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When the Asians and Chinese immigrated to the United States, they brought their cuisines with them. Today there are Asian and Chinese restaurants and eating places where one can enjoy their exotic and delicious dishes and delicacies. As more Asians have immigrated to the United States, they have created a demand for the fruits, vegetables, fungi, sauces, and noodles unique to their native land.
The wok is the primary utensil used in Chinese and Asian cooking. It is used especially in East and Southeast Asia. Hundreds of years ago, due to fuel shortages, Chinese cooks discovered how to prepare healthy meals using the wok which is very versatile. This bowl-shaped utensil has many advantages. Its shape produces a small, hot area at the bottom which allows some of the food to be seared by intense heat while using very little fuel. Its curved sides allow bite-sized or finely chopped stir-fry ingredients that are tossed when stir-frying to tumble back to the center of the wok and not on the stove. The curve 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 lower rate.
Heat is distributed evenly through the wok, making it perfect for stir-fry cooking. Heat is one of the secrets in Asian cooking. It is very economical because less oil is used for deep frying than a traditional deep-fat fryer. The wok is generally used for stir-frying meats and vegetables, but can also be used for steaming, deep frying, braising, smoking, and making soups.
Traditional woks were made out of steel, but woks made of this material are hard to find today. They usually had two handles. Today instead of double handles, woks have one long handle like a skillet. This makes the woks easier to use and move. Most modern woks are made of stainless steel, copper or aluminum. Because woks are now used on the stove top, modern woks have flat bottoms. There are also electric woks, which can be used at lower temperatures than traditional woks.
Although the wok is used to cook Chinese and Asian dishes, it has become very popular with cooks in the modern kitchen. There are many inexpensive woks on the market, and wok cooking is very healthy. So, purchase your wok, search for recipes, visit the Asian market, and enjoy the Asian and Chinese cuisines.