The Pankaji Universal Stainless Wok

The Pankaji is made of stainless steel, polished to a mirror finish inside and out. No seasoning to do, no patina to watch: it's ready to cook the day it arrives. Three rivets join the handle to the bowl, and one of the close-ups shows the wall in cross-section, thick and clean. Sturdily made, it is built for many years at the stove.

It feeds 2 to 6 people: a whole fish with its vegetables fits in, as does a big pan of noodles for dinner with friends. The deep bowl keeps the sauce at the bottom and lets the spatula glide along the side. You can fry, simmer or stir-fry, then bring it to the table as it is: everyone helps themselves straight from the wok.

The Pankaji's ergonomic handle was designed for stir-frying: you grip it with your whole hand, flick your wrist, and the vegetables drop back into the bowl. This long stainless tube is comfortable and secure to hold, even at arm's length. Green beans, peppers, salad: everything turns over without a spatula, as in Asian street kitchens.

This wok works on every hob, whether it burns gas or heats by induction, ceramic glass or an electric plate. Mussels, clams or a vegetable stir-fry move from one cooker to another without a change of pan. After the meal, there's nothing to scrub by hand: it is dishwasher safe, so the machine does the work. It comes out clean, goes straight back in the cupboard and waits for the next recipe, with no time spent at the sink.