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Laksa, great question. I have the "big" burner at my cottage, where I do all my entertaining and it is placed on the deck attached to the kitchen. But you can get a commercial stove or wok burner installed inside your home, providing you have a commercial grade fire suppression system installed too. Of course, the insurance companies have to be appeased with a sacrifice of substantial money. You have to check out the local regulations.

HMMMMMMMMMM-----------!!!!!!!! There! That is my rant!! LOL! Before my first wok, for years, I used a large iron frying pan. Worked beautifully. Great tool! HZRT - What is the 'salt and pepper SAUCE' you used in that shrimp dish? Anyone---- About posting pictures --- is there a trick to doing it? I know how to transfer an image, but even getting my digitals to Webshot has been difficult.

Do you need a special permit for installing that burner in your home? When I get my own house, I would like one of those "jet engine" wok stoves. For the time being, I make do with a really thick cast aluminium wok. I feel the thickness of the metal helps conduct heat better, even if the heat source is inferior.

For the average home electric range or low btu domestic gas range, a fry pan is what I use. A wok is so inefficient and clumsy in those circumstances. However if I have a crowd to cook for, I'll use a wok over my 80,000 btu burner. Now, that's cooking with gas. This is a big gripe of mine, when every Tom,Dick and Harry( or Tina, Daisy and Jane) evening community college cooking instructor and all the glossy cooking magazines extol the virtues of using the wok, for with a wok, you get instant and delicious "stir fry" dishes just like the Chinese takeouts. Truth of the matter is, by using a wok over a weak flame you cannot "fry" anything in reasonable time. What you get is a soggy, sodden slew of substance that would not have the remotest of resemblance to Chinese food, in my estimation. There, that's my rant of the day.

I don't have an tandoori oven. My wife has already been complaining that I have too many gadgets in the kitchen. Can you imagine if I bring in a tandoori in the backyard just for making tandoori chicken??? Just baked in a conventional oven. For that same reason (too many gadgets), I don't have a wok either. All my Chinese food dishes are made on a 12 inch flat pan. It's funny I see some people... when they get excited about cooking Chinese food, the first thing they do is to buy a wok as if it is a prerequist. For some thirty odd years of cooking, I have never owned a wok. My digital camera went to heaven some time ago. Maybe it's time to shop for the new generation models. Recipes to follow.

I don't think looking at population as a number is enough to explain a restaurant scene, you have to look at income, education and ethnic mix as well. For example, the town I currently live in has a population of 100,000. Urbana-Champaign (where I study) also has 100,000. We are both in the middle of corn fields, equally far away from Chicago. However, most of the people in U-C work for or study at the University of Illinois, wheareas most of the people in my "home"town work for an insurance company, or for a much smaller university. My town has 3 indian restaurants (our major ethnic minority, oddly enough), a bunch of "#1 WOK" type chinese places, two "fancy" places, one "hippy" place and a bunch of chains. In Urbana-Champaign we have 5 korean places on Green street alone. A bunch of indian, thai, vietnamese, bubble tea etc etc places, a bunch of nicer places including at least two affiliated with the slow foods movement. Several huge asian groceries, several middle eastern groceries and so on. Same number of people, totally different population. Having recently made the move from the city to these very distant suburbs, I think urban/suburban generalizations are to a certain extent a myth. But where there is truth is that urban generally means lots of people, noise, friction, rapid spread of information, and with it, sophistication. Hence political and social engagement (on either side of the debate), being open to different cultures not in a naive "crab rangoon" way but in a well informed, first hand kind of way. Not seeing an unfamiliar situation necessarily as a bad thing. Urbana-Champaign fits that description a bit more, and I think you can see it reflected in the food. Similarly, in my town you would hardly ever run into another person on the street, and I think that is also reflected in the food. Unfortunately, I think the one common trait that unites people who choose to live in this type of suburbs is pragmatism. This explains Wal-Mart, this explains vinyl siding, and this explains the massive portions at Applebees. But suburbs, like unhappy families, are not all alike. In Urbana people will order sushi, whereas people in this town by and large will not. You need to look around and see income levels, education, what has so far been successful, how far you can push the envelope in your particular suburb.

Actually the ones with the hole that look like donuts are made from a different lentil altogether. Is that the recipe you are looking for? If so, here it is: (Adapted from Betty Crocker's Indian Home Cooking, Wiley 2001) “Doughnut” Fritters Medu Vadaas About 8 fritters (4 servings) • Homes in southeastern India pay tribute to Hanuman (the monkey god) by stringing a garland made of these fritters, with the assistance of eager children. The fritters are shaped in the form of doughnuts, making them easier to string. These vadaas are also a staple in South Indian restaurants, often served with Pigeon Pea Stew, a savory stew of vegetables, lentils and chilies. • The earthy, sourdough-like flavor of split and hulled black lentils are crucial to this recipe’s success, so substituting another lentil will not give you the same results. 1 cup dried split and hulled black lentils (urad dal), sorted, rinsed and drained 3 cups warm water 3 or 4 fresh Thai, serrano or cayenne chilies 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns 1 tablespoon chopped gingerroot 1 teaspoon salt 10 to 12 fresh karhi leaves, coarsely chopped (2 tablespoons) or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro Vegetable oil for deep-frying 1. Place lentils, water and chilies in medium bowl. Soak at room temperature at least 2 hours or overnight. 2. Drain lentils and chilies. Place lentils, chilies, peppercorns and gingerroot in food processor. Cover and process until smooth. Place lentil mixture in medium bowl; beat with spoon 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Stir in salt and karhi leaves. 3. Heat oil (2 to 3 inches deep) in wok or deep 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until thermometer inserted in oil reads 350º. 4. Grease palms of hands with oil. Shape lentil mixture into 1/2-inch-thick patties. With finger, poke a hole through the center of patties, making a doughnut-like shape. Gently drop into hot oil and fry 3 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. 5. Serve fritters by themselves or with Coconut-Cilantro Chutney. 6. Leftover batter can be tightly covered and refrigerated up to 2 days. Freezing is not recommended because it increases the batter’s water content when thawed, making it very difficult to handle. 2 Medu Vadaas: Calories 250 (Calories from Fat 125); Fat 14g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 590mg; Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 11g); Protein 12g %Daily Value: Vitamin A 22%; Vitamin C 38%; Calcium 2%; Iron 26% Diet Exchanges: 2 Starch, 1 Very Lean Meat, 1 1/2 Fat

I have a karela recipe, for some odd reason I have always loved karela, even as a kid. 1. Wash and peel the karelas but keep the peel. 2. Slit them in half so you have pocket like things. Scoop put seeds if there are some tough ones. Sprinkle some salt on the karelas and let it sit for a while. It will leave some water content, this will reduce the bitterness a bit. 3. Sprinkle the peels with some salt and let it sit as well. After a while, sueeze out the juice using your hands and discard the water. 4. In a small wok heat oil. Add finely chopped onions, dhaniya(coriander powder), red chili powder, turmeric. Now add the peels and saute this mix for a while, it should be pretty dry. Add some coarsely groung saunf(anise seed?). Add amchur powder (raw mango powder) and take it off the heat. 5. Squeeze some of the juices out of the slit karelas and discard all juice. Stuff the karelas witht he mix and tie some string to ensure it doesnt spill. 6. Use a realtively flat pan and heat soem oil/ghee in it. Shallow fry the karelas at low heat for a while till it auires a nice color. Cook on low heat for a while. If the karelas are exceptionally tough, you can cover the pan for a while. But cook it uncovered for the last 5 minutes so it acuires a crispness about it. 7. enjoy with hot rotis. ITS EASIER THAN IT SEEMS.

I don't read cookbooks, but like to look at the pictures (which gives me equal access to the books in Chinese, of course). This one sounds interesting though. From the Publishers Weekly review (cribbed from Amazon's web site): Wok arcana, yeah! For a title, though, you can't top Hugh Carpenter's Wok Fast (and don't look over your shoulder?)

I am not the person who said it first, but I don't like "China Moon", either. Speaking of good cookbooks, I was browsing our local bigbox bookstore last night and came upon Grace Young's new cookbook "Breath of the Wok" or some such title. Didn't have time to look too deeply at it. Has anyone read it yet and could you give a short precis?

Surfas, in Culver City, is in the L.A. area, but about an hour from Anaheim. It is a wonderland of spices, sauces and edible goodies, as well as well-priced tools and toys. (They had molcajetes , and also tortilla presses, last time I was there...as well as lots of woks and wok accessories, paella pans in many sizes, and lots of other fun stuff.) Their chief business is restaurant design and supply, but don't let that put you off, as lots of their stuff is great for home cooks. Their website seems to be down at the moment (or at least, I can't seem to link to it) but I believe it is www.surfasonline.com (it's not a great site, but will give you the address and phone, and maybe driving directions.) Happy shopping!

Given your formula, our budget is $25,000. Play away!!! Some preliminary thoughts. $25,000 isn't a whole lot - especially when you're talking about construction in New York. On the other hand - you're working with a relatively small space. For starters - I'd try to minimize or eliminate any major construction (like moving plumbing - venting - electrical - whatever). Try to keep the major appliances/fixtures about where they are if moving them would require major construction. Just rip everything out - and reinstall new stuff. Your wife wants more storage - and - basically you don't cook (typical for New York ). Your mother sometimes does high temp wok cooking - but I doubt you want to get into a high end gas stove/vent setup just for an occasional meal. You could do take-out for 100 years and still be ahead of the game. What I hear is you want a kitchen that looks more contemporary - holds more stuff - but will basically get light use. Correct me if I'm wrong. In light of what you said - I'd put the major part of my budget into high end cabinets - maybe $15,000. The highest end you can afford with all the fancy storage options (full extension drawers - floor to ceiling storage cabinets - cutting board cabinets - etc.). Go to a place like Poggenpohl or Siematic and see what the low end in these lines would cost. Get catalogues and look through them. Note that many of these places offer free cabinet/kitchen design (although most will ask for a small non-refundable deposit before they draw up plans in case you don't go ahead with the project). So take advantage of in-house design. $4,000 into appliances to give you the look you want. $6,000 for floors and lighting and countertop. (Lighting is important because it can make or break the look of the place.) These aren't absolute numbers - just a rough idea of priorities. Anyway - I'd start by spending a few afternoons in cabinet showrooms. What do you think? Robyn P.S. I am 5' tall - and when it comes to cabinets - if I can't reach it - it's relatively worthless (except for things I only use occasionally). Concentrate on as much low pull out storage as you can squeeze in. Also - even if your cabinets go to the ceiling - you can lower the cabinets an inch or two below normal - then adjust the shelves so you get as many as possible within arm's reach. You can even try to find an area where you can sit a tall cabinet on a counter - which gives you a huge amount of storage space.

wokked spring greens with garlic, red chilli flakes, soy sauce, Chinese five spice powder and a little stock, served over buckwheat noodles. instant post-pub food.

In the Mission district you want to hit Bombay Bazaar (on Valencia btw 16th & 17th St) for spices, and all things Indian, including ice cream. I would skip the Mexican food around here, although it is prefered by some, (too Americanized), the food is much better around 24th St. Lucca, as mentioned, (22ndSt & Valencia) is a temple and not to be missed. Homemade Ravioli since 1924 or so.They also import a TON of stuff for most restaurants in SF so the prices here are better than anyone. period. In China town, (a short walk to/from North Beach), I would go to The Wok Shop, on Grant, for every kind of Asian cooking gadget imaginable (This is not Sur La Table). Fun place. Have a great trip.

As you're walking along the streets in Taipei, don't be alarmed if you smell something truly shocking. It's probably just "smelly tofu". If you try it, you might even like it. It's been many years since I was in Taiwan, but for some reason, I remember the street food more than the restaurant food. Corn on the cob cooked on charcoal grills stuck in my mind for some reason. And I remember seeing street hawkers with these giant woks filled to the brim with a dark stew, the surface covered with stewed eggs. I think they're called tea leaf eggs or just "lu" eggs. Wonderful stuff. And isn't Taiwan famous for their "Taiwan Beef Soup Noodles"? 台湾牛肉面

Bond Girl, I'll be in New York in a couple of weeks. I could pick it up then Thanks Toliver. I was getting a little worried there that I should just give up and hang my head in shame much less try to cook anything in a wok on my poor little old cooktop I'm up for a cheap chinese wok!

I am a little confused as to why there seems to be a "if you can't do it 'right' at home, why bother" theme going on here. So what if the burner on my stove doesn't put out the high heat like they use in a "real" chinese restaurant? I imagine most of the homes throughout Asia don't have stoves that do either. And yet these foolish people continue to use a wok at home. Go figure. Last night I made a stirfry (scallops and baby bok choy) on my horrid electric stove using my $10 sheet metal wok that turned out great. Sometimes cheap is good.

I thought I was aware of some of the various levels of adherence. (I'm not Jewish)I had lived with a Jewish family when I was in High School, (not very strict) and a few years ago I did a Chinese Demo for a Temple, and was required to have all my foods checked by the Rabbi, buy all Kosher meats, and buy a new wok. (very strict) But one time I was at Moishe Peking, in NYC, with a Jewish friend and she was explaining the various restrictions, including differences between countries. She grew up in a Kosher home, & was a strict observer. I asked her is she ever wanted to eat ice cream as a dessert, after dinner, say as Pie A la Mode . She said "Sure! But all we had to do was go outside the house and eat it on the front porch." !!!!?????

This pork belly and daikon dish I pulled out of the December issue of Kyou no Ryouri a popular amgazine/cooking show on NHK. I am probably the only person in the world who buys a pork belly and then proceeds to trim it of most of the fat...... The recipe calls for 200g (less than 1/2lb) of pork belly and 600g (about 1 1/3lbs) of daikon. I used closer to 500g (little over 1lb) of each. The pork is cur into bite size pieces and then sprinkled with a large splash of soy and a large splash of sake and then set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients. The daikon is cut into a roll cut or other large pieces, mince some scallions and some ginger. Heat a wok and some flavorless oil (I use canola) and stirfry the scallions and ginger for a couple second, toss in the pork (drained of its marinade) and stirfry until the color changes. toss in the daikon and stirfry until coated with oil and then add the marinade that had been drained of the pork mixed with 3 Tablespoons of soy, 1 1/2 Tablespoons of sugar and some pepper. keep stirring until the sasuce thickens and all the pieces are nicely coated, then add 200 ml of water, lower the heat to low and cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until the daikon is tender. It is really easy and really fast and everyone loved! What more can you ask for. It was the first time I made it and I will definitely make it again.

Hey guys, some people were saying they didn't use hoisin that much, then I saw in another thread people were using it for a sweet bean paste substitute which I do too. I thought id share THE recipe that uses the most hoisin in my house (because we make it every couple weeks or so). Its the old Mobu Dofu, mapu, mapo, however you choose to spell it. Its a big favorite. Lately we've been adding spinach or boiled longbean as well when the tofu goes in. This recipe came from sh.com many, many years ago and they didn't give any source credits for it (and I have paraphrased). Our mods: use chili shrimp paste instead of dried shrimps - easier, use combo ground bean and hoisin instead of sweet fermented flour sauce, add several pickled thai chilis with the initial aromatics saute, and peppercorn oil is such a bitch to make so we usually use chili oil (but if you ’re willing and have some precious szechuan peppercorns you want to sacrifice for it - it adds an awesome flavor) Bean Curd in Sauce 1 lb fresh bean curd (tofu) 2 oz vegetable oil 1 ts dried shrimps, soaked and chopped 2 ts sweet fermented flour sauce (or sweet bean paste or hoisin sauce) 1 ts scallions, chopped 1 ts fresh ginger, chopped 1 ts garlic, chopped 3 1/2 oz minced pork (lean is ok) 5 ts soy sauce 2 ts rice wine (shaoxing) 2 ts fresh cilantro, chopped 3 1/2 fl oz high stock (homemade chicken) 1 Tb cornstarch in 1 tbsp water 3 Tb peppercorn oil 1. Place the bean curd in a heat-proof bowl and steam for 10 minutes. Remove, drain, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Set aside. 2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat to just warm. Add the shrimps, sweet fermented flour sauce, scallions, ginger, garlic, and pork. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, rice wine, and stock. Stir and bring to a boil. 3. Add the cornstarch-water mixture and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add bean curd and green vegetable if using and gently fold together, pour into serving dish. Add cilantro, sprinkle with the peppercorn oil, and serve.

BettyK and anyone interested: The recipe for KAY MAH: INGREDIENTS: 3 EGGS 1 CUP WATER 2 1/2 CUPS FLOUR 2 TBSP. RAISINS 2 TSP. BAKING POWDER 10 CUPS OIL ( FOR DEEPFRYING) 6 OZ. MALTOSE 1 tbsp SESAME SEEDS 1 1/2 CUPS SUGAR PROCEDURE: 1. Sift flour and baking powder together onto the pastry board. Spread to form a hollow in the centre. Add eggs. Blend the flour and eggs together with your fingers. Then knead the dough thoroughly until it is smooth. 2. Roll the dough with a rolling pin until it is about 1/6" thick.Cut it into 2" wide long strips. Dust the strips with flour so they don't stick together. Stack the strips, then cut into thin noodles (across the width). Separate these noodles and again dust with flour. 3. Heat the oil in a deep pan (wok). Shake off excess flour in a strainer, then lower the noodles carefully into the hot oil. Deep fry the strips 1/3 at a time until golden. The noodles should sizzle and float up quickly.( I keep them moving, turning with a Chinese lie lay untensil to keep the colour even). Lower the heat if they are turning brown too quickly. Remove, drain and place noodles in a large platter. 4. In a small sauce pan, add the sugar, maltose and water. Bring to a boil then simmer and stir over low heat until the mixture is like syrup and pours out as a thread. Pour it on the fried noodles and mix immediately, carefully, thoroughly. 5. At this point, IF you want raisins, you can put them onto the pastry board. Then, put the noodles from #4 on top, pat into a big square about 1 1/2" thick. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. These can be stored in a closed container for several days.

Thanks Suzanne for your expert input. I will stick with a folding steamer. Thanks Sam for your explaination of a saute pan. I am still learning to cook. I don't think I want to make my food "jump".....cause they will jump out of the pan and onto the floor. Yes, I will stick with the wok. I am in still search of a fry/omelette pan. May I please have some opinions on the following pans: Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 10-Inch International Griddle/Crepe Pan Sitram 9.5-Inch Stainless Steel Non-Stick Open Frypan Scanpan Classic 9 1/4-Inch Fry/Omelet Pan Also, what do you think of this? Is it useful?....or not? (like that steamer insert) Scanpan Steel 9-Quart Covered Combination Cooker Thanks, Amy

There are still areas in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Phillipines that use Palm Kernal Oil and Coconut Oil for stir frying, but it doesn't get used often for deep frying as it easily becomes solid after use and often becomes rancid if kept at warm tempertures. The majority of Coconut or Palm Oils are commercially refined and processed for special uses for export and not for domestic markets. The oil of choice seems to be pourable vegetable oils for the majority of cooking applications as the Wok is mostly used for stir frying, deep frying or braising together with using skewers on charcoal. Overall the amount of oils in the average diet are lower then that consumed in the colder Asian climates, where it's been traditionally assumed that in the cold climates its beneficial. Irwin

Jason: There is avast disparity about the oils used for most Asian Cooking, especially in the USA. The oil most commomly used in American Chinese Restaurants is whatever Vegetable Oil is most reasonably priced in 5 Gallon Containers. Where there is a choice the most popular oils are Peanut or Soy Bean. For enhancing Flavor, Taste or Finishing Dishes the Toasted 1st press Seseme Oils or Refined Peanut Oil are utilized. For Chinese Cooking in Hong Kong and China, where the favorite Peanut Oils are produced locally they tend to have a lower smoke point then our domestic oils, plus invariably have a residue peanut taste. This generally is alleviated plus adds a tasty character to the oil by putting some sliced Ginger and Garlic into the Hot Oil placed into the Wok before actually starting to cook the food. Thois is strained off from the hot oil, removing the Peanut Tastes. Thisis sometimes attributed to the unique taste of Hong Kong Chinese Food. The other major Oil used for Cooking in Hong Kong is a rendered type of Lard imported from Holland that combines Beef Fat together with Pork Fat [often imported from the USA into Holland] that is shipped by the Boatload into Hong Kong and China in 30 Kilo Containers. This fat is also given the Garlic, Ginger Treatment before being used for Cooking. It's also the preferred shortning for most Bakeries. It's the most reasonable priced Oil Product. It is especially popular in Peking and Shanghai Foods. For Taiwan the most popular Oil used is Rape Seed Oil imported in Large Containers and Drums as well as Peanut Oils. Most of the other countries also import various oils in Bulk for repacking, but receive mostly vegetable and nut oils. The Japanese and Koreans both are capable of refining oils, and even are manufacturing them in Australia, Canada and the United States but still continue to import Lard and other Solid Fats. The type of Seseme Oil that is used for Deep Frying is oil that has been filtered and refined so that there is no Seseme Taste remaining, very similar to our refined commercial Peanut Oil. This is the prefered oil that is used in most Tempura Restaurants in Japan traditionally. There are many variations on Oils that are used for Flavoring or Marinating Different Foods, even for preparing Chili Oils or Codiments. In a Japanese Department Store with a Retail Food Court you will find a very large selection of Seseme Oils, that are more expensive then the finest Olive Oils in our Gourmet Shops. Irwin

Fat Guy: Thanks for the estimate of 125,000 BTUs/hour for the power of the burners in US Chinese restaurants. That puts in perspective the King Kooker propane burner I have, claimed to have power of 170,000 BTU/hour. Uh, it's only for outdoors! If it's covered with snow, then the snow melts quite quickly once the burner is lit! This burner was made in Louisiana and is sold for cooking pots of shellfish at beach parties. It's crude but rugged and effective. The burners now being sold for deep frying turkeys seem to be similar. Over that burner, I heated my cast iron skillet too hot and cracked it. Going out to buy a new one, sadly discovered that these are now collectors' items and no longer sold new. Instead all we have are imitations that do not have a machined interior. So, at a local restaurant supply house, I got a steel saute pan such as you are describing, and, from a mail order vendor in San Francisco, I got a steel wok from China. The handle on the wok looks like something I would bang out of a piece of steel pipe in a few minutes in my workshop; the rivets look like a student's embarrassing first efforts in high school metal working shop. So far, the rivets are holding. Actually, the wok works well over the propane burner. My wok is now a fairly uniform smooth dark black on the inside. I've tried to imitate what the inexpensive US Chinese carryout restaurants do but have not found the right proportions of the ubiquitous chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, chili peppers, tangerine peel, black mushrooms, black beans, corn starch, etc. My stack of Chinese cookbooks tries to be too authentic and is not much help. Big bad bummer. Someday someone will actually write a book on what those restaurants really actually do and really actually show people how to do such things at home -- really, actually, not just some literary fictional fantasy. From what I have seen in, and cooked from, the books I have, one of those Chinese restaurants cooking such things would go out of business in a week. For the wok, I'm finding that it's terrific for browning chicken pieces. I put a lot of pepper on the pieces, put some oil in the wok, turn up the propane flow loud enough to hear, light the thing, assure my kitty cat that a fighter jet is not about to run into the house, wait for the oil to smoke, and brown the chicken pieces. The high heat does nice things to the pepper. Then I poach the chicken pieces, etc., and make a chicken casserole, last time, two chickens, about 7 quarts. I have yet to try the saute pan but may soon: Once again bought an aluminum saute pan with enamel on the outside and Teflon on the inside. Using that pan to fry hamburgers three at a time over the propane burner has nearly ruined the Teflon. So, should be moving to the saute pan soon. For the mysterious subject of 'seasoning', here is some simple advice: (1) When the pan is new, clean it once to remove any oil left from manufacturing. (2) Use the pan, for frying, with oil. (3) When cleaning the pan, just remove any liquid oil and stuck food and don't try to remove the burned oil. In the cleaning, it's okay to use some detergent, water, and abrasive, just don't try to get off all the browned or blackened oil. That's it: Keep this up, and soon will have a beautifully 'seasoned' pan. That is, for 'seasoning', basically just use the pan; that usage is enough to provide 'seasoning'. Seasoned steel is a terrific cooking surface. Over high heat, there may be a really big difference between a steel wok and many steel saute pans: The wok is beautifully convex on the outside with nearly constant 'curvature' everywhere. So, as heat makes the steel expand, the shape will remain convex. No way will 'dimples' appear. A new saute pan is also convex on the outside, but the curvature varies a lot, and usually the bottom is flat. So, as heat causes the steel to expand, no telling which way the bottom will bend. So, dimples are likely, and the result will no longer be convex on the outside. I still have one cast iron frying pan, just the right diameter for making crepes or pancakes. I cook the first side in this cast iron pan and cook the second side in a Teflon pan. I do use a Teflon saute pan for making omelets. For French toast, I have an old Westinghouse electric something that can cook four slices at once. The interior is a nearly indestructible rough non-stick surface. But I fully agree with you that a saute pan should be steel or cast iron; I want nothing to do with frying on a surface of aluminum, stainless steel, or enamel. For your main question "So why don't we see more of them in home kitchens?" Ah, that's just rhetorical, right? If not, then here's the answer. Not just everyone will see the answer right away, so I will have to explain! In the US there's an image, a norm, an expectation that the kitchen is the 'sphere of influence' of the 'little woman': She is supposed to be a good wife and mother; in the kitchen she is supposed to do well feeding her family; success here is nearly as serious as all of marriage, motherhood, and life; her pride, self-esteem, public image, and success in life itself are in the balance; here truly perfection is the minimum acceptable standard; cleanliness is next to godliness; and everything should be shiny, glossy, beautiful, and totally spotlessly clean. She should look like the image of ideal of motherhood, in long, soft, full skirts, that any child with a skinned knee would rush to. She should wear a perfectly white apron, the perfect whiteness a representation of the perfection of her duty and work. Then, in this context, a pan is a piece of sculpture to provide a communication, interpretation of those emotions, experiences. That's why for decades Farberware polished the outside to a mirror finish and used shapes and curves somewhere between Rococo and Donna Reed. And, now, you, Fat Guy, with "why don't we see", want to replace all those cherished images of marriage and motherhood -- the tiny delicate shoulders, pretty little hands, demure face, great sympathy, empathy, affection, and dedication, which must carry the future of our civilization -- with something burned, black, greasy and merely pragmatic that sounds like, and might have been stamped from, the hood of an old Ford. Shame, shame on you! Is nothing cherished anymore!