Anderson, The Food of China.
Chang, Food in Chinese Culture.
Schaefer, Golden Peaches of Samarkand.
Simoons, Food in China.
Swislocki, Culinary Nostalgia.
Seasoning a New Wok
Although you can purchase preseasoned and even nonstick woks nowadays,
it is really best to buy a rounded-bottom steel wok and season it yourself. It
will become virtually nonstick because the fat transforms with heat into a
polymer and literally becomes one with the metal surface. This is something
you must do outdoors.
Over an open fl ame, either wood or a barbecue grill, heat your new wok
for an hour on a high fl ame until glowing red. Put on sturdy oven mitts.
Then, take a fi st-sized lump of pork fat (or any animal fat), and with a pair
of tongs, swirl it around the interior of the work and quickly remove it. This
will create a lot of smoke, so be prepared to step back. Repeat over and over
again until you have a dark, shiny, slick surface inside the wok. Never use
soap on this surface. After stir-frying, simply put the wok in the sink while
still hot, and swirl around a sponge or cloth with a pair of tongs and hot
water. Dry thoroughly, and wipe on some oil to prevent rusting. You will be
amazed how wonderfully food will cook on this surface without sticking,
even though the technology is centuries old.
Using Your Wok
We usually think of a wok in terms of stir-frying, but it is actually used to
braise, boil, steam, deep-fry, and practically perform any procedure in the
Chinese canon. Stir-frying is still classic, but it demands just a little practice
and know-how. First of all, the wok should be heated, over a very high
fl ame. Ideally, you will have a burner that will steady the rounded bottom or
Suggested Reading
Culinary Activity