bobmac

Thanks, all. I guess I might as well just buy Spanish or red onions if I'm gonna soak 'em.

Nakji, I think that's it. This afternoon the local produce manager told me when the get soft at the top they lose their sweetness.

Thanks. But aren't the so-called sweet onions supposed to eliminate the need for that?

Raw.

More often than not I find these aren't all that sweet. Any comments, recommendations? Thanks

The water percentage is 113.5. I measured by both weight and volume, although I know my scale is off a bit. The yeast -- 3/8 of a teaspoon -- was supposed to weigh 1.2 grams and my scaled did not detect it. Also, my scale doesn't do fractions of grams.

I've tried a couple of times to make a high hydration bread using a Braun mixer with a dough hook. I get something that resembles pancake batter. Since in both cases the recipe refered to the speed on a Kitchenaid, could it be that the Braun is faster or slower? Anybody else using one?

Anyone have the original?

Thanks to all.

I've never tried this and it really appeals to me, but I'm conerned about the old rule about half-cooking things. Do you need to use velveted meat immediately in a stir fry to prevent this?

Thanks.

Beuller? Beuller? Beuller? Anyone?

I have used Hung Lu for a long time (my instructor was a fan of Oriental Mascot brand) , but recently notice recipes specifying Shaoxing. Does it matter? Also, does anyone know a mail-order source for Sichuan pickled vegetables? My local Asian market never seems to have them. If I make my own do they keep indefintely?

Thanks, C. sapidus, I've ordered one from Wok Shop. Nice Maryland user name, by the way. I guess if I used one of those real heavy babies, I'd have to wok like a man.

Thanks. I feared it would be kind of heavy, but it was recommended by a Chinese-American who traveled extensively in China and apprenticed herself in several kitchens, so I figured she was on to something. Good read, by the way, "Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China" by Jen Lin-Liu.

I book I'm reading recommends it. Seems like it might hold heat better. Any thoughts?

Latham, Massachusetts.

Yes, the round ones. They call them pointing to heaven chiles or something like that.

Anybody know a mail-order source, or, barring that, a reasonable substitute? If you use more potent Thai chiles how much do you reduce the amount by?

I once heated my wok too much and the oil flamed when I added it, so I'm guessing I'm getting a lot of heat.

Cook's Illustrated recently determined that a skillet works better for stir-frying on a western-style stove because more metal comes into contact with the fire as opposed to a Chinese style where the wok sits down in a hole. I thought one of the benfits of a wok was you used less oil than in a skillet. Any thoughts?

When a recipe -- Asian or Mexican is where I usually encounter this -- calls for a minced pepper, does it mean the seeds, too, since those and the membranes are the real heat? I suppose the answer is in how hot you want it, but what is the general intent?

Could we lure Brooks Hamaker out of retirement for this?

Anybody got a recipe? I found one from Emeril using a "small bottle" of soy sauce. What's a small bottle?

Thanks, everybody. I used a Michael Chiarello recipe, which calls for simmering 1 1/2 - 2 hours. I do have a problem simmering on my stove, having to use of those heat absorption plates to keep it low enough. Or, maybe it's because I left the "i" out of vieja.