Wok

A wok being used for stir frying
Wok
"Wok" in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinhuò
Wade–Gileshuo4
IPA[xwô]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationwohk
Jyutpingwok6
IPA[wɔk̚˨]
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese炒鍋
Simplified Chinese炒锅
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinchǎoguō
Southern Min
Hokkien POJtshá-ko

A wok (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: huò; Cantonese Yale: wohk) is a deep round-bottomed cooking pan of Chinese origin. It is believed to be derived from the South Asian karahi. It is common in Greater China, and similar pans are found in parts of East, South and Southeast Asia,[1] 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, boiling, braising, searing, stewing, making soup, smoking and roasting nuts.[2] Wok cooking is often done with utensils called chǎn (spatula) or sháo (ladle) whose long handles protect cooks from high heat. The uniqueness of wok cooking is conveyed by the Cantonese term wohkhei: "breath of the wok".

  1. ^ Young, Grace; Richardson, Alan (2004). The Breath of a Wok. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 4, 14, 34, 36–40. ISBN 0743238273.
  2. ^ Young & Richardson (2004), pp. 4, 38, 40