The Wok: Recipes and Techniques

This is the wok cookbook I’ve been trying to find for 5 years. Lopez-Alt breaks down wok cooking into neat sections, with photos for all the dishes and specific how-tos on many of the techniques. In-depth and knowledgeable without being pedantic, the writing is easy to follow and engaging. Most importantly, the results have been the best I’ve had with wok cooking. I’ve made several dishes, including: moo-shu pork, beef with ginger and snow peas, chicken with basil, chiles, and fish sauce, better-than-my-mom’s Chungking pork, fried rice, and pepper steak (all pictured). All have come out restaurant quality or better. The meat is so tender.I haven’t tried anything beyond the stir-fries yet, but I am eyeing that congee for my next hurrah.More on the moo shu. I love moo shu pork, but have been disappointed by the local versions. Following Kenji’s recipe I got daylily buds (so THAT’S what those are in hot and sour soup), along with wood ear mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms. I made the mushroom moo shu pork, and it was fabulous! I didn’t bother to make my own Mandarin pancakes (but Kenji tells you how if you’re feeling frisky) and bought thin flour tortillas (I live in Austin, Texas, and there are great tortillas easily found). The moo shu might be my favorite recipe so far, but the ginger beef with snow peas and basil is a close second.Another review disparaged the photos, but I love the photos! Maybe I’m an old soul? Edit: several reviews disparaged the photos, but that’s viral ridiculousness. I really like the pictures, so I don’t get it.It took a few trips to Asian markets in my area, and maybe $70 to stock the pantry AND buy the wok (gave my daughter the wok I’d been using out of frustration with mediocre results before this book), but the ingredients were all easily sourced, and cheap. I bought a $20 16-inch wok from the local market, and it does the trick perfectly. I can’t really imagine doing this with a smaller wok than a 16-inch. It took some elbow grease to get the factory seal off the wok, but Kenji walks you through that, too. The bamboo brush to clean out the wok is a must, and you should get the 12-inch.The step by step instructions make cooking simple, and the attention to detail set this book apart from the MANY other wok cookbooks I have. What I may do now is cook some of the recipes in those books using my newfound knowledge and skill.Highly recommended!

I am an experienced cook and normally not a cookbook kind of person. I generally find recipes on the internet and know whether they will be good or not by the ingredients. Most often, I never follow recipes, but use them as guides for suggestions. I used to do a lot of cooking in a wok a number of years ago, and was looking for a cookbook that could revive my skills in wok cooking.I have bought a few other Wok cookbooks that didn't impress me, but so far I am very much impressed by this cookbook. I tend to be one that has to know the "why" ingredients are used. and this cookbook thoroughly explains everything. It starts with the recommended tools for wok cooking, and why you need them. It also tells about the various ingredients, what they are, and how they are used. In addition, the different cooking vessels and utensils are discussed and the pros and cons of woks and utensils available.Although I have not yet tried any of the recipes, those I have looked at, look wonderful judging from my personal experience in cooking. Incidentally, I don't agree with the reviewer who said the pictures were poor. I think they are pretty good. Whether or not you find this book useful depends a lot on your cooking experience and whether you are open to learning. To get the best out of this book, you really have to read it. It's not a simple "pick a recipe" kind of book.In my opinion, this book is literally a course on Wok cooking. In reading it, you learn about tools, ingredient, and the reason behind techniques of wok cooking. Once you learn the information in this book, you can easily create your own recipes and have the ability to modify recipes to your liking. With almost 700 pages of recipes and explanations, this book has so much to offer if you take the time to read it. In my opinion, this book is the equivalent to a college course in wok cooking.I hope you like my review, and I will definitely update my review if my opinion changes.

Still reading through and so far the book is really helpful. I have never used a wok before and needed some direction hence the reason I purchased this book. I also had seen another cookbook by this author and really liked the layout and information so I figured that this book would be just as good, and it has been.

Great book if you want to know the ins and outs of wok use and Asian cuisine. Very pleasantly surprised with all of the useful information and great recipes.

This is not a typical book, but more like a college education! The details in this book are imcredible. If you are diligent with it, it can turn you into a 5 star WOK chef. I'm so happy with this purchas, and I highly recommend it.