The Wok Recipes You'll Want to Know for Cooking on Weeknights
The wok has long been known to be an effective and efficient method of cooking by stir-frying meat and vegetables together in a single pot, allowing the flavor of the meat to infuse the vegetables for a delicious blended taste experience. The large, bowl-shaped design of the best woks allow larger amounts of food to be cooked than in typical pans, making them ideal for family meals.
Woks are believed to be one of the oldest known cooking pans, with evidence of cast-iron woks being used in China as far back as 200 BC. It’s not completely understood if the ancient Chinese developed this cooking method or adopted it from other societies, such as those in ancient India or Thailand, but the wok has only increased in popularity all over the world in recent decades.
Why the Wok Works
The larger, bowl-shaped design of the best wok allows food to be cooked with less oil. According to Healthfully.com, this has significant health benefits as long as you cook with low fat foods and don’t overdo the salty seasonings. The bowl shape of a wok also allows for easier stirring and tossing, without letting food or oil splatter out of the pan. A wok distributes heat more evenly, so there is less likelihood of scorching than in other pans. Best of all, cooking with a wok is fast and easy for today's busy families. You can get started with these recipes for fast weeknight woking.
Easy Thai Basil Chicken:
First, chop or mince three chilies, a red onion, and five cloves of garlic. Add them to a heated wok with two tablespoons of your favorite cooking oil. Toss them around until they soften, and then add a pack of ground chicken and cook until brown, stirring often. Add a tablespoon of brown sugar and then soy sauce to taste. Add a tablespoon of fish sauce. Add a half cup of chicken broth and stir any browned bits up from the bottom and sides of the pan. Add a handful of chopped basil. Add some chopped romaine lettuce and cook until basil and romaine are wilted. Serve on white rice.
Fast Cashew Chicken:
Mix in a bowl 1 ¼ cup chicken broth with 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon brown sugar until smooth. Add 1 ½ pounds chopped boneless chicken breast to 2 tablespoons of oil in a heated wok. Cook until no longer pink. Remove from the wok and set aside. Add to the wok mushrooms, a sliced green pepper, and a can of water chestnuts (drained). Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of ground ginger. Cook until peppers are softened. Add the cornstarch blend to the pan along with four chopped green onions, and ¾ a cup of cashews. Once the sauce has thickened, replace the cooked chicken to the pan and serve over rice.
Spicy Beef Stir Fry:
In a bowl, toss sliced beef with 1 tablespoon of ginger, two chopped garlic cloves, and salt and pepper. In a smaller bowl whisk together 1 cup coconut milk with 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and 1 tablespoon Sriracha until blended. In a heated wok, cook the beef until no longer pink. Remove from the pan. Then, add to the pan a sliced red pepper, a sliced small red onion, and a thinly sliced and de-seeded jalapeno pepper. Cook until softened. Add coconut milk mixture and cook until heated. Add the cooked beef and 4 cups of baby spinach. Cook until spinach wilts and serve over rice. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and cilantro if desired.
Pork and Mango Stir Fry:
Add sliced pork tenderloin to a heated wok with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add an 8-ounce package of fresh sugar snap peas and a sliced red pepper. Cook until pork is no longer pink, and vegetables are tender. Add ⅓ cup orange marmalade, ¼ cup teriyaki sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and two minced cloves of garlic. Stir in 6 ounces of cooked thin spaghetti, one peeled and chopped mango, and ¼ cup cashews. Heat until warmed through. Add red pepper flakes if desired.
Honey Sriracha Shrimp:
Add one sliced red pepper, three cloves minced garlic, and 1 cup chopped asparagus to a wok heated with 2 tablespoons of oil. Meanwhile, toss peeled, de-veined shrimp with a mixture of ½ cup honey, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of Sriracha. Add shrimp to the wok once the asparagus and red pepper are softened. Cook until shrimp are cooked through and lightly browned. Serve with rice.
The best wok can not only help you to make fast, delicious foods for your family that taste better than takeout, wok recipes traditionally also contain many colorful vegetables that can benefit health in multiple ways. Family doesn't want to take their vitamins? No problem! Use these and other stir fry recipes with your best wok and dinner will be a nutritious wok in the park.
Resources— TasteofHome, thewoksoflife, theSpruceEats
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