Wok it Out!

Stir Fry in my new Wok!

AJ got me a fabulous cast iron wok for my birthday from the Wok Shop in San Francisco. This traditional wok requires seasoning before use. I had to scour the pot with soapy water to remove the metallic coating, oil it, and bake it in the oven. Then repeat that process. After the second bake, the wok is seasoned and is ready to use. It is recommended that some aromatics like garlic, onion, and ginger be fried in the wok first, so as to remove any metallic tastes.

The first dish I made was a nice stir fry with some vegetables from our local farmer's market. We got some white trumpet and maitake mushrooms, eggplant, peppers, broccoli, carrots, garlic, and ginger and fried them up in a little oil. We added some teriyaki sauce and a little jalapeno.

The maitake and white trumpet mushrooms were new experiences for both me and AJ. The maitake have a very strong earthy flavor, a few go a long way. I personally preferred the milder and heartier texture of the trumpet mushrooms. It is certainly exciting to have a mushroom stand at the farmer's market that allows us to try new things.

The Wok Shop

http://www.wokshop.com/

Mountain View Farmer's Market

http://www.cafarmersmkts.com/