For several good reasons, the Keto diet has taken the world by storm in recent years. True, intermittent fasting and Paleo have also shared the spotlight, but Keto has given most of us an excuse to linger to fat and protein, detaching us from the decades-old bickering against low-carb diets.

This low-carb, high-fat diet has been shown to be effective for weight loss, reducing inflammation, and improving brain function.

Its popularity led to the sprouting of keto-friendly recipes on the internet, not to mention cookbooks that are specific to keto recipes that are best sellers under keto and diet categories.

From quick recipes you can whip up in less than half an hour to one-pan dishes that are packed with flavour and rich in nutrients, there are plenty of keto-friendly recipes.

You can esily whip up hei-infused quick keto recipes usng wok at home. If don't believe me, check out Kenji López's latest book on wok and wok cooking with recipes that will last you three months.

“Few ingredients maximum flavour healthy recipe” is the promise of almost all recipes, specailly keto ones.

Recently though, with the growing adoption of wok for home cooking, I started to contemplate cooking these recipes using a wok.

Guess what, the experience was great, and there is a new layer of flavour that stems from just the connection the wok makes with the fire on your gas stove top.

I owe it all to Kenji López and Jeremy Pang's School of Wok.

I assure you, you will be blown by how flavourful your recipes will be every time you whip up something with simple ingredients without the need to do too much dishwashing.

Enter wok cooking.

This versatile cooking tool has gained popularity among home cooks as the perfect approach to preparing quick meals that are both delicious and easy to make.

In fact, cooking using a wok is becoming common in many home kitchens.

Some of the highly respected food content creators and chefs like Jeremy Pang and J. Kenji López-Alt wrote fully dedicated books about wok cooking with pro tips on how to “get smoky wok hei at home.”.

The adoption of wok for home cooking is at a new level, especially following the coming out of Kenji’s book, which settled the debate about how it is possible to produce that smoky flavour unique to wok – wok hei – at home.

Wok for Home Kitchen

Wok cooking is a unique and versatile cooking style that is well worth exploring if you haven't yet. If I haven't convinced you yet, I hope to do so by the end of this post.

Whether you're a seasoned cook or a beginner, there's no denying the appeal of the smoky wok hei and quick cooking times that are distinctive of wok cooking.

Wok hie, the smoky flavour and aroma created when food is cooked in a wok over high heat, results from the wok's unique shape and design, which allows heat to be distributed evenly and quickly.

Aside from the smoky flavour, wok cooking has several other benefits. Wok cooking is incredibly fast, as ingredients can be cooked at high temperatures in just a few minutes.

This makes it an ideal cooking style for busy weeknights when you don't have much time to spend in the kitchen.

I have a detailed section in the later section of this blog post on some of the unique features of wok cooking. For now, let's delve into some of the things to keep in mind when thinking about adopting wok into your kitchen.

First, it's essential to choose a wok that is appropriate for your stovetop. Gas stovetops are ideal for wok cooking, as they provide the high heat necessary for the smoky flavour and quick cooking times. Electric stovetops can also be used but may not offer the same heat level.

Another essential consideration is seasoning your wok.

What is seasoning, you ask?

Seasoning is the process of coating the wok with oil and heating it over high heat, which helps to create a non-stick surface. This critical step should not be skipped; it will help ensure your wok lasts for years.

Most of the well-known kitchen utensil manufacturers have their own version of wok in different materials. You can pick the one that best suits your requirements, like kitchen space, budget and experience, here on the Woketo Marketplace.

Tefal , OXO , Le Creuset , and All-Clad provide wok and wok accessories that makes cooking with wok in home kitchen so easy.

Wok Rings are a thing these days. Kitchen Aid sells a Ring - that can be attached your gas burner for seamless cooking with wok in home kitchen. This one from Thermador is another cast iron Wok Ring that attaches to the burner of your cooktop or range and is recommended for use with 12" and 14" woks. Zwilling and Kuhn Rikon also provide wok and wok accessories to mention a few.

Some companies have gone the extra mile and integrated woks with a direct heat source while also creating a new line of induction stove tops that is perfectly shaped to make wok cooking seamlessly flawless.

One such company that did such a great job is the kitchen appliance manufacturer Nuwave.

I first learned about it on one of my favourite youtube cooking channels. The creator behind the channel, Jon Kung, frequently used to cook almost every food he makes for his youtube video. I fell in love with it the moment I first saw it.

Wok Hei

So what makes cooking with Wok special?

Considering that the most desired flavour, wok hei, can be challenging to achieve with other cooking pans, wok is uniquely preferred for its form in infusing the most sought-after smoky flavour - wok hei – easily. This is not the only reason that is propelling the demand for wok by home cooks and pro chefs alike.

But first, let's decode what wok hei is.

Wok hei is a Cantonese term that refers to the smoky, charred flavour that is achieved when food is cooked in a wok over high heat.

This flavour is highly prized in Asian cuisine and can be challenging to achieve with other cooking methods. However, the high heat of the wok makes it ideal for cooking keto-friendly vegetables and proteins, such as broccoli, kale, chicken, and beef, so fast they will save you a ton of time.

The only requirement here is that you make sure to use a high smoking point oil that is also keto-friendly- like ghee, coconut oil, Avocado oil and duck fat.

Here are some additional benefits of wok cooking:

Speed

Wok cooking allows you to cook your food quickly without losing nutrients or flavour. The high heat of the wok ensures that your food is cooked evenly, and the sloping sides of the wok make it easy to stir and toss your ingredients. This means that you can cook your food quickly without sacrificing taste or nutritional value.

Versatility

The wok is an extremely versatile cooking tool that allows you to prepare various dishes. From stir-fries to soups to stews, the wok can do it all. This means that you can easily incorporate keto-friendly ingredients into your meals without sacrificing flavour or variety.

Easy to Clean

Wok is typically made of non-stick materials, making it easy to clean. Simply rinse your wok with hot water and wipe it down with a sponge or cloth. This means that you can spend less time cleaning up and more time enjoying your delicious, healthy meal.

Best to Experiment with Different Flavours

As you can learn in the section below about the foremost things you need to wrap your head around when starting to cook with a wok, it's important to cook in batches to ensure that your food cooks evenly. This means adding a small amount of food to the wok at a time.

This allows you to experiment with each ingredient without the cost of overdoing or undercooking the other ingredients.

This makes it one of the other best things when cooking using a wok, allowing you to experiment with different flavours and ingredients.

Following the batch cooking approach when using a wok is a perfect way to experiment with different proteins or vegetables with different cooking times separately, giving you complete control over the final flavour of your plate.

Keto with Wok

You can find a wide variety of keto-friendly recipes online, and many instructional videos and cookbooks can help you master the art of wok cooking.

With some practice and experimentation, you can create delicious, healthy meals to help you achieve your health and fitness goals.

However, finding both in a single place is quite daunting.

Thus the reason for Woketo- Keto with Wok- project.

This is one of the first of many projects under Palateverse.

Here are a few heads up before you start to get your kitchen dirty trying to cook keto-friendly recipes using a wok:

Choose the Right Wok

When it comes to wok cooking, the right equipment is essential. Look for a wok that is made of high-quality materials and has a flat bottom and sloping sides. This will ensure that your food cooks evenly and that you can easily stir and toss your ingredients with ease like a pro.

Prep Your Ingredients in Advance

Wok cooking is all about speed, so it's important to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking. This means chopping your vegetables, prepping your protein of choice at the preferred bite sizes, and measuring out any sauces or spices you'll be using.

Prepping is everything. Say it. Again. Okay. The thirst tip is cooking in batches.

Food content creator, chef and author Jeremy Pang has an amazing list of videos on Youtube, where you can learn the importance of preparation when cooking with wok.

His book, the perfect expression of his kitchen life cooking using wok, is full of techniques that you can bring to your next cooking adventure.

His latest is a must-have if you have already mastered cooking with a wok, taking your skill to the next level cooking family feasts.

Cook in Batches

To ensure that your food cooks evenly, it's important to cook in batches. This means adding a small amount of food to the wok at a time and cooking it until it's done before adding more. This will prevent overcrowding in the wok and ensure your food cooks evenly.

The common practice is to cook fatty ingredients first or steam vegetables first and then remove them to a side plate while cooking the remaining elements of the recipe. Once you are done cooking each component of the recipe you add them all together, add your sauce and toast to mix.

Food content creator, chef and author J. Kenji López-Alt, in his latest book – The Wok: Recipes and Techniques – details everything you need to know about cooking with wok with practical recipe ideas you can try yourself.

Another book you will find very useful in your wok cooking experiment is Grace Young’s and Alan Richardson’s book titled - The Breath of a Wok: Breath of a Wok.

Beyond just these small tips, the books mentioned above have a massive list of techniques you can apply to your cooking by making the best out of the versatile nature of wok cooking– stir-frying, deep frying, steaming, simmering, or braising.

Kenji’s book goes deep into the techniques you need to “get smoky wok hei at home.” He even further discusses the “science behind” most of the 200 recipes in his book. I recommend reading his other book – The Foor Lab — to get a deeper insight into the science of food and cooking to take away “foolproof” methods that work every time.

The Breath of a Wok covers everything from the buying guide, seasoning and care to pan-frying techniques when cooking different types of ingredients.

It has dedicated chapters on how to stir-fry meat, fish, and vegetables and further goes to showcase each technique with dedicated chapters that are full of recipes you can easily follow to master the art of cooking with a wok.

It might sound too much, especially for those of us who are not into the kitchen that often, but wok cooking is the perfect approach to preparing healthy, keto-friendly meals packed with flavour in a short time span with less dishwashing.

Whether new to the keto diet or a keto-die-hard who has been practising it for a long time, cooking with a wok can help you achieve your health and fitness goals while satisfying your taste buds with wok-hei-infused flavours.

To help you with the neccessary steps to attain wok hei at home, below is a brief gudieline from the upcoming book, Wok-Hei-Infued Keto Recipes by PalateVerse, which is avialble for preorder on Amazon.

You can also check out the dedicated blog post here on Keto with Wok on how to approximate, if not achieve, wok hei at home. I recommend you read that to get a clear picture.

Here is the excerpt from the book Wok-Hei-Infused Keto Recipes:

Achieving Wok Hei at Home - The Three Options

OPTION I: Put WokMon On

WokMon is a great product for achieving wok hei at home. Here are some of its benefits:

1. Achieve wok hei at home

   
   Wok hei is a smoky, charred flavor imparted to food when stir-fried in a wok over high heat. WokMon helps you achieve this by creating a vortex of air that circulates around the wok, helping to create the high heat necessary for wok hei.

2. Easy to use

   
   WokMon is very easy to use. Simply place it on top of your stovetop burner, heat your wok, and start stir-frying. The WokMon will do the rest.

3. Durable materials

   
   WokMon is made of durable materials and is backed by a one-year warranty.

4. Backed by a one-year warranty

   
   WokMon is backed by a one-year warranty, so you can be sure it is a quality product.

If you are serious about stir-frying, the WokMon is a great product. It can help you achieve wok hei at home, giving your stir-fries a restaurant-quality flavour.

OPTION II: K- Torch

One option for achieving wok hei at home is to use a blowtorch. An approach first recommended by J. Kenji López-Alt, the author of The Wok: Recipes and Techniques.

You will need a carbon steel wok, a blowtorch, and a sturdy heatproof spatula to use this method.

1. 1- Preheat your wok over high heat.




2. 2- Add your ingredients to the wok and cook them until they are almost cooked through.




3. 3- Use the blowtorch to sear the ingredients, creating a smoky flavor.




4. 4- Serve immediately.

This method is perfect for people who have departed from gas ranges and are opting for induction stovetops. Induction stoves heat the pan directly, making it challenging to achieve high temperatures. The blowtorch helps to overcome this problem by providing additional heat.

Using a blowtorch can be dangerous, so it is essential to use caution when using this method. Keep the blowtorch away from flammable materials, and wear an oven mitt.

Here are some additional tips for using a blowtorch to achieve wok hei:

1. - Use a high-quality blowtorch that produces a mighty flame.




2. - Hold the blowtorch a few inches away from the food and move it in a circular motion.




3. - Be careful not to overcook the food, as it will become tough and dry.




4. - Serve immediately for the best flavour.

OPTION III: Use Charcoal Grill or Propane-Powered Burner

One of the three main ways to achieve wok hei at home is to use outdoor cooking equipment. Charcoal grills and propane-powered wok burners can achieve the heat necessary to create a wok hei. However, there are some critical differences between the two options.

Charcoal Grill

Using a charcoal grill is an excellent option for achieving high heat for wok hei. However, controlling the heat on a charcoal grill can be more challenging than on a gas stovetop. This is because the heat from a charcoal grill is generated by burning charcoal, which can vary in temperature depending on how recently it was lit.

To use a charcoal grill to achieve wok hei, follow these steps:

1. 1. Build a hot fire.




2. 2. Place the wok on the grill and let it heat up for a few minutes.




3. 3. Add a small amount of oil and swirl it around to coat the sides.




4. 4. Once the oil is hot, add your food and stir-fry it until it is cooked through.

Propane-Powered Wok Burners

Propane-powered wok burners are an excellent option for achieving high heat and controlling heat efficiently. This is because the heat from a propane-powered wok burner is generated by burning propane, which provides a consistent and reliable heat source.

To use a propane-powered wok burner to achieve wok hei, follow these steps:

1. 1. Turn on the burner and let it heat up for a few minutes.




2. 2. Add a small amount of oil and swirl it around to coat the sides.




3. 3. Once the oil is hot, add your food and stir-fry it until it is cooked through.

Which Option Is Right for You?

The best option for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. A charcoal grill may be a good choice if you are looking for a more affordable option. However, a propane-powered wok burner may be a better option if you are looking for a more consistent and reliable heat source.

Of the three options, using the WokMon focus ring ( for Small, Medium or Large) is the most simplified approach to starting wok cooking at home, aiming for that much sought-after smoky flavour in stir-fry recipes – wok hei.

You can place your order here and transform your home burner into “a fire-breathing stir-frying machine” suitable for Wok cooking and perfect for infusing wok hei at home.

On Keto with Wok, you can find many simple, flavourful and quick to cook keto-friendly recipes you can easly toss in a wok at home.

You can also find a wide variety of wok choices and accessories for your kitchen here.