Hmm, something just doesn't seem quite right about this

Something about this wok just doesn't seem right...

Is it the non-stick coating, is it the advertised asymmetrical shape, is it the flat bottom, is it Ergonomic stay-cool handle? Actually, it is all of the above. While I actually think Sur La Table is a pretty cool store and has tons of neat gadgets, this bastardization of the primary Chinese pan is rather disappointing.

If you are truly serious about Chinese cooking, you really can only go one way - with the traditional carbon steel wok with the rounded bottom. This tried and true shape has been used for years and years by just about every Chinese family.

The rounded bottom and carbon steel make it ideally suited for steaming, stir frying and pan frying.

When you steam, the rounded bottom allows a large pool of water to sit beneath your steam rack, thereby creating a large source for continuous and hot steam that doesn't instantly cool when you lift your wok lid.

When you stir fry, the rounded bottom allows you to flip or "pow" your food correctly as with a quick flick of your wrist, you can completely flip all the food in your wok without using your spatula. The rounded bottom in this case creates a semi-circular shape within your pan so that your food has a spherical path to travel rather than in a western style saute which has a hard 90 degree angle which prevents the smooth flipping of your food. This flip is what gives great stir fried food that light and crisp texture. Otherwise, if you don't flip, your stir fry will inevitably end up soggy and gross as if you had used a western saute pan. This flip allows some of the moisture that has pooled at the bottom of the wok to escape as steam, rather than condensing back into water and ruining your food.

When you pan fry, the carbon steel acts as a highly efficient conductor of heat that stays hot when you place your raw food into it, allowing your food to form that perfectly seared seal which locks in its moisture. Also, the rounded bottom prevents your food from swimming in oil and actually makes your pan fried food less greasy.

Ultimately though if you are truly passionate about cooking, the one part that you must master, is your control of heat. Back in January, the New York Times ran an article titled The Invisible Ingredient in Every Kitchen that discussed the importance of mastering heat as a prerequisite to great cooking. It is a great read, so check it out.

Oh, a PS - just like a perfectly seasoned cast iron pan, a carbon steel wok will naturally become non-stick once it too becomes seasoned.