Abstract: The invention involves an improved cooking system of the type having a cooking vessel with watertight lower portion of a concave interior, having side walls generally upwardly extending from a bottom. The improvement is the addition of an annular, substantially hemi-toroidal insert. The insert is dimensioned to engage an inner surface of the side walls thereby removably supporting the insert within the cooking vessel remote from the bottom. There is a central opening in the middle of the insert, above the bottom of the vessel, whereby the bottom of the vessel may be accessed. In this way, utensils may be employed to manipulate the food cooking in the bottom of the pot or wok, ingredients may be added to the food cooking in the bottom of the pot or wok, water may be added to the bottom of the pot or wok, etc.

Abstract: The invention involves an improved cooking system of the type having a cooking vessel with watertight lower portion of a concave interior, having side walls generally upwardly extending from a bottom. The improvement is the addition of an annular, substantially hemi-toroidal insert. The insert is dimensioned to engage an inner surface of the side walls thereby removably supporting the insert within the cooking vessel remote from the bottom. There is a central opening in the middle of the insert, above the bottom of the vessel, whereby the bottom of the vessel may be accessed.