champipple

Yes, "real" Chinese food will generate a certain amount of grease vapor and odor (no way around it), which is why I demand an adequate exhaust or I take it outside. Down here in Florida, kitchen exhaust fans (that take the air outside) are an afterthought, even in luxury homes. That tells you where room design priorities are down here! Fortunately, winter temperatures are just right when toiling over a jet-flame wok! It's great to practice the stir-frying techniques in the back porch and you don't have to worry about smoke, oil or food splatter - just brush it into the dirt and hose everything down.

Respectfully agree. No argument here. Let me ask you if you wash your steel pan everytime to keep it shiny, stainless-steel "clean." If you do, don't you have a little bit of effort everytime you cook to season the pan first? Also, I would imagine part of the "wok hay" is attributed to repeated cookings on the same seasoned pan - just like in authentic wok cooking. Don't you think repeated soap-based cleaning of pans reduce that flavor? Cooking with a wok is like cooking with a cast iron skillet - don't have to season it as much as a steel pan; hence, less cleaning. I'm for that! Btw, how does everyone deal with stir frying inside the house? Do you just put up with it or go outside, like I did? It keeps the oil splatter, heat, and odor under control when I go outside. Ideally, one would renovate the kitchen to have a commercial exhaust to take care of this problem. Most home kitchens are built for looks, not function - even highend homes. That's a personal gripe I won't get into here!

It may surprise you. I have mentioned it before, but I know you are new to this forum. I don't currently own a wok. When I see someone who got really interested in Chinese cooking, you know what is the first thing they do before even buying a cookbook? They go out and buy a wok! LOL! A wok is indeed very nice for making Chinese stir-fried dishes. But I don't think it is an absolute prerequisite. I have been cooking Chinese food on flat frying pans (over 90% of my home made meals) for the past 26 years since moving to the USA. I think what's important is the understanding of the techniques, ingredients and the processes. Cooking with a wok is not an automatic ticket to gourmet Chinese stir-fried dishes if it is not used properly. Without a wok, you can adjust and compensate. If you have a wok and a good burner, use them. Absolutely. But don't let lacking a wok stand in the way of making decent Chinese food. So far I have been living in places equipped with regular gas stoves. Therefore I don't bother with getting a wok. But the turkey fryers (burners) that became popular in recent years may open up a possibility for me to cook with something much stronger than a regular household stove. As for a burner on steroid, check on this top from infernooo: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...81&hl=infernooo Now, THAT is a burner! ← I concur. One does not need a wok to learn Chinese cooking. That's like giving someone some paint, a paintbrush, and a canvas, and expect him/her to create a masterpiece. However, having the proper tools always make the experience much more enjoyable, if not easier. I've found throughout the years the secret in Chinese cooking is high heat (stir frying), food preparation, and the toughest part of all is the sauce mixtures. After being raised in my parent's restaurant environment growing up, my Dad (who cooked in the restaurant) told me the hardest part is mastering the sauces, which takes years, if not a lifetime. I can attest to that. Back to the wok. Yes, I've done the pan thing, but now I cook on the turkey fryer outside, and I won't go back (it keeps the kitchen cleaner too). Having that instant high heat using a big round steel pan has spoiled me. Using a wok takes you to another level. In other threads, "wok hay" is spoken and is the holy grail for capturing that elusive, Hong-Kong (substitute with your favorite authentic restaurant or place) flavor. You can only attain that with a wok. So yes, a pan will do, but if you want "wok-hay", the wok's the only way to go! Also, I tend to cook a lot of food, so the wok can usually handle more quantities over a pan. Thanks for the infernooo thread. I've already added my 2 cents to that. hzrt8w, keep up the good work. I enjoy your contribution, as well as others in this forum.

Marco_Polo, Here's my 2 cents. I'm on a mission to find a commercial quality wok burner for residential applications that doesn't require a crane to lift. Infernooo's looks like the one, but acquiring one is another story. Most of the better ones are made in Taiwan, as Infernooo alluded to. Looking at the Hot Wok, it has potential. It looks well constructed; however, doing a little math: 7kwatts = 23,898 BTUs, which is equivalent to the side burners of BBQ grills or the burners on home stovetops. Translation: it's too weak for wok applications. You'll never achieve "wok hay" - the holy grail of wok cookery. In my experience, buying a cheap turkey fryer burner in WalMart here in the states for $50 or less gives the most bang for the buck. It achieves 60k-120k BTUs. I've been using it on my back porch with some success, but I still need more power. I think the restaurant ones go up to 200k BTUs. Looking at the highend rangetops with wok accessories are disappointing, as you discovered with Viking. They're no more powerful than my $50 turkey fryer - and many are not. I'm so aggravated with these highend companies that I think I'm going to write to them about not addressing the prosumer needs of Asian cuisine! Alas, the search for the holy grail of wok burners continues... As far as the so'westerly winds, it's best that you create a barrier to insulate you from the drafts. Even the most expensive unit cannot protect you from the elements. You'll have to design a summer kitchen (that's what we call it here in sunny Florida) with wind protection.

champipple: Welcome to eGullet! "Haam yu" with fried rice may not be that recent. I have known it for over 15 years. ← Thanks, this forum rocks. I hope you don't mind if I changed topics, but I'm looking for a wok burner. I noticed you used a pan in this dish. I'm sure you have a wok - any reason why you didn't use it for this dish? I find that using a pan for frying on top of an electric range will not do justice with Chinese stir frying. I can get by, but I must go outside and fire up my wok burner outside with the required high heat. Only then can I achieve "wok hay". Even with fried rice, I find it's hard to replicate the "wok hay" flavor that I experience in good restaurants. I think it's because my burner doesn't reach the high heat that restaurant burners achieve. Hence, I'm searching for a good wok burner. I haven't found an American made one that satisfies this requirement. I saw on another thread here and I also found a vendor online that sells Taiwan wok burners. Based on the descriptions, that may be the ticket. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Nice pix - makes me hungry too! Every country seems to have their version of salted fish. I remember when I was young and my parents eating "haam yu". To say it was fragrant and salty is an understatement! It's an acquired taste, which I slowly developed. I've never seen it packaged like in your pix, but then I haven't eaten or purchased any for a couple of decades. I too, remember it as air dried and sold in open street markets. I've also never heard of "haam yu" with fried rice. Is this a new thing in Hong Kong?

Infernooo, that's an impressive burner. I'm currently using a turkey fryer burner to perform my wok cookery. It's rated at 160000 BTUs, but I question that. It does ok, but it doesn't have the intensity as the ones in restaurants. Yours seems to have more flame, but it's rated at less BTUs. Does yours get as hot as the restaurants? If you can get your guy to get more, I think many of the readers here would be interested. Has anyone tried Eastman's Outdoors Big Kahuna Wok Burner? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CAQ0...286168&v=glance http://www.exploreproducts.com/eastmanoutdoorbigkahuna.htm It looks like a solid design and has good reviews, but only puts out 60000 BTUs. I don't know about this BTU numbers game. I'm not sure if it accurately tells the full story of how effective it is for a wok. Comments anyone?