Yoshikawa Cook-Pal Carbon Steel Ladle

Yoshikawa Cook-Pal Ren Wok Ladle

Most wok ladles are stainless because it's cheap and easy. This one is carbon steel, which is the same material as the wok itself, and that's the point. Steel on steel means you can scrape the base properly without worrying about what you're doing to either surface.

Cook-Pal Ren is Yoshikawa's own line, made in Niigata and put through a high-temperature treatment that runs across the whole range. What you get is a utensil that shrugs off the sort of heat a wok actually produces rather than one that's rated for a gentle simmer.

The bowl is deep and rounded, so it follows the curve of the wok and gets under everything instead of pushing food around. Long enough to work at full heat without cooking your knuckles, and the timber handle stays cool and gives you something solid to hold when you're moving hot stock or sauce.

410mm end to end. Carbon steel body, wooden handle.

Care

Carbon steel rusts if you let it, so treat it the way you treat your wok.

Wash in warm water after use and dry it completely with a cloth. Don't leave it sitting wet in the sink.

For stuck-on residue use a brush or a soft scouring pad. Skip abrasive cleaners and steel wool — they scratch the surface and give rust somewhere to start.

If rust does appear, it comes off. Make a paste of salt and vegetable oil, work it into the affected area, leave it 10 to 15 minutes, then wash and dry as normal.

Store it dry, out of direct sun and away from anything damp. If it's going into a drawer for a few months, wipe a thin film of oil over it first.

Specifications