The wok originated in China and is widely used in East and Southeast Asia. It is a round bottomed cooking vessel that is can be used for a variety of cooking methods, such as stir frying, steaming, soup making and stewing. Woks are originally round bottomed, however flat bottomed woks are popular in many western countries as the flat bottoms are more compatible with the gas or electric cookers, allowing the wok to balance correctly on the stove and generate cooking heat.

Carbon steel and cast iron are the most common materials used to make woks today, with opinion divided as which is the superior material.

The majority of woks range from 8? to 36? with the smaller woks usually used for high heat cooking and stir frying, and the larger woks for kitchens where large amounts of rice or soup need to be prepared.

The concave shape of a wok creates a small area at the bottom of the wok with high heat ideal for searing food and intense cooking. The sloping sides of the wok allow food to be pushed to the sides to continue cooking at lower temperatures. Tossing of the food is also made easier by the sloping sides as less food or liquid is lost over the sides, and the food will fall back into the centre of the wok to continue cooking.

There are a wide range and variety of woks and stir-fry pans on the market today that suit a range of individual needs.