Milk Street Class: Wok Cooking with J. Kenji López-Alt

Woks: They can be powerful tools in the kitchen, as transformative as a sharp knife or that one trusty spatula. Or, they can be intimidating and underused, a pan that ends up forgotten in the back of a cabinet. Take this pre-recorded Zoom cooking class with guest chef J. Kenji López-Alt, the celebrated author of “The Food Lab” column and book and “The Wok: Recipes and Techniques,” for a class that will answer all your questions about wok cooking. Kenji starts with the basics: choosing the right wok for you and preparing it for daily cooking. Then, you’ll see a wok in action as Kenji teaches two of his favorite dishes from the new book. First up is Mapo Tofu, a classic Sichuan dish that literally means “pockmarked grandmother’s tofu” and that achieves the perfect balance of tender tofu, rich ground beef, fragrant aromatics and a perfect finishing drizzle of chili oil. Then, you’ll learn how to use your wok to make a batch of restaurant-worthy Kung Pao Chicken, which highlights the importance of a bit of prep work before you start cooking in a wok. Plus, Kenji throws together a crunchy and vibrant cucumber salad that will leave you addicted—as Kenji is—to the combination of yogurt and Sichuan Málà chili oil. Kenji will also walk you through good wok care, from washing to re-seasoning to storing. He covers common wok-related questions, leaving you feeling confident and inspired to cook with a wok as often as possible.