Wok cooking can feel intimidating at first, but there are many effortless ways to get started with incredibly simple recipes to try your hand at in the kitchen at home. Wok cooking appears throughout Asian cuisine and is a delicious way to explore recipes from across this continent from China to Korea. We’ve picked our top five easy wok recipes for beginners below to help you get started and discover a world of Asian cooking.
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A stir-fry is the best place to start when exploring wok cooking for beginners. Traditionally found in Chinese cuisine, it simply involves frying ingredients in a wok in a small amount of very hot oil. Quick and straightforward, once you’ve mastered the technique there are endless possibilities for ways in which to vary this dish. One of our favorite stir-frys is stir-fry with cashew nuts and chicken. This one’s very much for the umami lovers, with a healthy addition of soy sauce for the seasoning, which pairs naturally with the creamy, rich, texture of the cashews. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s a delicious mid-week meal, and can be enjoyed served alongside basmati rice or noodles. Tofu works brilliantly in many a stir-fry dish, and could be easily swapped into this recipe for a vegetarian alternative.
2. Bibimbap
Bibimbap has to be our favorite Korean dish when considering what to cook with a wok from this part of the world. This hearty bowl’s name quite literally means 'mixed rice' in Korean. It’s typically made from steamed white rice, with a variety of assorted fresh, marinated vegetables, egg, meats, and gochujang. You can serve this one cold, but we far prefer it steaming hot, fresh from the stove. This recipe does require planning ahead to ferment your chosen kimchi vegetables the day before for a truly authentic taste, but is otherwise an easy one to tackle with your wok. It’s also a great recipe to experiment with the visual assembly, layering your ingredients in a bowl and topping with colorful garnishes like sliced spring onions. It’s an uncomplicated dish that looks impressive when plated up, and ideal for hosting friends and family for an elevated Asian meal.
3. Stir fry with tofu and sweet and sour vegetables
For a vegetarian stir-fry, our suggested dish is a stir-fry with tofu and sweet and sour vegetables, for that classic Asian cooking dynamic duo of flavors. A great idea for a 'fake-away' on a Friday night with family and friends, that satisfies that craving for Chinese food with a homemade touch. In our recipe, you will need to factor in marinating the tofu ahead of time for the best resulting flavors. Try to leave the tofu marinating for at least two hours in the fridge ahead of cooking. When it comes to cooking, however, this recipe can be ready in as little as 15 minutes, making it very easy to cook and serve whilst hosting guests. For a lighter dinner, you can enjoy the tofu and vegetables on their own, or plate up alongside steamed white basmati rice.
4. Vietnamese beef vegetables
A round-up of top wok recipes wouldn’t be complete without a dish from Vietnam, and our selected serve is Vietnamese beef with vegetables. To ensure the beef doesn’t become too chewy, we’d recommend opting for prime sirloin steak for the optimum outcome. You should also take care to make sure you don’t overcook the beef. In our recipe we’ve suggested two minutes on a very high heat, which should be enough to cook your slices of beef to perfection depending on the thickness. Soy sauce adds an umami-depth, whilst the carrots, beans, and bok choy lift the overall flavor with a fresh taste. You can try varying our shared recipe with additions like lime juice or ginger too, if you want to add an additional kick to the dish.
5. Pad thai noodles
Last but not least, is the mighty pad Thai. Possibly the most famous Thai dish in the world, this recipe has a slightly more complex ingredients list than our other chosen recipes, but the method is still very straightforward when it comes to cooking with the wok. The best way to make an authentic pad Thai is to approach the cooking step by step to build the dish. Once you’ve created the various elements needed, you’ll bring all the ingredients back together in the wok to heat through ready for serving. We’ve shared a classic recipe example featuring prawns, but you can vary the protein as desired. Chicken is another common addition to a pad Thai, as is tofu for a vegetarian option. A sure crowd pleaser, a taste of a delicious pad Thai takes you straight to the enticing hustle and bustle of Bangkok.
