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wok

wok

18 2.0
A large pan with a round bottom used to fry and stir-fry food, often in Chinese cooking
  • noun
  • /wɑk/
translation icon : wok
  • Pour the vegetables into the wok and stir-fry them on high heat until tender.
  • Heat a wok
  • fry in a wok
  • oil in a wok

And usually it's only when you're wok frying that you get anywhere near that sort of temperature.

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Examples

  • Add the broth, cover the wok, and steam for approximately 1 minute or until the vegetables are tender

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The philosopher drops pork strips in the wok, which hiss as they hit the hot oil.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Is that a wok I see?

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a wok over high heat.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • So I'm going to start by preheating my wok on the highest heat.

  • Heat another tablespoon of vegetable oil in the wok and add the meat and mushrooms.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in the wok, then add frozen mixed vegetables and green onions.

    Blog text (1)
  • I tossed the sizzling beef against the sides of the wok until the red faded to pink.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Add cooked chicken, rice, and soy sauce to the wok, then toss well to combine.

    Blog text (1)
  • An attractive young Japanese woman, petite and silent, was stirring steaming vegetables in an electric wok.

    Fiction book (2001)

Synonyms

pan
vswok
268 1.0

A shallow wide container, usually metal, for cooking food

is specialised for a rounded base and tossing-style cooking
skillet
vswok
  • US
66 2.5

A shallow pan with a long handle for frying food

is built with a rounded base for quick high-heat cooking
frying pan
vswok
23 1.0

A shallow pan with a long handle for cooking food in hot oil

has a rounded base and suits rapid tossing at high heat
frypan
vswok
1.0

A flat metal or non-stick cooking dish with a handle used to cook food in hot oil

has a round base and suits quick tossing at high heat
cooking pan
vswok
1.0

A wide shallow metal container for making food on a stove

is made for a rounded bottom and fast stir cooking

How Big

wok
18 2.0
crock-pot
  • US
1 3.2

Surface Forms

wok singular
woks plural

Etymology

The word wok comes from Cantonese wok, which means 'cooking pot' and was used for the round-bottomed pan in Chinese cooking. So a wok is basically a deep pan for frying and quick stir-fries over high heat.