> Has anyone here tried using an electric wok in place of a hot pot for
> Steamboat? I saw it recently on a tv show and was intrigued.

I've not tried using a elect. wok as we've always used a gas ring attached
to a tank of butane gas & the steamboat is placed over that, just like in
restaurants or street side stalls all over SE Asia. I believe the heat from
the gas ring is faster at boiling the soup stock & allows better control
when simmering after it has reached boiling point. That's when all the
goodies are added & the soup stock takes on an added richness in flavour. I
guess if you're using an elect. wok or hot pot, you'll have to check these
things out.

> I have put a hot pot on my Xmas list but have stayed that temporarily
while
> I consider this as an alternative.

I did consider buying an elect. steamboat a while back but wasn't sure so
i'm still stuck on the gas. Or an even better alternative, (for a laugh or
if you want to make a show of it) is to do it the old way, over a charcoal
brazier just like in the 60's/70's.

> While we're at it, are there any favourite steamboat dipping sauces out
> there in the group. ?

We normally have light soya sauce & sliced fresh chillies, pickled green
chillies in vinegar or sometimes Chinese vinegar if eating it with certain
seafoods. Soup stock wise, we normally have the regular soup stock which is
a meat based stock & sometimes a Thai TomYam style spicy soup. You can also
try for a 'herbal' meat soup stock (Bak Kut Teh) seeing that you're posting
from a .au address so you might be familiar with this kind of 'soup' as
quite a few Malaysians & Singaporeans live there. How is Perth these days?
must be enjoying a nice summer, i assume it is Perth in WA that you're
posting from.

DC.

>
> We normally have light soya sauce & sliced fresh chillies, pickled green
> chillies in vinegar or sometimes Chinese vinegar if eating it with certain
> seafoods. Soup stock wise, we normally have the regular soup stock which
is
> a meat based stock & sometimes a Thai TomYam style spicy soup.

When I bought my last side of beef, I got the butchers to cut up all the
bones and I made 13 litres of beef stock - it's all sitting in the freezer
waiting for a decision on the steamboat.


>You can also try for a 'herbal' meat soup stock (Bak Kut Teh) seeing that
you're posting
>from a .au address so you might be familiar with this kind of 'soup' as
quite a few >Malaysians & Singaporeans live there.

We like BKT very much. Usually have it very simple with lamb chops in the
broth, spring onions scattered on the top and a Sambal Fried Rice alongside.


>How is Perth these days? must be enjoying a nice summer, i assume it is
Perth in WA that >you're posting from.

Close, but no banana. Bunbury, about 180k south. Left Perth 13 years ago.
As for the summer, it's started early and looks like being a hot one. Glad
I'm on the ocean down here.


--
Hoges in WA
Remove the zeds.

<snip>
> When I bought my last side of beef, I got the butchers to cut up all the
> bones and I made 13 litres of beef stock - it's all sitting in the freezer
> waiting for a decision on the steamboat.

The joys of having a big fridge or freezer, ours' is always full.

> We like BKT very much. Usually have it very simple with lamb chops in the
> broth, spring onions scattered on the top and a Sambal Fried Rice
alongside.

With loads of spicy white pepper i hope! Mmmmm.

> Close, but no banana. Bunbury, about 180k south. Left Perth 13 years
ago.
> As for the summer, it's started early and looks like being a hot one.
Glad
> I'm on the ocean down here.

Sounds really nice where you are, it's cold, wet & grey..... typical UK
winter here. Now all i have to say is Bah Humbug & that'll be Xmas over with
this year. Next roll out the large earthen pots & dig out the precious
ingredients hidden in the back of our cupboards & CNY (on the 22nd Jan) will
be the one i'm really looking forward to.

DC.