Seasoning Japanese Iron Woks

Japanese woks are made from being hammered several thousand times. This process strengthens the durability of the wok and improves the heat conductivity of the wok. 

that’s why the particles of the pot becomes finer and the material changes, allowing the heat to go through the pan and creating bumps, the oil becomes more familiar with the pan and becomes light and durable.

Iron woks comes coated with an anti rust that should be removed before use, this can be achieved through the following steps:

1. Burn off the varnish off the wok. Hold the handle of the Wok with a cotton cloth and heat up on high and evenly heat the Wok. If it has a wooden handle, make sure not to burn the handle. You'll see the wok change from black to blue - gray, this process removes the anti-rust finish and may result in red residue appearing on the surface of the pan. Make sure you ventilate your kitchen well, burn the wok until you don't smell the varnish and the wok stops changing colour. Depending on your stove, this process may take 10-30 minutes. Once you're satisfied, set the pan aside and allow to cool.
2. Once the pan has fully cooled, use a non-abrasive sponge with hot water and proceed to wash. Please do not use a steel sponge as this will may scratch the pan. Wipe down the wok until dry.
3. Pour oil generously to the pan. Once the oil is hot enough, fry some scrap vegetable on high heat evenly around the wok. Remove the scrap vegetable before it burns, tip the excess oil away and use hot water to clean the pan before use. Wash the wok with a cloth or better yet a plant based fibre such as Japanese Tawashi Palm Brushes. You may use a cloth to dry the surface of the pan. The cloth may pick up black residue from the oil and any varnish residue. Repeat steps 1-3 for another 2-5 times to improve the seasoning of the pan.
4. After use - wash the pan with water. To avoid rusting, do not let the pan sit dry. Instead, heat the pan to evaporate any water and apply a small coat of oil before storing it.

Warnings:

1. To not burn yourself, make sure the pot cools down 
2. Make sure to hold the pot at all times as it may not be stable on the stove
3. Do not leave the pot unattended 
4. Dry thoroughly as rust may appear with out proper care
5. Do not leave food inside for a long period of time as the pan may rot
6. Do not use for anything other than cooking