What are your unconventional kitchen tools/utensils you were skeptical of at first but feel you can’t live without?

  • NorthWestWind
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    6 months ago
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    6 months ago
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    Unconventional in what sense? For westerners? A wok probably

    I used to hate wok because it is so big to wash, but then I started understanding its versatility. I still hate washing it tho.

    • Dojan
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      6 months ago
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      I feel this. I use my wok for everything. Would like to upgrade to a carbon steel one.

      • juliebean
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        6 months ago
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        aren’t woks usually carbon steel? what’s yours?

        • Dojan
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          6 months ago
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          IKEA. It’s stainless steel with non-stick. It’s the only non-stick thing I have, and I’m desperate to be rid of it.

          Having a non-stick wok is incredibly frustrating because it doesn’t handle high temperatures, and a lot of recipes I’d like to do require high temperatures. Like good luck trying to make chili oil in this thing, I have to use a regular stainless steel pot for that - which works fine. I like making Cantonese style scrambled eggs which isn’t really possible in a pot and it doesn’t come out right in the wok since you can’t heat it enough, meaning the egg doesn’t set fast enough.

          • fine_sandy_bottom
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            6 months ago
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            We have both and I can confirm the non-stick one is so unsatisfying. Wok cooking should be so hot it’s crackly and firey.

    • Lmaydev
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      6 months ago
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      Wok is pretty standard here in the UK.

    • Dessalines
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      6 months ago
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      A giant metal wok spatula is an absolute must-have also.

    • toastal
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      6 months ago
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      You gotta be careful with that purchase as wok cooking is usually meant for very high heat which a lot of kitchen stoves can’t provide—those folks would be better off with a tradition pan & a lower, slower heat when trying to make a stir fry. Here, most woks at attached directly to a propane tank to generate that level of heat.

      • Dojan
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        6 months ago
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        You can buy portable camping stoves that use propane as well. If your kitchen cant heat enough, then that is a useful tool to have. Honestly I’d say it’s decently useful overall in case of a blackout or something.