stir fry on the electric cooker?

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So a search for "electric stir fry wok" came up blank and I'm going to make a thread about it instead :)

Has anyone managed to adapt to stir frying with a wok on an electric hob? If so, how do you do it? I'm plagued by the one in my flat that takes forever to get hot and longer to cool down, in the meanwhile though it will actually deform the metal of most frying pans causing the bottom to cone out and wobble which cant be good. i end up having to juggle spatula and pan while i wait for the optimal heat to be reached...
 
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Soldato
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I had the unfortunate pleasure of living in a house for 2 years with electric hob and wok cooking was a pain. Everything just have to be done in batches and a lot slower.

The main thing is, get a thin wok - not the best but for electric hob it'll do.

Cook with no more than 2 portions.

If veg and meat is involve, cook meat remove, cook veg (not inc herbs and aromatics), remove, heat up full again then combine with aromatic ingredients e.t.c. garlic, onions and sauces. Instead of the usual cook cook toss, cook.
 
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It's a complete pain in the backside at least with the hob in my place, it never ever gets hot enough or at least doesn't sustain a constant level of heat so everything ends up boiling.
Along with my blood!
 
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We have an electric hob and don't have any issues cooking on it with our wok - in fact, we use it maybe 3 nights a week. :confused:

It's just a little Ken Hom 10.5" steel wok, which is pretty well seasoned now.
 
Soldato
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We have an electric hob and don't have any issues cooking on it with our wok - in fact, we use it maybe 3 nights a week. :confused:

There is a BIG difference, that said standard gas at home is alright, when I use to work at a takeaway kitchen, with full blast on butane burner, there is difference in speed, smell and 'burnt' flavour when cooking a stir fry.

Your little Ken Hom wok is fine for electric because it's small, as long as you don't overload, the electric hob will be fine. It's when it reaches a certain temp, it's seeks to maintain rather than keeping it hotter to heat the wok (and food) to that temp it's maintaining.

That's when the stir fry becomes a bit of a boil fest.
 
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hmm, i've always had a big wok so i might pop over to the thai store near my place to see if they have any small ones and give it another bash :)

e- also, a thin wok you say? I'm worried my hob might kill it lol, I'm not joking about the coning...
 
Soldato
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Lorville - Hurston
So a search for "electric stir fry wok" came up blank and I'm going to make a thread about it instead :)

Has anyone managed to adapt to stir frying with a wok on an electric hob? If so, how do you do it? I'm plagued by the one in my flat that takes forever to get hot and longer to cool down, in the meanwhile though it will actually deform the metal of most frying pans causing the bottom to cone out and wobble which cant be good. i end up having to juggle spatula and pan while i wait for the optimal heat to be reached...

Yes i have become a master at using electric hobs!

Here is how i do it. for a typical stir fry i cook the meat first until its 3/4 ready and then i toss in the vegetables and cook it all together.

Takes over 20mins to do it because its done in electric. on a gas cooker it would take half that time
 
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