Care & Use - Wok

Instructions of use
The recommendations for care and use apply to all Le Creuset woks.

HEAT SETTINGS
The wok should not be used over a high heat. Medium and low heats will provide ample heat for all stir-fry and deep-fat frying.

OILS AND FATS
Traditionally, peanut oil is used for most Chinese cookery. It is light and gives excellent results without transferring any additional flavour to the food. Sesame, walnut and other flavoured oils can be used in small quantities to impart their own special flavour, but are best used mixed with another oil to avoid overpowering the food they are cooking. Olive oil, butter, margarine or white fats are not ideal. They can burn too easily and have too strong a flavour.

USE OF LID
The lid is sometimes used to cover and lightly steam ingredients at the end of stir-frying. This is very traditional and helps soften very crisp vegetables, while retaining their “bite” or colour. It is particularly useful for those who find very crisp vegetables a little too indigestible.

TIPS
When stir-frying for a crowd, the time to cook can be accelerated by pre-blanching (for just 1 minute) really crisp vegetables, such as carrots and green beans. This will mean they take less time to cook in the wok.

When deep-fat frying for tempura recipes, the oil level must be kept low and 500 ml (2 cups) is the advised maximum. In this way, as foods are added, the hot oil will not rise up over the rim of the wok.