Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 May 27, 2009 11:23 am I have already purchased an Ilve 90cm induction cooktop because it was such a good price. Has anyone done wok cooking on a flat induction hob. I know you can purchase induction wok tops but apparently they are not so good so I'm not getting one. (Let me know If I'm wrong) I will have to add a really top notch gas wok burner as extra to my cooking station but I have already purchased the 90 cm canopy rangehood. Is it going to look out of whack with the wok burner sticking out from the rangehood 90cm? Re: wok induction 2May 29, 2009 7:39 am Can't help with the induction thing, I've only ever cooked on gas, apart from a brief and nasty experience with an electric stove in a rental 20-odd years ago... Personally, I wouldn't have a wok burner outside the rangehood. Stir-frying creates a huge amount of smoke and steam and you'll just end up with a mess. And smells right through the house. You used to be able to buy flat-bottomed woks, designed for electric cooktops. I have no idea if they're any good, and I'm not sure if they're still available? Re: wok induction 3May 29, 2009 8:15 am kleenmaid used ot make a wok specially designed for induction cooktops & Kylie Kwong used it - saw it on her show a few years ago but since they've gone under, it's a moot point Built the Eden Brae Cambridge 34 Family with Boston Corner Facade Re: wok induction 4May 29, 2009 8:24 am Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ http://www.getprice.com.au/30cm-CNS-IH-Flat-Bottom-Wok-Gpnc_248--36254040.htm Re: wok induction 5May 29, 2009 12:58 pm Follow my post here: http://forums.envirotalk.com.au/index.p ... st&p=28917 Domestic wok burners (gas or induction) are relatively limited compared to commercial ones. As mentioned a high output cooktop needs to be matched with a adequately sized range. My mum does her serious stir-frying outside with a portable 3 ring burner capable of 60MJ/hr (more than 3x the output of a any domestic burner). Re: wok induction 6May 30, 2009 10:18 am I've got a flat-bottom cast iron wok but inside is still round, and since it's cast iron, i'm pretty sure you can use it on induction cooktop. It's pretty heavy but it's been lasting for years. I think i bought mine from target years ago but sure other shops sell them too. Re: wok induction 7May 30, 2009 11:12 am Jaeger LeCoultre I've got a flat-bottom cast iron wok The traditional wok used by Asians is not cast iron but made from pressed steel. It is much lighter and intentionally made that way so it doesn't store heat. This gives more control over the cooking temperatures. The wok is merely a path of conduction from the fierce heat source below it. Heat is adjusted by lifting the wok away from the cooktop. When stir-frying it is important to maintain high wok temperatures. This is achieved by a high output cooktop, heating the oil until it just begins to smoke and cooking batches of food at a time. Cooking should be intense and brief. It is stir 'frying' not 'steaming' or 'boiling'. The final step is to combine all the individual batches to finally warm through. Teflon coated woks are inappropriate for stir frying because they cannot withstand the high temperatures required (the coating breaks down and releases toxic fumes). Seasoning a wok is similar to seasoning cast iron cookware. When properly done and maintained you will have a perfect non-stick surface far more superior and durable than any proprietary non-stick coating. Walk into the kitchen of any Asian restaurant and you can confirm its popularity. No self respecting chef uses anything else. The problem about trying to install a high-output commercial wok burner indoors is that you need to match it with a high-flow commercial rangehood that can deal with the heat and smoke. Domestic wok cooking must be modified. You may need to divide the cooking into smaller portions. The mistake made by home novices is to try to put too much food in the same time which dramatically cools the wok. Most domestic burners can't keep up with this heat loss. With induction cooking, better temperature control is achieved by adjusting the dial rather than lifting the wok away from the cooktop. You can find plenty of cheap flat-bottomed light-weight pressed steel woks (of varying sizes) in a local Asian supermarket or grocer and places in China Town. These will work with induction. The cheap ones work just as well as a branded make. Re: wok induction 8May 31, 2009 9:16 am Wok cooking generally involves high temperatures. This means that you need to turn the food over regularly. As a result, I find that the wok moves around when I'm cooking. I've never used an induction cooktop but I think that wok cooking may scratch the glass surface. Chris Re: wok induction 9May 31, 2009 9:32 am dymonite69, that was a fantastic post re the wok and using it. Very informative. Thanks. www.themaxbuild.blogspot.com forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20717&start=300 www.leahspaperpassion.blogspot.com Re: wok induction 10May 31, 2009 9:54 am ChrisL Wok cooking generally involves high temperatures. This means that you need to turn the food over regularly. As a result, I find that the wok moves around when I'm cooking. I've never used an induction cooktop but I think that wok cooking may scratch the glass surface. Chris Probably not different from a chef who agitates or tosses a fry pan on the cooktop. The commercial wok induction units are shaped specifically for woks to allow it to be 'rolled' on the stove. You would expect that a Ceran cooktop is going to be marked over time with regular use. |