The One Pan Every Kitchen Needs
The Wok: The One Pan Every Kitchen Needs
Most kitchens can function with one high-quality pan. Crazy, but true. As a devoted home cook, I’ve tried dozens of specialty gadgets. Some of them are completely worth investing in, but a lot of them can be replaced by using simple, high quality kitchen tools. A functional kitchen saves loads of time and, if you have to shuffle through cabinets stuffed with one-offs (those items you use to cook one specific thing), you sanity.
THE ONE PAN I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT
The Wok. Bet that was a surprise. Let me present my case. A wok pan designed for the stove top is a heavy hitter in terms of utility and ease of use. It has high sides that allow you to sautee, stir, and flip ingredients without splattering the cook top. The raised sides of the Wok give an even heat, especially when used with a gas burner stove. I suggest a large Wok, even if you normally cook for one or two people because you can still quickly scramble a couple of eggs as long as you use low heat, but it can also handle soups and one-pot dishes with ease.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A WOK
As stated before, start with a large stove top Wok. Choose one that has a non-stick surface and is heavy. Avoid stainless steel Woks or lightweight varieties. Choose one with a lid–preferably glass so you can check on your food without lifting the lid. I also suggest that you purchase a wooden paddle because they are made to stir and flip foods cooked in a wok. I also own an electric wok because sometimes you need two pans–especially if you love to make Chinese, and it’s a great tool for pot-lucks and camping trips. It just takes a bit longer to heat, and can cool quickly if you’re not careful.
THE COOKING POT
Most Asian nations call the wok a “cooking pot,” because they own one pot. The only pot they need to create delicious stir-fries, soups, and bowls of noodley goodness. So it’s no surprise that it’s the one pan I recommend for every kitchen.
