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{{short description|Cooking vessel originating in China}}
{{About|the cooking implement|the recreational drug|Lean (drug){{!}}Lean|the internet meme popularized by Lil Yachty|Poland (song)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
[[File:Wok cooking.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.33|A wok being used for [[stir frying]]]]
{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = Wok (Chinese characters).svg
| piccap = "Wok" in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters
| picupright = 0.3
| t = {{linktext|鑊}}
| s = 镬
| j = wok6
| y = wohk
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|w|ok|6}}
| p = huò
| w = huo<sup>4</sup>
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|h|uo|4}}
| alt = Mandarin
| t2 = {{linktext|炒鍋}}
| s2 = 炒锅
| p2 = chǎoguō
| poj2 = tshá-ko
}}
A '''wok''' ({{zh|t=鑊|p=huò|cy=wohk|s=镬}}) is a deep round-bottomed [[cookware and bakeware|cooking pan]] of [[China|Chinese]] origin. It is believed to be derived from the [[South Asia]]n [[karahi]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}} It is common in [[Greater China]], and similar pans are found in parts of [[East Asia|East]], [[South Asia|South]] and [[Southeast Asia]],<ref>{{cite book |last1=Young |first1=Grace |last2=Richardson |first2=Alan |year=2004 |title=The Breath of a Wok |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=New York |pages=[https://archive.org/details/breathofwokunloc00youn/page/4 4, 14, 34, 36–40] |isbn=0743238273 |url=https://archive.org/details/breathofwokunloc00youn/page/4 }}</ref> as well as being popular in other parts of the world.

Woks are used in a range of [[Chinese cooking techniques]], including [[stir frying]], [[steaming]], [[pan frying]], [[deep frying]], [[Poaching (cooking)|poaching]], [[boiling]], [[braising]], [[searing]], [[stewing]], making [[soup]], [[Smoking (cooking)|smoking]] and roasting nuts.<ref name="YOU">{{harvp|Young|Richardson|2004|pp=4, 38, 40}}</ref> Wok cooking is often done with utensils called {{transliteration|zh|chǎn}} ([[spatula]]) or {{transliteration|zh|sháo}} ([[ladle (spoon)|ladle]]) whose long handles protect cooks from high heat. The uniqueness of wok cooking is conveyed by the [[Cantonese]] term {{transliteration|zh|wohkhei}}: "breath of the wok".

==History==
The origin of the wok is unclear, but most scholars believe it originated from the [[karahi]], as well as the [[Southeast Asian]] ''kuali'' (believed to be the [[etymology]] of Mandarin [[wikt:𡆇|𡆇]]). These cooking vessels are universal in South and Southeast Asian cuisine for stewing and quick evaporation. They likely entered China via [[Central Asia]] from [[India]] where it evolved into the wok.<ref name="Anderson"/><ref name="Symons">{{cite book |last1=Symons |first1=Michael |title=A History of Cooks and Cooking |date=2003 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |isbn=9780252071928 |page=78}}</ref><ref name="López-Alt">{{cite book |last1=López-Alt |first1=J. Kenji |title=The Wok: Recipes and Techniques |date=2022 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=9780393541229}}</ref><ref name="Knipple">{{cite book |last1=Knipple |first1=Paul |last2=Knipple |first2=Angela |title=The World in a Skillet: A Food Lover's Tour of the New American South |date=2012 |publisher=University of North Carolina Press |isbn=9780807869963 |page=178}}</ref>	 	
In his 1988 book ''The Food of China'', E.N. Anderson writes:<ref name="Anderson">{{Cite book|title=The Food of China|last=E.N.|first=Anderson|publisher=[[Yale University Press]]|year=1988|isbn=0300047398|location=New Haven|pages=184–5}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=Wok is a Cantonese word; the Mandarin is Guō. The wok appears to be a rather recent acquisition as Chinese kitchen furniture goes; it has been around for only two thousand years. The first woks are little pottery models on the pottery stove models in Han Dynasty tombs. Since the same sort of pan is universal in India and Southeast Asia, where it is known as a Kuali in several languages, I strongly suspect borrowing [of the word] (probably from India via Central Asia)--kuo must have evolved from some word close to Kuali.}}
The first possible depictions of woks in China appeared in the [[Han dynasty]] (c. 202 BCE - 220 CE). But these are conjectural, since these "woks" were made of clay and were only used to dry [[grain]]s.<ref name=wil-647>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ERnrQq0bsPYC&pg=PA647|title=Chinese History: A Manual|last=Wilkinson|first=Endymion Porter |date=2000|publisher=Harvard University Asia Center|isbn=9780674002494|page=647}}</ref> Metal woks only started to appear in China in the [[Ming dynasty]] (1368 - 1644), where it was first used for [[stir frying]] (an original Han Chinese innovation).<ref name=wil-647/><ref name="Symons"/>

==Characteristics==
[[File:wok-and-karahi-2.jpg|thumb|A wok (left) and [[karahi]] on a [[Western world|Western]]-style [[gas stove]]. Note that the karahi is sitting on an ordinary burner cover, while the round-bottomed wok is balanced on a wok-ring.]]
The wok's most distinguishing feature is its shape. Classic woks have a rounded bottom.<ref name="YOU"/> Hand-hammered woks are sometimes flipped inside out after being shaped, giving the wok a gentle flare to the edge that makes it easier to push food up onto the sides of the wok. Woks sold in Western countries are sometimes found with flat bottoms—this makes them more similar to a deep [[frying pan]]. The flat bottom allows the wok to be used on an electric [[Electric cooker|stove]], where a rounded wok would not be able to fully contact the stove's heating element. A round-bottom wok enables the traditional round spatula or ladle to pick all the food up at the bottom of the wok and toss it around easily; this is difficult with a flat bottom. With a gas hob, or traditional pit stove, the bottom of a round wok can get hotter than a flat wok and so is better for stir frying.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/woktype.html|publisher=Thai Food and Travel|access-date=6 February 2023|title=Wok: Flat or Round Bottom? }}</ref>

Most woks range from {{convert|300|to|360|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} or more in [[diameter]]. Woks of {{convert|360|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} (suitable for a family of 3 or 4) are the most common, but home woks can be found as small as {{convert|200|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} and as large as {{convert|910|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}. Smaller woks are typically used for quick cooking techniques at high heat such as [[stir frying]] ({{zh|links=no|c=炒|p=chǎo}}). Large woks over a meter wide are mainly used by restaurants or community kitchens for cooking [[rice]] or [[soup]], or for boiling [[water]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

===Materials===
The most common materials used in making woks today are [[carbon steel]] and [[cast iron]].<ref name="YOU"/> Although the latter was the most common type used in the past, cooks tend to be divided on whether carbon steel or cast iron woks are superior.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reed |first=Pat |date=March 29, 2006 |title=Which wok? How to choose the right pan |work=The Santa Fe New Mexican |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/331648783|id={{ProQuest|331648783}} }}</ref>

====Carbon steel====
Currently, carbon steel is the most widely used material, being relatively inexpensive compared with other materials,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bestwok.org/|title=Get the Best Wok for the Job|publisher=Best Wok|access-date=4 March 2012|archive-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815063304/http://bestwok.org/|url-status=dead}}</ref> relatively light in weight, providing quick heat conduction as it has a low [[specific heat capacity]], and having reasonable durability. Their light weight makes them easier to lift and quicker to heat. Carbon steel woks, however, tend to be more difficult to [[Seasoning (cookware)|season]] than those made of cast-iron ('seasoning', or carbonizing the cooking surface of a wok, is required to prevent foods from sticking and to remove metallic tastes and odors).<ref name="YOU"/> Carbon steel woks vary widely in price, style, and quality, which is based on [[:wikt:ply|ply]] and [[Sheet metal forming|forming technique]]. The lowest quality steel woks tend to be stamped by machine from a single 'ply' or piece of [[Stamping (metalworking)|stamped steel]].<ref name="YOU"/> Less expensive woks have a higher tendency to deform and misshape. Cooking with lower quality woks is also more difficult and precarious since they often have a "hot spot". Higher quality, mass-produced woks are made of heavy gauge (14-gauge or thicker) steel, and are either machine-hammered or made of spun steel.<ref name="YOU"/> The best quality woks are almost always hand-made, being pounded into shape by hand ("hand hammered") from two or more sheets of carbon steel which are shaped into final form by a ring-forming or hand-forging process.<ref name="YOU"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lovethatkimchi.com/Articles/What_Makes_A_Quality_Wok.html|title=Choose Your Wok Wisely|last=Stewart|first=Randy|date=19 July 2009|publisher=Love That Kimchi.com|access-date=4 March 2012}}</ref>

====Cast iron====
Two types of [[cast iron]] woks can be found in the market. Chinese-made cast iron woks are very thin ({{convert|3|mm|in|abbr=on}}), weighing only a little more than a carbon steel wok of similar size, while cast iron woks typically produced in the West tend to be much thicker ({{convert|9|mm|in|abbr=on}}), and very heavy.{{sfnp|Young|Richardson|2004|p=38|ps=: A typical U.S.-made cast iron wok can weigh more than twice that of a Chinese cast iron wok of the same diameter}} Because of the thickness of the cast iron, Western-style cast iron woks take much longer to bring up to cooking temperature, and their weight also makes stir-frying and {{transliteration|zh|[[stir frying#Bao technique|bao]]}} techniques difficult.<ref name="YOU"/>

Cast iron woks form a more stable carbonized layer of [[Seasoning (cookware)|seasoning]] which makes it less prone to food sticking on the pan. While cast iron woks are superior to carbon steel woks in heat retention and uniform heat distribution, they respond slowly to heat adjustments and are slow to cool once taken off the fire.<ref name="YOU"/> Because of this, food cooked in a cast-iron wok must be promptly removed from the wok as soon as it is done to prevent overcooking.<ref name="YOU"/> Chinese-style cast iron woks, although relatively light, are fragile and are prone to shattering if dropped or mishandled.<ref name="YOU"/>

====Non-stick====
Steel woks coated with [[non-stick]] coatings such as [[Fluorocarbon|PFA]] and [[polytetrafluoroethylene|Teflon]], a development originated in Western countries, are now popular in Asia as well.<ref name="YOU"/> These woks cannot be used with metal utensils, and foods cooked in non-stick woks tend to retain juices instead of browning in the pan.<ref name="YOU"/> As they necessarily lack the carbonizing or seasoning of the classic steel or iron wok, non-stick woks do not impart the distinctive taste or sensation of {{transliteration|zh|wok hei}}.<ref name="YOU"/> The newest nonstick coatings will withstand temperatures of up to {{convert|260|°C|°F|0|abbr=on}}, sufficient for stir-frying.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://industrialcoatingsworld.com/non-stick-coatings/pfa-non-stick-coating|title=PFA Non Stick Coating|publisher=Industrial Coatings World|access-date=4 March 2012}}</ref><ref name="WOKH">{{cite web|url=http://www.wokhei.com/about.html#whatWokhei|title=What does Wokhei mean?|publisher=Wokhei|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021043753/http://www.wokhei.com/about.html#whatWokhei|archive-date=2011-10-21|url-status=dead|access-date=4 March 2012}}</ref> Woks are also now being introduced with [[Clad (metallurgy)|clad]] or five-layer construction, which sandwich a thick layer of aluminum or copper between two sheets of stainless steel.<ref name="YOU"/> Clad woks can cost five to ten times the price of a traditional carbon steel or cast-iron wok, yet cook no better; for this reason they are not used in most professional restaurant kitchens.<ref name="YOU"/> Clad woks are also slower to heat than traditional woks and not nearly as efficient for stir-frying.<ref name="YOU"/>

====Aluminium====
Woks can also be made from [[aluminium]]. Although an excellent [[heat conduction|conductor of heat]], it has somewhat inferior [[thermal capacity]] to cast iron or carbon steel, it loses heat to [[convection]] much faster than carbon steel, and it may be constructed much thinner than cast iron. Although [[anodized aluminium]] [[alloy]]s can stand up to constant use, plain aluminium woks are too soft and damage easily. Aluminium is mostly used for wok lids.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

===Handles===
[[File:stickhandle-pekingpan.jpg|thumb|A stick-handled flat-bottomed "[[Peking]] pan". While the surface looks like [[Teflon]], it is actually well-seasoned [[carbon steel]]]]

The handles for woks come in two styles: loops and stick.<ref name="YOU"/> Loop handles mounted on opposite sides of the wok are typical in southern China.<ref name="YOU"/> The twin small loop handles are the most common handle type for woks of all types and materials, and are usually made of bare metal. Cooks needing to hold the wok to toss the food in cooking do so by holding a loop handle with a thick [[towel]] (though some woks have spool-shaped wooden or plastic covers over the metal of the handle). Cooking with the tossing action in loop-handled woks requires a large amount of hand, arm and wrist strength. Loop handles typically come in pairs on the wok and are riveted, welded or extended from the wok basin.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

Stick handles are long, made of steel, and are usually welded or riveted to the wok basin, or are an actual direct extension of the metal of the basin. Stick handles are popular in northern China, where food in the wok is frequently turned with a tossing motion of the arm and wrist when stir-frying food.<ref name="YOU"/> The classic stick handle is made of hollow hammered steel, but other materials may be used, including wood or plastic-covered hand grips.<ref name="YOU"/> Because of their popularity in northern China, stick-handled woks are often referred to as "pao woks" or "Peking pans". Stick handles are normally not found on cast-iron woks since the wok is either too heavy for the handle or the metal is too thin to handle the [[tensile stress]] exerted by the handle.<ref name="YOU"/> Larger-diameter woks with stick-type handles frequently incorporate a "helper" handle consisting of a loop on the opposite side of the wok, which aids in handling.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

==Cooking==
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2021}}
The wok can be used in a large number of cooking methods. Before the introduction of Western cookware, it was often used for all cooking techniques including:<ref name="YOU"/><ref name=grigson>{{citation|title=World Atlas of Food |first=Jane |last=Grigson|publisher=Bookthrift Company |date=January 1985 |isbn=978-0-671-07211-7}}</ref>
*[[Boiling]]: For boiling water, soups, dumplings, or rice. In the latter case, [[guoba]] often forms.
*[[Braising]]: Braised dishes are commonly made using woks.  Braising is useful when reducing sauces.
*[[Deep frying]]: This is usually accomplished with larger woks to reduce splashing, but for deep frying of less food or small food items, small woks are also used.
*[[Pan frying]]: Food that is fried using a small amount of oil in the bottom of a pan
*[[Roasting]]: Food may be cooked with dry heat in an enclosed pan with lid. Whole chestnuts are dry roasted by tossing them in a dry wok with several pounds of small stones.
*[[Searing]]: Food is [[Maillard reaction|browned]] on its outer surfaces through the application of high heat
*[[Smoking (cooking)|Smoking]]: Food can be hot smoked by putting the smoking material in the bottom of the wok while food is placed on a rack above.
*[[Steaming]]: Done using a dedicated wok for boiling water in combination with steaming baskets
*[[Stew]]ing: Woks are sometimes used for stewing though it is more common in Chinese cuisines to use either stoneware or porcelain for such purposes, especially when longer stewing times are required. Small woks are for [[hot pot]], particularly in [[Hainan cuisine]]. These are served at the table over a [[sterno]] flame.
*[[Stir frying]]: Frying food quickly in a small amount of oil over high heat while stirring continuously.

=== Wok hei ===
{{transliteration|zh|"Wok hei"}} ({{zh|j=wok<sup>6</sup> hei<sup>3</sup>|s=镬气|t=鑊氣|hp=huò qì}}) literally, the "breath of the wok", is the distinct charred, smoky flavor resulting from stir-frying foods over an open flame in [[Cantonese cuisine]].<ref name="whatis">{{cite web |title=What is...wok hei? |url=https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/dining-out/what-is-wok-hei |website=Michelin |date=12 October 2016 }}</ref> The second character ({{zh|s=气|t=氣|links=no}}) is transliterated as {{transliteration|zh|[[qi]]}} ({{transliteration|zh|chi}}) according to its [[Mandarin Chinese|Standard Chinese]] pronunciation, so {{transliteration|zh|wok hei}} is sometimes rendered as {{transliteration|zh|wok chi}} in Western cookbooks. {{transliteration|zh|Wok hei}} refers to the flavor, taste, and "essence" imparted by a hot wok on food during [[stir frying]].<ref name="YOU" /><ref>{{cite book |author=Harpham, Zoė |title=Essential Wok Cookbook |year=2002 |publisher=Murdoch Books |isbn=978-1-74045-413-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/essentialwokcook0000unse }}</ref> It is particularly important for Cantonese dishes requiring high heat for fragrance such as {{transliteration|zh|[[char kuay teow]]}} and [[beef chow fun|beef {{transliteration|zh|chao fen}}]]. Out of the Eight Culinary Traditions of China, the {{transliteration|zh|wok hei}} concept is only encountered in [[Cantonese cuisine]], and may not even be an accepted underlying principle in most other [[Chinese cuisine]]s.<ref name="whatis" />

To impart {{transliteration|zh|wok hei}} the traditional way, the food is cooked in a seasoned wok over a high flame while being stirred and tossed quickly.<ref name="YOU" /> Constant contact with the heat source is crucial as the addition of new ingredients and each toss of the wok inevitably cools the wok down; therefore, cooking over flame is preferred. Consequently, many chefs (especially those with less-than-ideal cookers) may cook in small batches to overcome this problem so that the wok is still as hot as it can be, and to avoid "stewing" the food, instead. When cooking over gas stoves or open flame, it additionally allows for the splattering of fine oil particles to catch the flame into the wok; this is easily achieved when experienced chefs toss the wok and can be a demonstration of experience. For these reasons, cooking over an open flame is preferable to other types of stoves. Cooking with coated woks (e.g. nonstick) notably will not give the distinct taste of {{transliteration|zh|wok hei}}, which is partially imbued from previous cooking sessions. In practical terms, the flavor imparted by chemical compounds results from [[caramelization]], [[Maillard reaction]]s, and the partial combustion of oil that come from charring and searing of the food at very high heat in excess of {{convert|200|C}}.<ref name="WOKH" /> Aside from flavor, the texture of the cooked items and smell involved also describe {{transliteration|zh|wok hei}}.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

In [[Hong Kong]], ''wok hei'' is traditionally street food, cooked in open-air ''dai pai dongs'' ("big license stalls") over a very hot kerosene flame. Due to government regulations, the number of such stalls has been reduced from hundreds to about 20 in 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lau |first=Alex |date=2024-09-26 |title=Wok Hei Is Vanishing From Hong Kong. My Mom Wanted to Taste It Again. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/09/26/magazine/hong-kong-dai-pai-dong.html |access-date=2024-09-27 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

== Wok stoves ==
<gallery>
File:Wok cooking and the heat source by The Pocket in Nanjing.jpg|Preparing food over a modern [[Gas stove|gas-fired]], pit-type wok stove
File:WokStove.svg|The two styles of traditional Chinese wok stoves ({{lang|zh|灶}})
File:Wok Heater.jpg|Outdoor [[charcoal]] wok stove
File:Chinaherd.jpg|Natural [[gas burner]] head from a modern gas stove for woks
File:Wok-on-chinese-stove.jpg|A [[carbon steel]] wok on a Chinese wok stove
File:Cooking with a wok on an outdoor stove 2.jpg|A wok on an outdoor [[wood stove]]
</gallery>

=== Traditional ===
[[File:Han Dynasty pottery stove.JPG|thumb|A [[Han dynasty]] Chinese model with clay pots used to dry grains.  The pots' similarity to modern woks has led to conjecture that modern woks evolved from basic features of pots like these.<ref name=wil-647/>]]
Woks were designed to be used over the traditional Chinese pit-style [[hearth]] ({{zh|t={{linktext|灶}}|p=zào}}) with the wok recessed into the stove top, where the heat is fully directed at the bottom of the wok. Round grate rings on the edge of the opening provide stability to the wok. There are two styles of traditional wok stoves. The same design aspects of these Chinese stoves can be seen in traditional Japanese {{transliteration|ja|[[kamado]]}} stoves. The more primitive style was used outdoors or in well ventilated areas since hot gasses from the firebox exhaust around the wok. The more advanced style, found in better-off households, has a chimney and may be used indoors. These stoves are similar in design to modern [[rocket stove]]s.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

Pit stoves originally burned wood or coal but are now more typically heated by natural gas with the burner recessed below the stovetop. In areas where natural gas is unavailable, [[Liquefied Petroleum Gas|LPG]] may be used instead. With the adoption of gas and its less objectionable combustion products, the chimney has been replaced by the [[extractor hood|vent hood]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

This type of stove allows foods to be stir-fried at a very high heat, sometimes hot enough to deform the wok itself. Professional chefs in Chinese restaurants often use pit stoves since they have the heating power to give food an alluring {{transliteration|zh|wok hei}}.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

===Gas===
Traditionally shaped woks can be used on some Western-style (flat-topped) gas stoves by removing a burner cover and replacing it with a "wok ring", which provides stability and concentrates heat. Although not as ideal as "pit stoves", these allow woks to be used in a manner more suitable for their design and are good enough for most tasks required in home cooking.<ref name=grigson/>

Wok rings are sold in cylindrical and conical shapes. For greatest efficiency with the conical wok ring, position it with the wide side up. This allows the base of the wok to sit closer to the heat source.

In recent years, some consumer indoor stoves using natural gas or propane have begun offering higher-BTU burners. A few manufacturers of such stoves, notably [[Kenmore Appliances]] and [[Viking Range|Viking Range Corp.]] now include a specially designed high-output bridge-type wok burner as part of their standard or optional equipment, though even high-heat models are limited to a maximum of around 27,000 BTU (7.9&nbsp;kW).{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

Because of the high cost of kitchen modifications, coupled with increased heat and smoke generated in the kitchen, more home chefs are using their wok outdoors on high-heat propane burners with curved wok support grates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.appliancemagazine.com/new_products.php?article=5566&zone=204&first=1|title=Eastman Outdoor - Wok Cooking Station|date=May 2004|publisher=ApplianceMagazine.com|access-date=4 March 2012|archive-date=4 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104075808/http://www.appliancemagazine.com/new_products.php?article=5566&zone=204&first=1|url-status=dead}}</ref> Many inexpensive propane burners are easily capable of 60,000–270,000 BTU (17.5–22&nbsp;kW) or more, easily surpassing most in-home gas stoves.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

===Electric===
Woks, round or flat bottomed, do not generally work well for stir-frying or other quick cooking methods when used on an [[electric cooker]]. These stoves do not produce the large amounts of quick even heat required for stir-frying. It is possible, however, to find round-shaped electric stove elements that will fit the curve of a wok, which allows the wok to be heated at its bottom along with part of its sides. A flat-bottomed wok may also work better on an electric stove.<ref name="v279">{{cite web | last=Chin | first=Tim | title=Should You Get a Flat- or Round-Bottomed Wok? | website=Serious Eats | date=2024-01-05 | url=https://www.seriouseats.com/flat-bottomed-vs-round-bottomed-woks-8407816 }}</ref>

Coupled with the lower heat retention of woks, meals stir-fried on electric stoves have a tendency to stew and boil when too much food is in the wok rather than "fry" as in traditional woks, thus not producing {{transliteration|zh|wok hei}}. A wok can, however, benefit from the slow steady heating of electric stoves when used for slower cooking methods such as stewing, braising, and steaming, and immersion cooking techniques such as frying and boiling. Many Chinese cooks use [[Cast-iron cookware|Western style cast-iron pans]] for stir-frying on electric stoves, since they hold enough heat for the required sustained high temperatures.<ref name="YOU"/>

A newer trend in woks is the electric wok, where no stove is needed. This type of wok is plugged into an electrical outlet and the heating element is in the wok. Like stove-mounted non-stick woks, these woks can also only be used at lower temperatures than traditional woks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bring the Heat With The Best Electric Woks |url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-electric-woks-to-buy-4138187 |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=The Spruce Eats |language=en}}</ref>

===Induction===
[[Induction cooker]]s generate heat in induction-compatible cookware via direct magnetic stimulation of the pan material. While carbon steel and cast iron (the most common wok materials) are induction-compatible metals, induction cooking also requires close contact between the cooking vessel and the induction burner. This presents problems with tossing techniques, where the wok is lifted off the burner and agitated, will break contact and turn off the burner. Traditionally shaped woks, which are round-bottomed, also do not have enough contact with the cooking surface to generate notable heat. Bowl-shaped induction cookers overcome this problem and can be used suitably for wok cooking in locations where gas stoves are not suitable.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-08-29 |title=The Best Woks |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-woks/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Flat-bottomed woks make sufficient contact to generate heat. Some cookware makers are now offering round-bottomed woks with a small flat spot to provide induction contact, with a specially designed support ring, and some induction cooktops are now also available with a rounded burner that is able to make contact with the rounded bottom of a traditional wok. In both cases, the food will need to be stirred with a cooking utensil, instead of being tossed by lifting the wok itself.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What's the Difference Between Round and Flat Bottom Woks? |url=https://madeincookware.com/blogs/round-vs-flat-bottom-wok |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=Made In Cookware |language=en}}</ref>

==Advantages==
The main advantage of the wok, beyond its constructed material, is its curved, concave shape. This shape produces a small, hot area at the bottom which allows some of the food to be [[seared]] by intense heat while using relatively little fuel. The large sloped sides also make it easier for chefs to employ the tossing cooking technique on solid and thick liquid food, with less spillage and a greater margin of safety. The curved sides also allow a person to cook without having to "chase the food around the pan", since bite-sized or finely chopped stir-fry ingredients usually tumble back to the center of the wok when agitated.<ref name="YOU"/>

The curve also provides a larger usable cooking surface versus Western-style pots and pans, which typically have vertical edges. This allows large pieces of food seared at the bottom of the wok to be pushed up the gently sloped sides to continue cooking at a slower rate. While this occurs another ingredient for the same dish needing high heat is being cooked at the bottom. The pointed bottom also allows even small amounts of oil to pool.<ref name="YOU"/> As such, large food items can be shallow fried, while finely chopped [[garlic]], [[chili pepper]]s, [[scallion]]s, and [[ginger]] can be essentially deep-fried in both cases with very small amounts of cooking oil.<ref name=grigson/>

==Other wok-like pans==

[[File:Kawah Wok fired up.jpg|240px|thumb|An oiled ''kawah'' being preheated on a makeshift [[gas stove]]]]

[[File:Frying boorsoq.jpg|240px|thumb|Frying ''[[boorsoq]]'' in a ''[[Kazan (cookware)|qazan]]'']]

Wok-like pans are found in many culinary traditions around the world, often adapted to local cooking styles and ingredients while maintaining the core utility of a deep, curved vessel suited for high-heat cooking and [[stir frying]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Young | first=Grace | title=Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories | publisher=Simon and Schuster | date=May 4, 2010 | isbn=978-1-4165-8073-7}}</ref>

In [[Indonesia]], a wok-like pan is known as a {{lang|id|penggorengan}} or {{lang|id|wajan}} (also spelled {{lang|id|wadjang}}, from [[Javanese language]], from the root word {{transliteration|jv|waja}} meaning "[[steel]]").<ref name="muller">{{cite book|author=Müller, Thorsten |title =Xi'an, Beijing und kein! Chop Suey: Lehmsoldaten, Fuhunde und Genüsse in China|publisher =Books on Demand|year =2010|page=122|language=de|isbn =9783839169698}}</ref> In [[Malaysia]], it is called a {{lang|zsm|kuali}} (small wok) or {{lang|zsm|kawah}} (big wok).<ref name="muller" /> Similarly, in the [[Philippines]], the wok is known as {{lang|fil|kawali}} in [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]] or {{lang|ceb|kalaha}} in [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]] ([[Philippine Spanish]]: {{lang|es|carajay}}), and it is called {{lang|pam|talyasi}} in [[Kapampangan language|Kapampangan]]. Bigger pans used for festivals and gatherings are known as {{lang|fil|kawa}} in most languages of the Philippines.<ref name="alip">{{cite book|author=Alip, Eufronio Melo |title =Ten Centuries of Philippine-Chinese Relations: Historical, Political, Social, Economic|publisher =Alip & Sons|year =1959|page=97}}</ref><ref name="tope">{{cite book|author1 =Tope, Lily Rose|author2 =Mercado, Nordilica|name-list-style =amp|title =Philippines|publisher =Marshall Cavendish|series =Cultures of the World|year =2002|page =[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780761414759/page/127 127]|isbn =9780761414759|url =https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780761414759/page/127}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=All hail ube, the culinary gem we took for granted|url=https://cnnphilippines.com/life/leisure/food/2016/10/14/ube-cover-story.html|access-date=|website=cnn|language=en|archive-date=2021-02-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226004941/https://cnnphilippines.com/life/leisure/food/2016/10/14/ube-cover-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In [[northern Mexico]] and the [[southwestern United States]], a pan called a [[discada]] originally fashioned from an old plow disc and repurposed as a cooking surface. Used traditionally in [[vaquero]] cooking, giving it the "cowboy wok" nickname, it is placed over an open flame or gas burner and used to prepare a variety of meat-heavy discada dishes. Its concave shape and durability mirror the wok’s utility, particularly in outdoor cooking contexts.<ref>{{cite web | last=Lucero | first=Mario | title=How the Cowboy Wok Won the West | website=WSJ | date=August 24, 2024 | url=https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/food-cooking/cowboy-wok-discada-outdoor-cooking-008c44ed | language=en-US | access-date=May 14, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Carter | first=Noelle | title=Looks like a wok, but it's actually a converted plow disc. Meet the discada, 'like a cast-iron skillet on steroids.' | website=Los Angeles Times | date=August 31, 2018 | url=https://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-fo-co-fire-disc-outdoor-cooking-recipes-20180901-story.html | access-date=May 14, 2025}}</ref>

In [[Turkey]] and [[central Asia]], a similar utensil is called a [[Kazan (cookware)|kazan]]. Traditionally made of cast iron or aluminum, the kazan is a large, deep, round-bottomed pot used for cooking over open flames. It is widely used in the preparation of pilaf, soups, and stews, often during communal or outdoor gatherings. Though it lacks a handle and differs slightly in form, the kazan’s shape and function closely resemble a wok, particularly in its ability to cook large quantities with direct heat.<ref>{{cite book | last=Lin-Liu | first=Jen | title=On the Noodle Road: From Beijing to Rome, with Love and Pasta | publisher=Penguin | date=July 25, 2013 | isbn=978-1-101-61619-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Lev-Tov | first=Devorah | title=Rich or Poor, Uzbeks Eat Plov | website=Smithsonian Magazine | date=December 20, 2023 | url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/rich-or-poor-uzbeks-eat-plov-180983483/ | access-date=May 14, 2025}}</ref>

In [[India]], a similar pan is called ''[[karahi]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jaron |date=2020-09-15 |title=The Best Kadai For Indian Cooking In 2022 |url=https://foodsguy.com/best-kadai-indian-cooking/ |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=Foods Guy |language=en-US}}</ref> In [[Japan]], the wok is called a {{nihongo3|literally "Chinese pot"|{{linktext|中華鍋}}|chūkanabe}}. In South India, the Chinese wok became a part of [[South Indian cuisine|South Indian]] cooking, where it is called the {{transliteration|ml|cheena chatti}} (literally, "Chinese pot" in [[Malayalam]] and [[Tamil language|Tamil]]).<ref>{{cite book | last=Ramachandran | first=Ammini | title=Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts: Recipes and Remembrances of a Vegetarian Legacy | date=2008 | publisher=iUniverse | isbn=978-1-60528-016-5}}</ref>

In [[Spain]], a similar wide, shallow pan known as the paellera or paella pan is used to prepare [[paella]] and other rice-based dishes. Though it has a flat bottom and does not share the wok’s concavity, the paella pan performs a comparable role in distributing high heat evenly over a large surface, ideal for cooking food quickly and uniformly.

== See also ==
{{portal|China|Food}}
* [[Chinese cuisine]]
**[[Cantonese cuisine]]
**[[Egg fried rice]]
* [[List of cooking techniques]]
* [[List of cooking vessels]]
* [[Wok racing]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|40em}}

==External links==
{{Commons|Wok}}

{{cookbook}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cooking vessels]]
[[Category:Cantonese words and phrases]]
[[Category:Chinese food preparation utensils]]
[[Category:Chinese inventions]]