You don't have to use a wok to cook Chinese food, however, a Chinese wok does make cooking Chinese food fun. When it comes to choosing a wok, most of the wok experts will recommend you to buy an carbon steel wok. There is nothing wrong with a carbon steel wok, as a matter of fact, in China, most of the families use iron woks everyday. The problem is that carbon steel wok need extra care and maitainence. If you don't cook Chinese food everyday, a safe bet is to buy a non-sticky, non-teflon wok. Add oil, toss in some veggies and shrimp along with spices and your dinner will ready in just minutes.