In the program "Historically Vôtre", on Europe 1, Olivier Poels explains to us the origins of the wok.
This "cauldron" is of Chinese origin and dates from the Han dynasty.
The columnist takes the opportunity to share a delicious recipe for sautéed vegetables, in the wok of course.
Some people have a wok without really knowing how to use it.
Yet this kitchen utensil of Chinese origin is very practical.
It allows you to cook and sear simultaneously with a minimum of fat.
In "Historically Yours", on Europe 1, Olivier Poels looks back on the origins of the wok which appeared during the Han dynasty.
Many recipes can be made using this object, the columnist advises to use it to prepare vegetables sautéed in a wok, a dish that can be seasonal but also with a touch of exoticism and more Asian flavors.
A thousand-year-old object
The wok is a kitchen utensil discovered quite late in Europe.
Yet it has been around for over two thousand years in Asia and China.
It was the Chinese in the Canton region who invented this utensil.
The word wok means "cauldron" in Cantonese.
The first woks of which we have found traces were in graves, some were buried with their woks.
>> Find all Olivier Poels' recipes here
Originally, it was made of pottery, it was later that it was made of cast iron and was hammered by the village blacksmith.
Each family had their own, and it was a somewhat universal kitchen container with two handles.
The advantage of the wok is that it is damn efficient.
And behind this form we can find many interests.
A practical utensil
With its rounded bottom, it does not require a lot of heat for maximum rendering: a small heat source below will heat the underside very strongly, which will allow the food to sauté.
And then, the heat will be distributed over the top to allow cooking.
This is why you have to stir the food all the time in the wok.
There is a rapid change from very hot to less hot which allows cooking and searing at the same time.
This also offers the possibility of using very little fat in order to obtain a cooking which is very dietetic.
With just a few teaspoons of oil, it is possible to coat as much food as possible.
The oil goes down along the walls and returns to the bottom which allows to cover everything.
Wok-sautéed vegetables recipe
Ingredients:
- 150 gr of bean sprouts
- 150 gr of chopped peppers
- 150 gr of grated carrots
- 150 gr of green beans
- 1 onion
- 3 tbsp of soy sauce
- 3 tbsp of sesame oil
- 1 tbsp chopped ginger
- 1 tbsp Asian spices (curry)
- coriander
- 1 tsp honey
Recipe:
Heat the oil in the wok and brown the chopped onion
Add the grated carrot or sticks, chopped pepper, beans and sear 5/6 minutes
Add the bean sprouts then the ginger, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and spices
Cook for 7/8 minutes, stirring regularly
Add the cilantro and serve