Helen Chen's Asian Kitchen 14-inch Carbon Steel Flat Bottom Lidded Wok Set
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Helen Chen's Asian Kitchen 14-inch Carbon Steel Flat Bottom Lidded Wok Set
Customer Review: Great wok pan
Summary: 5 Stars
Carbon steel is definitely the way to go; I've used nonstick & cast iron, which have problems when trying to do stir-fries. I especially like the handles on this wok; being wood, I don't need a potholder, and the combination of long handle & helper handle makes this pan easy to work with. The pan comes with the long handle detached, which I prefer because I like to initially season the pan using the oven. Since the helper handle has a bamboo handle which can be harmed by high oven heat, you must protect it during the seasoning: first wrap the wood with damp washcloths, then cover them with aluminum foil crimped all around the washcloths. Grace Young, who has written several great stir-fry cookbooks, has a very helpful video online on how to season a wok. The part that this pan's instructions leaves out is to initially season the outside of the pan along with the inside when doing the oven part of the seasoning; this protects the outside surface from rust & gives it a great patina color. I also line the oven rack with foil & turn the wok upside down so the applied coating of shortening or oil does not pool in the bottom of the wok. After three trips into the 450 degree oven to season the pan, I followed Grace Young's instructions to stirfry green onions & ginger slices in the wok until they were black (they are then discarded). As I've used the pan, some of the seasoning has scraped off using the recommended wok "shovel", but it still performed beautifully. A wok seasoned like this can be cleaned by putting hot water in it for a few minutes to soak, then wiping it out with a sponge, rinsing with hot water, & placing back on a low burner to bake off all moisture. I usually wipe a small bit of peanut oil on the inside while the wok is still warm. Grace Young says it takes a year of cooking in a carbon steel wok to fully develop its patina, and I can see this happening. She recommends popping popcorn in the wok as a way to speed up the seasoning process, and this works for me.Customer Review: Great Wok
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this wok after searching many local stores and then researching the web. It came with great reviews. I have been very pleased with it. I live with parrots so nonstick- (Teflon) coated cookware is out of the question due to its toxicity. Used to have an ancient wok which finally saw its last day a couple yrs. ago when its handle fell off. Cooking stir fry and Asian fare in a regular skillet is possible, but not as good.
My new wok is wonderful. I seasoned it according to directions. Have used it five times since. You need very little oil when cooking, so food is flavorful AND healthy. To keep it nonstick and non rusty, you merely have to wash in hot water, dry well, and wipe with a bit of veggie oil and a bit of paper towel. I like the flat bottom which sits well on my gas stove and is stable. My last wok came with a ring which unfortunately caused scorch marks on my gas stove top. This wok doesn't.
I am very happy with this product and would recommend it to anyone. Treat it as you would treat your treasured cast iron cookware (Yes, I have some of that too.... some of it is older than I am). One of my cast iron skillets belonged to my late husband's grandma, so it's nearly a century old. I expect that with minimal care, my new wok will last nearly as long.
Customer Review: Good Product - Bad Shipping
Summary: 3 Stars
This wok seems to be a pretty decent wok. I treated it according to instructions found on internet, and we used it once so far. I expect it to last for a long time if I keep it oiled well and dry after use. No complaints about the product itself. HOWEVER, the shipping of this item needs to be improved. The handle (a hollow, wooden piece with a bolt through it) was shipped inside the aluminum lid. The lid arrived with numerous dents since the handle is thrown around during shipping and the steel parts smack into the inside of the soft aluminum lid every time the box tumbles over during shipping (my best theory for the damage). Those bumps are easily visible on the outside of the otherwise great looking lid. I would say there are about 20 dents on the inside of the lid. It looks like someone took a little hammer and went to work on the inside. I decided to not care (and did not want to send back the item), but the lid looked worse when it arrived than the lid of the wok we had in use for many years. Just so you know.Customer Review: Great if seasoned properly
Summary: 4 Stars
This is my first wok, and after reading the enclosed instructions (which were very explicit), I was able to season my wok and enjoy healthy stir-frys next day! This is a good-quality pan - the handle hasn't twisted or come loose. But you MUST follow the directions and season it properly! I recommend repeating the first step where you smoke off the factory-coating and scrub it at least twice, and then season it with oil (thin layer - too much will gunk up and stick) at least four times. Also, do not attempt to cook anything starchy (like, say, cornstarch-coated tofu) the first few times until the coating has built up. When finished, rinse with water, dry totally, and rub in a bit of oil. After that, you will be golden... I have let my wok sit around unused - AFTER seasoning - for weeks and no rust has built up.
(I left off a star because I have not yet used the lid, since I am unsure of how to clean that and whether it needs to be seasoned as well - that would have been helpful in the directions)
Customer Review: Great Wok... Great Price
Summary: 5 Stars
I read a lot of reviews for this Wok before I made my decision. The negative reviews on this particular model are wrong. If you know how to use a wok, or have had a carbon steel wok before, this product is for you. If you don't know how to use a wok, or only use the wok once a month, you are better off getting a nonstick wok. The only warning I have with nonstick woks is that due to the extremely high temperatures needed to cook stir fry, frequently the nonstick layer will crack and peel even if you are using plastic on it. This wok, once properly seasoned and if taken care of properly will also be nonstick. Follow the directions carefully for seasoning and after use and never never use soap. I always put a light coat of oil on the wok before I put it away to keep rust from forming, then wipe before use. Just follow the directions and you will have a wonderful, seasoned, nonstick wok that cooks wonderful food that gets better and more flavorful everytime you cook.