Welcome to Guy Meets Wok

China, rich in history and tradition, has always fascinated me. The wisdom and innovation to have emanated from this great culture is simply astounding. So there is no surprise that among the many innovations to come out of ancient China, cooking would be one. The wok specifically, is a stellar example of "art meets function".

In ancient Chinese history, nomads traveling across the Far East shaped pots to accommodate their rationing needs for the long, arduous journeys they undertook. One such invention was the wok, basically a cross between a bowl and a skillet. 

The first people to use woks lived in areas of China where food and fuel were  very limited. So the with a small, round bottom and deep sides, less precious fuel was needed for a heat source. A small amount of direct heat was all that was required to heat the bottom of the pan. The shape of the wok allowed enhanced cooking of food while at the same time requiring less cooking oils and fats during the process. Chinese cooking style also developed in such a way as to "stretch" the limited supplies of meat by concentrating on (healthy and filling) vegetables in forming the bulk of the meal while the more scarce meats were used in such a way as to enhance the dish. Meats were often cut into thin strips and used in small amounts instead of being the center of attention as it is in a typical Western meal. Additional advantages of the wok included faster cooking times, as well as healthier food as a result of the curved concave construction of the wok and the composition of the meal. The wok was to be the perfect utensil for food preparation in the face of severely limited resources and varying food supplies. Its versatility is astonishing, in that the wok may be used to stir fry, steam, deep fry, braise, and stew foods.

Chinese food preparation in general, and wok cooking specifically, encourages healthy eating,  The shape of the wok allows for enhanced cooking of the foods while at the same time reducing the amounts of cooking oils and fats in it. So Chinese cuisine has become an increasingly embraced method of cooking due to the healthy dose of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that many recipes deliver. Over the years, Chinese cooking has become deeply associated with staying fit, trim, and healthy through the many different low-fat and low-calorie recipes one may choose to explore. So is it any mystery that I find the wok and its uses so fascinating?

I am in no way, shape or form an expert on Chinese, or Asian cooking, but I love learning as much as possible of it and enjoy putting that new knowledge into practice. I am limited to a low sodium diet these days for health reasons, and I enjoy the challenge of modifying traditional dishes to suit that need. In this blog, I will attempt to bring to you my own, healthier, lower sodium, take on these dishes as I experiment with them.