A Wok in Brisbane

[Canalien]

So I'm looking for a new Wok... around 15"-16", carbon steel, round base (not flat), and wooden handles... not sure if i want the long handle or traditional style... which is why I want to pick the damn thing up before I get it, not interested in buying one online?

Anyone know a good place to look in Brisbane? I went down to chinatown today and went to the three chinese supermarkets I could find (Yuen's, Wing Hing or whatever on the corner of Wickham and Brunswick, and the one up in the chinatown mall). They all had a bit of a selection, but not what I was looking for... Also tried Robyn's Kitchen and House in desperation... nada.

Help?

[kleph]

when buying a wok, keep in mind that regular one suck on conventional burners. woks are designed to sit into a brick oven of sorts that, with the fire below, allows pretty much the whole of the sides to become hot. a burner just lets the bottom bit get warm, destroying the concept altogether.

i have found success taking two routes around this problem; electric woks and stir fry pans.

the cooks illusrated folks reccomend the Maxim Nonstick Electric Wok with Dome Cover (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004R93J/103-9964851-5157464?v=glance&n=284507)

It stir-fried on par with a skillet, and it managed the oil for deep-frying like a pro. The temperature dial stayed cool during cooking and was relatively accurate as well as easy to read and to adjust. This wok's size was generous and its construction solid, while its long handle made it easy to hold the wok with one hand while scraping out ingredients with the other when cooking in batches. Cleanup was a breeze.

in the realm of flat bottomed woks they select 14-inch Joyce Chen Original Stir Fry Pan (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001VQIOU/103-9964851-5157464?v=glance&n=284507)

it held a roomy 6 1/2 quarts and measured 6 1/2 inches across the bottom (the widest bottom area we could find). The wok was balanced, sturdy, and easy to use, though it was a bit heavy for one petite tester. The best thing about this wok was that it got hot quickly and then stayed hot, taking a respectable three minutes to get the oil smoking initially and a quick 49 seconds to get it smoking for the second batch of beef. That heat is key to developing a brown crust on the beef, which this wok achieved to some degree, though not quite as nicely as our trusty 12-inch skillet. A 12-inch skillet has twice as much surface in direct contact with the heating source as the even the Joyce Chen wok. This larger area allows for the meat to be spread in an even layer, ensuring even browning.

but, for the western cook, there is really nothing that beats a good 12-inch or 14-inch nonstick skillet for stir-frying. you get better heat diffusion on the pan, if it has a proper lip you can do all the mixing madness a wok offers and it is much more adaptable for other dishes you may want to cook.

the ci dudes recently did their testing on these and found the Wearever Collections Premium Nonstick Aluminum Skillet (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KJ2K2/103-9964851-5157464?v=glance&n=284507) was an awesome performer and, at less than $10, an incredible bargain.

Though not as heavy as some of the other top finishers, this pan was sturdy, comfortable, and well designed, with a sleek look reminiscent of more expensive skillets. The spacious pan held heat well, giving salmon a beautiful golden brown crust. The onions did cook a bit fast, though.

i suggest picking up one of the latter, testing out what you wanted to do with the wok and then deciding if you really want to make the investment on it.

(all this said, my parent's next door neighbor in arizona is from china and has made a wood-fueled wok cooker in their back yard. it really is a dream to cook on and, seeing it work for real, you get a much better idea on the strengths of this style of cooking over the conventional stovetop.)

[frednurk]

Legend Kitchenware (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/16-Steel-Wok-with-Two-Handles-Round-bottom_W0QQitemZ4430559543QQcategoryZ20674QQrdZ1QQ cmdZViewItem)

16" high carbon crap steel, 2 handles, round bottom- $16

[Canalien]

yeah saw that one on ebay earlier. right size and shape, but i want wooden handles and to see it before i buy it (ie, not online).

I've been cooking with a wok for 8 years, so i know EXACTLY what I want. there's no way in hell I'm getting anything electric or teflon coated. i've got 3 other frying pans (including an 11 pound cast iron pan and two stainless steel pans with aluminium cores) in addition to my current wok, but the latter is flat based, which is convenient for stove top and counter use, but in my opinion COMPLETELY inferior to a round bottom. mostly in terms of heat distribution, and because the little corner where it changes from round to flat is not suited to developing a patina. in my experience a round bottom wok on a stand over a electric element works beautifully