somewhereintime

80# sheep
How much do they charge for deposit? $5 per piece?

somewhereintime

84# rockypath
PLEASE, let's focus on the topic, just forget who am I:
The majority of restaurants in Vancouver, say over 85% are using claypot from China, no question about it.
The Chinese claypots material  are more porus, similar to the German one, which required soaking before every use.
I recommend Japanese claypot for HOME COOKs because they are more durable and easier to clean.
For cooking, my  uncle Yeung Koon Yat is famous  for cooking his signature fried rice  and Chow Mein  in Japanese Clay pots at table side.
He would use Chinese Clay pot for his abalone, and Japanese Claypots for Fried Rice and Chow Mein, .
A  lot of busy hot pot places pre-cook the rice pots and finish cooking on the stove to develop the crust. This practise would
sacrifice the whole idea of cooking in clay pots.
However, it would save a lot of time, labour and energy.

somewhereintime

87# low_B
Most oriental supermarket, Superstore etc.
The Connimex brand is very good and available at Superstone, great for Genuine Indonesian Satay

somewhereintime

The reason I recommend Japanese clay pots over Chinese Clay Pots is the versatility and
durability. You can do a variety of cooking in it and clean up is easier. Where they are made is not important, quality matters. I mentioned earlier there are some decent Japanese clay pots made in China for decent price. I yet to try cooking fried rice in a 99 cents clay pot, but my  common sense tells me that it is not going to be easy.
Cooking good food may require proper utensils, yesterday  張O忌 said he can cook up
酒樓鑊氣 at home using soup pot instead of wok, he is such a genius. A typical wok emits 120,000 -160,000 BTU energy in an hour. almost impossible to replicate at home.
I use propane stoves 25,000 BTU on my sun deck  when I do stir-frying, and it works well.

somewhereintime

91# elan7e
Yes, 750 ml bottle for $3.45 I think

somewhereintime

I already said over 85% of Chinese restaurants use Chinese clay pots, not really for瓦煲香 ,
by the time you smell rice fragrance, it is probably cracked already.
It is alright if they steam the clay pot rice first ,then just cook the crust on the bottom.
The inexpensive one do not withstand  cooking over high heat.
Remember back in 60's, clay pots would last for decade despite daily used over charcoal.
and  there are repairing and re-glazing service. I still have 4 Chinese clay pots from 70's. It is not where the pots are manufactured,  it is the fact that  products on the market are not meant to be durable any more.
Many restaurant  starts out cooking clay pot rice to order, once they  become popular and busy, they would take short cut and steam the rice pots instead. Then the business plunder.  Good clay pot rice are hard to come by.

somewhereintime

Will cast iron pot work too?
zuesel 發表於 2009-10-28 15:36

Many Chinese restaurants use CAST ALUMINUM for durability.
i.e. most of the 煲仔菜.
I think only the Japanese would use cast iron rice pot,it is traditional used for Yosenabe  Dishes and anything
cooked over camp-fire.
I use cast iron pan to make 新鮮春捲皮
Enamel is really good, especially the French Le Creuset and German Staub, $200+ each.

somewhereintime

That's not true. The Chinese used cast iron rice pot during the Tang dynasty.
peter236 發表於 2009-10-28 23:10

The jap stole it from China.
I think rice taste better when it is cooked in clay or earthenware, porous material.

somewhereintime

Those are紫砂鍋,  the most porous material used for cookware , with a piece
of ferron material on the bottom that allow to cook on induction.
I've seen it in Hong Kong.
But that would be high tech commercial, yet to be seen in Canada.
I thought the discussion  is about local hot pot rice and/or cooking at home.
I still using the old Chinese  style clay pots made in Hong Kong for 臘味糯米飯， 砂鍋豉油雞

somewhereintime

路見不平
sheep 發表於 2009-10-29 09:59

司馬不平