Do you own a wok? Have you ever used one? If you do not own a wok, you should consider getting one for your home for several reasons. A wok is an important tool if you are trying to impress friends and family with an amazing Asian meal. It can also be an amazing method of setting up a kitchen for an occasion. Unfortunately, choosing the right wok for your house can be quite a challenge especially since many brands are available in the market each with different features and tweaks. But you do not have to struggle with choosing a wok.
We have the perfect wok for you right here. We came across this amazing Yamada iron steel wok and prepared this Yamada wok review so that you can see exactly why we recommend it. Let’s get started.
What is a Wok?
You will be surprised to know that not everyone knows what it is and how many times this question is asked. So, what is a wok?
A wok is a pan. The name suggests a pan. A wok is common cookware used in Asian cultures to prepare a range of meals. It has the same appearance as a pan, except that it is wider and bigger as compared to a normal pan. It is very common in different cultures. The main reason why it is loved in Asian cultures is that it provides versatility in cooking methods that other utensils cannot offer. With a wok, you can do a range of things including steaming, sautéing, simmering, as well as frying your food.
Review of the Yamada Carbon Steel Wok
This specific wok is made of iron. It is a Japanese-made iron wok with a thickness of 1.2 mm. But this is not the only reason why it is among the best in the market. This product is hammered by machine more than 5000 times. This ensures that your cooking oil has perfect interaction with the wok for flawless cooking. It has different parts with different thicknesses so that it provides a uniform heat transmission.
Why is the wok hammered all these times?
Hammering the iron ensures that the particles of the iron get stronger, smaller, and harder. When it is hammered, small dimples are created. These ensure that food does not burn when cooking. After hammering, a skilled craftsman checks the wok to make sure that it meets the criteria of a high-quality wok.
The woks are hand-made. For that reason, there is no consistency in certain aspects of the wok. For instance, you might notice that not all woks have the same size. They might also have some minor imperfections or fine scratches on the surface. You may also notice some color variations. All these are indications that these woks are made by hand individually.
This wok features a single handle and is light enough to move around when you want to serve your food.
As pointed out earlier, a wok is versatile in that it allows for a range of cooking methods. Nevertheless, the main use of a wok is sautéing food. In most cases, vegetables and meats. A wok speeds up the sautéing process. more than that, it allows you to preserve the food’s taste, odor, texture, as well as color. You also preserve the nutritional value of the food so that you get more from the food you are preparing.
As you might have noted from the Yamada wok review, it is very important that you season, clean, and maintain properly for the most efficient service. Let’s check these out.
Seasoning, Cleaning, and Maintenance.
First, you need to place the wok on a gas stove and wait until it becomes gray. Usually, this will take around 30 minutes. You should move it around so that it heats evenly. You will notice that it starts to smoke. That is when it is ready for the next step.
Wait for the pan to cool down, after which you should wash it using some warm water. Avoid cold water completely.
You should then light fry any type of vegetable with some oil. That allows the wok to absorb some oil.
Wash it using some hot water after light frying, then dry it.
Finally, coat the wok using some oil, then store it.
When washing it, you can use some detergents and a scrubber. Avoid any steel wool because it will scratch and damage the wok. The easiest thing to do is clean it when warm. It will become clean faster. Be careful as you might burn your fingers when it is hot.
You should not use a dishwasher to clean the wok.
Seasoning the wok prevents any rust from forming and also ensures that food does not stick to the wok when you are cooking. You will find a detailed manual to help you in maintaining the wok.
Pros And Cons
Pros
- + The Yamada Kogyo is round and has high edges. It is also quite thin and is made using a material that conducts heat quickly. Therefore, heat is distributed quite fast, which allows you to cook faster compared to other utensils.
- + Cleaning and maintaining the wok is quite easy. You can simply clean it using some fresh warm water and a sponge. If there are any harsh stains, you can use detergents.
- + When you season it properly, it cooks food with less oil and the food does not stick to the inside. Since you will be using less oil, it is healthier.
- + You can prepare any amount of food in a carbon steel wok. Even though it is large, you can prepare food for one person. You can also prepare food for an entire family.
- + A wok allows you to use different cooking methods.
- + Using this wok has several advantages.
Cons
- – This wok has a round bottom. Imagine using it on a flat cooktop such as a glass cooktop. Its shape might bring about some stability problems.
- – It is also impossible to use a dishwasher to clean a wok. You have to do it by hand.
Conclusion
A wok is an amazing addition to every kitchen. You should strongly consider getting this specific wok because it does an amazing job of cooking meals and is among the best in the market. It is quite sturdy and the heat distribution is amazing.
Also, read: How to Use a Wok On An Electric Stove
Feel free to share your observation with me in the comments section!
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