
won’t tell you as much as your mouth, and the fact is, stir-
fries do taste better when made in a wok, because a good
stir-fry is not simply about the temperature the metal
reaches. It’s about correct tossing and aerosolization of fats
and juices as they leap up beyond the edges of the wok and
are touched by the flame of the burner. It’s about the ability
to rapidly heat and cool a piece of food as you flip it over
and over through the different heat zones created by the pan
as (much as flipping a burger frequently will improve its
cooking—see here). It’s about wok hei, the slightly smoky,
charred, metallic flavor that only comes from a seasoned
cast-iron or carbon steel pan heated to ripping-hot
temperatures.
I digress. Obviously, woks are the best choice for stir-
frying, but they’re also the ideal vessel for deep-frying,
steaming, and indoor smoking. My wok is by far the most
commonly used pan in my kitchen.