If you haven’t discovered the all things you can do with a traditional wok, now’s the time. A while back the Food Network shared an article, “8 New Things to Cook in a Wok.” Their intriguing by-line, “Besides just adding quick stir-fries to your weeknight routine, there are plenty of other things you can do thanks to the wok’s unique sloped design” caught my attention. For instance, consider their inspiring ideas:

MAKE POPCORN. Why have a popper when your wok will do the job just as well? All you do is add 1 to 2 tablespoons of your favorite cooking fat (butter, coconut oil, vegetable oil and olive oil all work great) and a couple of popcorn kernels to a seasoned wok. Heat over medium heat. Once the kernels pop, add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of kernels, cover the wok with a tight-fitting lid and shake until the popping subsides. Remove from the heat and season with salt and any other finishers you like.

COOK EGGS. Make them scrambled, fried or poached, just as you would in a skillet or pot. Bonus: Eggs won't stick in a well-seasoned wok — and, if you’re poaching, your water will boil in no time.

MAKE BURGERS. Heat a seasoned wok over medium-high heat. Add a splash of oil and swirl the wok to coat the sides. Once the wok begins to smoke, press the burgers all around the sides and cook, turning with a metal spatula to cook the other side, until your desired doneness. Bonus: Now you can cook onions or mushrooms in the collected drippings at the bottom.

DO DEEP FRYING. The wok is better for smaller pieces of food. Dredge or batter as usual. Bonus: The shape of the wok allows expensive frying oil to pool, so you can use less.

STEAM FISH AND VEGETABLES. Fill your wok with a couple of inches of water and use your regular collapsible pot steamer to steam your favorite fish or vegetables. Bonus: Both pieces of equipment have a small kitchen footprint.

MAKE SOUP. Follow just about any recipe you would in a pot. Small batches are better. Bonus: Ever notice that slight smokiness in your stir-fry? It's called wok-hai, and that subtle flavor can transform your soup.

MAKE FAJITAS. These are very similar to stir-fries. Make your favorite recipe in your wok. And if you have a wok stand, you can serve in the wok at the table. Bonus: Before you throw together your fajita mix, heat your wok over medium-high heat and stick your flour tortillas around the inside walls for a few seconds on each side, to heat through. Stack them and wrap in foil to keep warm.

You can see why many serious cooks say that if they were in a space crunch, they’d get rid of their sauce pans before they’d ditch the wok.

`But when thinking about getting one, the pros say to avoid ANY non-stick pan. They say the terms "wok" and non-stick are mutually exclusive. Professional cooks all say that to properly stir fry (for the vegetables to be quickly cooked and slightly browned but still crisp), you need to have your wok very hot. And a non-stick coating doesn't do well getting very hot—they’ve been shown to be unsafe at very high temperatures.

The other trick is to use a healthy oil and only a little bit of it. Many cooks I surveyed use canola, sesame, or cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.

I’ll close with a traditional recipe for stir fry. This is a good way to practice your wok skills and to get ready to expand your wok horizons.

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