Ken Hom Wok > Reviews (6)

"New Year New Me", well that was what was supposed to happen. I just had my second baby in December and with Christmas and all I found myself somewhat larger than my usual size. I decided like thousands of others that 2004 was going to be the year I got thin!! Having tried various diets such as Weight Watchers, Atkins, Scottish Slimmers etc I made up my mind to eat more healthily.

I really fancied a juicer but my preferred make, the Anthony Worral Thomson Breville Juicer comes in at around £90 so I decided on the somewhat cheaper Ken Hom Wok at £14.99 from my local Argos. I had always been told that wok cooking was healthy way to cook and thought I would give it a try.

WHAT DO YOU GET?

The wok itself looks very professional - black with a wooden handle engraved with Ken Hom's signature. You will need to assemble the wok by fixing the handle to the base but this is very easy to do. The wok measures 31cm in diameter and is made from heavy gauge carbon steel, with a double layer non-stick "Top Bon" coating. This coating contains DU PONT PTFE micro powders. There was also a slatted wooden spatula which has Ken Hom’s signature engraved on it and recipe/instruction leaflet included. The instructions are very easy to use but there are only seven recipes included in the booklet so there are not too many ideas.

There is a larger size of Ken Hom wok available which measures 36cm priced in Argos at £19.99 which comes with the same equipment.

HOW DO YOU USE IT?

As this is a non-stick wok it is really easy to use. You need to give it a quick rinse before using for the first time and that's it. Just add a little oil before heating then once the oil is smoking you add your food. Make sure you do not use any metal tools with your wok as they can damage the non- stick coating.

If you buy a Carbon steel wok without the non stick coating then you will have a little more work to do before you can use it. There is a protective coating in the wok which you need to remove by placing the wok over a low heat with one tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot you then swirl it around the pan until it is all coated, remove from the heat and scrub until all the coating is removed. I don't have this type of wok so can not comment on how easy this is to do. Once the protective coating has been removed the wok needs to be thoroughly washed and dried.

It then needs to be seasoned - this is done by rubbing the inside of the wok with oil. Place the wok over a gentle heat until the oil starts to smoke, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cool remove the excess oil using kitchen paper and repeat the procedure two or three times. After use you can wash and dry the wok as normal but occasional re-seasoning is recommended to lengthen the life of the wok.

HOW EASY ARE THEY TO CLEAN?

Neither of the woks is suitable for using in the dishwasher so it's a sink job I'm afraid. However they are both very easy to clean due to the non-stick coating/seasoning and oil and I find that a quick wipe in hot soapy water is all they really need.

Again you need to be careful you do not use any abrasive cleaners or scourers as they will damage the non stick coating. Then you dry the wok thoroughly and store until the next time you use it.

WHAT CAN YOU COOK IN IT?

As I previously mentioned you do get seven recipes included with the wok:

Crisp Vegetable Stir Fry
Rainbow Rice
Sweet corn Soup with Chicken
10 Minute Salmon with Spring Onion
Szechwan style pork
Stir Fried Pork with Pineapple
Spinach and Rice Noodles

I have tried a few of these and have found them to be very nice. I feel that a few more ideas would have been better as I am not very creative in the kitchen and like to use tried and tested recipes. For the more adventurous cook these would be enough to get you started.

The basic principal is to cook any meat first then add the rest of the ingredients depending on how long they will take to cook. I have found that you will use less oil and the cooking time is much less, although you do spend a little more time preparing.

CONCLUSION

I have used this several times but would admit that it will probably only ever be used for stir fries ,which we will have maybe once a fortnight. At £14.99 I would say it is not too bad value for money and it was certainly cheaper than the juicer. Argos do sell other brands of Wok starting at just £6.99 which come with loads of other accessories so I feel you are paying a little extra for Ken Hom’s name but then again I don’t know how the quality would compare. Unfortunately, I don’t see 2004 being my thin year but that’s more to do with the choccy biscuits than any failing with this wok.