Wok fried shrimp and noodle dish.
A round wok, also called a round bottom or classic wok, is the original type of wok. These woks can come in a variety of materials and sizes. Using a round wok has its advantages, but also its drawbacks, which stem largely from the design of modern stoves. A cook may need to use a device known as a “wok ring” to adapt their round bottom wok to the stove.
Round woks work best on gas stoves.
Traditional round woks are made of carbon steel and have a diameter of 35.6 cm (14 inches). The consumer can purchase a wok with a diameter as small as 10 inches (25.4 cm) or as large as 16 inches (40.6 cm). Manufacturers also sell round woks made of cast iron, stainless steel, and aluminum. Each material has its pros and cons, and the consumer looking to purchase a wok should research these options before selecting the right material for their cooking needs.
A classic round wok has a rounded bottom. Its counterpart, the flat-bottomed wok, has a flat area at the bottom so the pan can stand upright on a flat surface. Originally, woks were designed to work with a Chinese pit stove. The round bottom of the wok rested in a hole in the surface of the stove. A fire ignited inside that hole and directly under the wok enveloped the entire pan with heat.
Round woks make frying easy. A traditional wok spatula has a rounded end designed to slide along the rounded inside of the wok. This rounded spatula, when combined with the smooth surface of the round wok, simplifies the process of placing individual pieces of food in the pan. Introducing a flat surface makes it more difficult to knock food over and can result in food that cooks less evenly.
The standard stove design makes the round wok less efficient. Electric stovetops, especially induction, don’t always produce enough heat to climb up the sides of the wok and heat the entire pan. Round woks work best with gas stoves, since the fire under the wok generates more heat above the burner than electric heating elements. Cooks can use a round wok with any type of stove if they have the right type of wok ring.
Specially designed wok rings help stabilize the pan and distribute heat evenly. This circular piece of metal fits on the stove and provides a place to rest the round bottom wok. In general, a wok ring should be about 4 inches smaller in diameter than the wok itself.
The type of wok ring a cook should use on their round wok depends primarily on the type of stove they have. An open ring made of wire works best with a gas stove. The air circulation provided by an open ring allows the fire produced by the gas stove to reach the sides of the wok. A closed ring is made of solid metal and contains small holes for ventilation. These rings work best with an electric burner, as the extra metal conducts heat better and transfers it directly to the metal of the wok.