If you think you can’t make a good stir-fry without a wok, think again. … You do lose some of the high-sided cooking area you get with a wok, but even stir-fry expert, Grace Young agrees that a skillet makes a suitable substitute.
Why is a wok better for stir-fry?
A wok should be used instead of a frying pan because it is made up of carbon steel, it cooks quickly, and helps to stir-fry the food with less oil. The curved and round shape of a wok ensures that the cooked food is less oily. A wok also has a larger capacity to cook food compared to a frying pan.
Can I make stir-fry without a wok?
You can achieve the same results with a pan that is wide and flat, as long as it will give your ingredients lots of contact with the heat. A sauté pan (which most of us already have at home) makes a good substitute for a wok; just heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in the pan and stir-fry as usual.
Is a wok really necessary?
So woks aren’t only necessary for good stir-frying, but they can take the place of your Dutch oven, skillet, and even saucepan if they are in use. … You can easily use less heat and fry up greens and other veggies as well. Think of it as a backup skillet if your main tool is in use.
Can you make stir-fry in a regular pan?
“Anytime you’re thinking about stir-frying, you should be reaching for a wok,” says Young. “But a 12-inch straight-sided skillet will work, too. You’ll need more oil to keep the chicken and vegetables from sticking. Whatever you do, though, don’t reach for nonstick.
Is a stir fry pan the same as a wok?
The main difference in the stir-fry pan is its generous flat bottom—a good couple of inches bigger than the older flat-bottom woks—and a depth of 3 or 4-inches, which beats out a traditional Western sauté pan.
Do I need a wok burner?
If you have ever wanted to sizzle your food as soon as you throw it into the wok, then a Wok Burner is a must have. The high heat gives you the ability to heat up the wok to a point where you can instantly sear or sauté your meat and vegetables.
What pan is best for stir-fry?
Carbon steel pan vs nonstick pan
Chinese stir fry requires heating up the pan very hot most of the time, which makes a carbon steel pan a safer choice since it’s made from just metal. Carbon steel pans also hold heat better and thus sear food better than nonstick.
Why is vegetable stir-fry healthy?
In addition to being quick and easy, stir-frying is also healthy. It results in tender-crisp vegetables that retain more nutrients than if they were boiled. And since stir-frying requires only a small amount of oil, the fat content is low.
Is it healthy to cook in a wok?
The healthy advantage
It is healthier than a standard frying pan because of its high heat retention and the need for little cooking oil. … Unlike standard frying pans, the high sides of a wok allow large amounts of food to cook — while being stirred — without the food soaking up oil sitting in the bottom of the pan.
What’s the point of a wok?
A wok is ideal for stir-frying; as the food is cooked, it’s pushed up to the sides of the wok while the remaining food is cooked on the bottom. A wok uses less oil than a conventional large skillet, and its high, sloping sides contain most of the splatter.
What does a wok do?
Woks are used in a range of Chinese cooking techniques, including stir frying, steaming, pan frying, deep frying, poaching, boiling, braising, searing, stewing, making soup, smoking and roasting nuts.
Does a wok make a difference?
Does cooking in a wok make a difference? Cooking in a wok definitely makes a difference in the time needed to prepare a dish. Due to high heat retention, it’s much quicker to fry food in a wok compared to a frying pan. Woks also allow for a very even and cooking of the ingredients.