Wok

A round-bottomed, deep pan with sloped sides, the single most iconic and versatile piece of cookware in Chinese cooking, designed to concentrate intense heat at its base while allowing ingredients to be tossed up the sloped sides.

Material & Construction

Traditionally carbon steel or cast iron, prized for rapid heat response and the ability to develop "wok hei" (a distinct seared, smoky flavor from very high-heat stir-frying); modern versions include nonstick and stainless steel.

Traditional Uses

Stir-frying, deep-frying, steaming (with an insert), smoking, and even boiling — an exceptionally multi-purpose vessel central to nearly all Chinese cooking techniques.

Modern Availability / Equivalents

Extremely widely available worldwide in both traditional and modern nonstick versions; flat-bottomed woks are commonly sold for Western electric and flat-top stoves, which cannot properly heat a traditional round-bottomed wok.

Care & Maintenance

Season carbon steel and cast iron woks before first use and after each wash; avoid soap on a well-seasoned wok, cleaning instead with hot water and a stiff brush.

Closely related to the Southeast Asian kuali and the South Asian kadhai/karahi — part of a broad convergent family of wok-like pans across Asia.