Wok

A wok  is a versatile round-bottomed cooking vessel, originating from China. The use of the wok is very prevalent in South China (particularly Guangdong Province). It is one of the most common cooking utensils in China and also found in parts of East, South and Southeast Asia,[1] as well as becoming a popular niche cookware in all the world.

Woks are used in a range of different Chinese cooking techniques, including stir frying, steaming, pan frying, deep frying, poaching, boiling, braising, searing, stewing, making soup, smoking and roasting nuts. Wok cooking is done with long-handled utensils called chahn (spatula) or hoak (ladle). The long handles of these utensils allow cooks to work with the food without burning their hands.

Cast iron woks form a more stable carbonized layer of 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.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.Chinese-style cast iron woks, although relatively light, are fragile and are prone to shattering if dropped or mishandled.