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Grace Young is a culinary sister to novelist Amy Tan. In The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen, along with sharing recipes from her family, Young immerses the reader in Chinese culture and the Chinese American experience of San Francisco's Chinatown, where she grew up. This personal book began with Young's wish to preserve the Cantonese dishes prepared by her parents and extended family. Since they cooked by instinct, the only way to record their recipes was by observing her mother, father, and aunties while they cooked, and by asking endless questions. These kitchen conversations also became a way to elicit untold family history from her deeply traditional and reticent parents.
Each chapter opens with an essay intertwining biographical stories with information about Chinese food and healing. The blending of culinary information and cultural observations is powerfully realized, perhaps because Young shows old-fashioned respect along with a contemporary perspective. The result is both affectionate and enthralling. You can vividly picture the meticulous choreography as her parents make dinner in their tiny kitchen, reaching over steaming pots and rushing the steaming food to the table.
Young delves into the hows and whys of Cantonese home cooking, with particular attention to technique and ingredients: Chinese broccoli with flowers should be avoided because the bright yellow blossoms indicate the stalks are too old. Steaming is valued because it draws out the intense flavors near the bone in chicken, fish, and meat, leaving them tender and moist.
Many dishes are elementally simple. Hot-and-Sour Soup is fired solely by aromatic white pepper. White Chicken is perfumed just with ginger and garlic. Some choices are quick and easy, as in stir-fried Bean Sprouts, while others require long and elaborate preparation, like savory Rice Tamales stuffed with pork, Chinese sausage, and duck egg yolks and wrapped in bamboo leaves. Anyone who enjoys eating Chinese food or has experienced the generational differences in immigrant families will get lost in The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen. --Dana Jacobi
Book Description
The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen, with its 150 recipes culled from a lifetime of family meals and culinary instruction, is much more than a cookbook. It is a daughter's tribute -- a collection of personal memories of the philosophy and superstitions behind culinary traditions that have been passed down through her Cantonese family, in which each ingredient has its own singular importance, the preparation of a meal is part of the joy of life, and the proper creation of a dish can have a favorable influence on health and good fortune. Each chapter begins with its own engaging story, offering insight into the Chinese beliefs that surround life-enhancing and spiritually calming meals. In addition, personal family photographs illustrate these stories and capture the spirit of China before the Revolution, when Young's family lived in Canton, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.
The first part, "Mastering the Fundamentals," provides instruction on the arts of steaming and stir-frying; the preparation of rice, panfried, and braised dishes; the proper selection of produce; and the fine arts of chopping and slicing. Part Two, "The Art of Celebration," concentrates on the more elaborate, complex, and meaningful dishes -- such as Shark's Fin Soup and West Lake Duck -- that are usually made with rare ingredients, and sweets such as Water Chestnut Cake and Sesame Balls. The final part, "Achieving Yin-Yang Harmony," explores the many Chinese beliefs about the healing properties of ginseng, gingko nuts, soybeans, dong quai, and the many vegetable and fruit soup preparations that balance and nourish the body. The stories and recipes combine to demonstrate the range of Cantonese cooking, from rich flavors and honored combinations to an overall appreciation of health, well-being, and prosperity.
In addition to the recipes, Young provides a complete glossary of dried herbs, spices, and fresh produce, accompanied by identifying photos and tips on where to purchase them. Unique traditional dishes, such as Savory Rice Tamales and Shrimp Dumplings, are also illustrated step by step, making the book easy to use. The central full-color photo section captures details of New Year's dishes and the Chinese home decorated in celebration, reminding one that these time-honored traditions live on, and the meals and their creation are connections to the past.
Customer Reviews:
authentic chinese recipes.......2007-05-23
yep! it brings me back home when i read through this book and taste the recipes!
glad this book was published!
The wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen.......2007-01-10
The book is amazing and everything I had hoped it would be.
Excellent Read and Reference book on Chinese Recipes.......2007-01-02
Grace Young's writing style is very thoughtful and a testament to her ability to embrace her Chinese Heritage and prescribe its finer aspects in cooking to a reader who has only a basic familiarity of that culture.
Her writing is reflective, beautiful, nostalgic, concise, thoughtful, and with an elusiveness that only a true philosopher could have that motivates the spirit in wanting to learn more not only about cooking, but about how everything in life is balanced together.
I've been reading this book while I've had a very bad flu and her sections on the medicinal values of ingredients in Chinese cooking has been a blessing to me.
The book is well organized with a vivid introduction of her life growing up in San Francisco Chinatown; her observations thru family anecdotes. Then she breaks down recipes with wonderful introductions in categories from rice, wok cooking, steam cooking, and two broader sections related to cooking and "The Art of Celebration" and "Achieving Ying Yang Harmony."
There are excellent instructions, pictures, and descriptions of key ingredients written in chinese with a photo so that while in a Chinese supermarket, you can find the ingredients.
There's also and excellent reference section in the back on the ingredients.
Little things such as eating congee (jook) when ill to aid the body in releasing toxins had an immediate effect on my health. Also, her recipe for "Dried Fig Apple Almond" soup immediately cured me of my coughing problems.
Her instructions on the recipe are very concise. If you follow her instructions academically, you will achieve the intent of the dish.
After reading this book, I look at eating more than just as a pleasure, but as a means of sustaining a longer and healthier life.
I only had one problem and that relates to the phonetics used in the pronunciation of some of the terms in chinese. People at the stores seldom understood what I was asking for, but fortunately, there were pictures.
Great read and a book that is a permanent reference guide.
very specific to the author's own immigration background.......2006-11-15
The author was very generous in sharing her family recipes which I think are authentic because I am familiar with American Born Chinese with a similar ancestry. The pronunciation is not Cantonese but perhaps the author has generalized her specific dialect to make it easier for the lay person to understand that she is from a Southern immigrant background with strong ties to San Francisco's Chinatown pre1980's generations.
I get the feeling that when the author refers to "The Chinese" that she is really referring to her own subgroup of Southern (Toisanese?) immigrants in America. The ingredients, the soup recipes and the beliefs while common in the South are interpreted in a specific visceral manner that is more oral history than official Chinese culinary rules. I am aware that there is disagreement over the handling of gingko nuts for example and that is not covered in this book.
I found Grace Young's book interesting and actually delightful though I minded the presumption of speaking for The Chinese and a certain accompanying dogmatism but overall, I appreciate the author's willingness in sharing her private family history and recipes. I think this does represent the author's subgroup extremely well and that many Americanized Chinese with her background will find this book very useful. Plus if they like the tone of the Joy Luck Club, they will love the writing style in this book.
The recipes are not complicated and you will find yourself with a simple but tasty vegetable soup in half an hour. Go for it!
I urge anyone who has come across the book to also read
My Shanghai: Through Tastes & Memories (Hardcover)
by Sandy Lam
which is also sold through Amazon. If you like Joy Luck Club and agree with the cultural proclamations in Grace Young's book, you will gain hopefully some perspective by reading Sandy Lam's book and if you disagree with the conceits in Joy Luck Club-type American Chinese of Chinatown of a certain intellectual background, then Sandy Lam's book will be something of a palate cleanser.
Since this book is an anthropoligical treasure, I intend to order Breath of Wok as well. Also, I will order all of Eileen Yin Fei Lo's books because she is from Sun Tak which is also not Canton proper however the people of Sun Tak have a reputation for cooking talent and I have found their accent to be charming.
Trivia: William Hung of American Idol fame is said to be of Sun Tak origin.
Good source of info...........2006-05-06
The books consist of mainly comfort food that are simple and easy to cook. In my opinion, it's a good source of info for chinese who doesn't know how to read chinese. It does not have fancy recipes like restaurant style dishes. If you're looking for homestyle chinese cooking recipes, this is the book for you. I really enjoyed some of the dishes in this book. However, there were lots of dishes that I already knew how to cook(and I don't really know how to cook that well either). I bought this book for the dessert recipes like peanut soup, sesame balls, sesame soup....
If also has a good various of chinese herbal soup recipes. I've been wanting to make chinese wine soup and pickled Pig's feet for so long and wasn't able to locate the recipe anywhere. I'm glad I found this book.
Book Description
Repeatedly singled out as one of the all-time cookbook bibles, Classic Chinese Cuisine is a thorough introduction to the basics of Chinese cooking, covering all the essential techniques, ingredients, and cooking utensils, with more than 225 recipes, step-by-step illustrations, and full-color photographs. Nina Simonds has an unerring eye for the most approachable and delicious dishes in the Chinese repertoire, from Crispy-Skin Duck and Hundred-Corner Shrimp Balls to Lemon Chicken Wings and Dry-Cooked String Beans.
Customer Reviews:
Very authentic flavors.......2004-03-14
I've made many dishes from this book, including:
Red-Cooked Tofu
Stir-Fried Broccoli in Oyster Sauce
Sweet & Sour Fish with Pine Nuts
Cantonese-Style Roasted Duck
Steamed Chicken with Scallions
Home-Style Spareribs
Stir-Fried Beef with Snow Peas in Oyster Sauce
Buns with Red Bean Filling
I love this book because
a. flavor of each dish turned out great
b. instructions were easy to follow
c. ingredients were easy to obtain from local markets
If anything, I'd like to see more color photos of plate presentations.
EXCELLENT & Easy Recipes.......2003-12-01
The recipes in this book are easy to follow & prepare. The results of my efforts in using this book were DELECIOUS! Our local carry-outs would not be happy to know that this book is out on the market. From our family alone they're loosing about $100 a month of business. The cooking is easy to do and doesn't take a large amount of skill, though you should take the time to prepare everything before starting to cook. Wok cooking moves at a steady pace. You need to have your ducks in a row before starting to cook. Prior to making your first dish, read the instructions and prepare the ingredients so the dish comes together well. After that, you'll know what to expect and everything should be smooth sailing from there on out.
In the cooking, there are about 10 basic ingredients that are used for the sauces and marinades. Any Chinese grocery should have them. From there it's just the meats & veggies that you can mix & match according to your tastes. It's A LOT easier than you may think. Before you start, get a good Carbon Steel Wok & condition it well.
Complicated recipes and few vegetarian dishes.......2001-08-31
I have owned this cookbook for over a year and have yet to prepare a recipe from it. The recipes are extremely complicated, and while they may yield authentic flavors and dishes, the prohibitively long preparation time is one reason this cookbook has not been used in my kitchen.
The other reason is that the book contains almost no vegetarian recipes. Even the "vegetable dishes" section contains either dishes which contain meat, or require a meat broth.
For easier, more practical recipes, I'd recommend Nina's "A Spoonful of Ginger."
Excellent! Authentic chinese flavor using common ingredients.......1999-10-19
I have tried a few recipes from this book including the sweet moon cake, curry turnovers, and steamed cake (MA LA GAU)...all turned out delicious. Even my mother told me to purchase this book (I originally borrowed it from the library) because she was so impressed! Considering that we are immigrants from Taiwan, we know good chinese food when we taste it and Ms. Simonds has great chinese food. She does not always use traditional methods or ingredients in her recipes...but the end result is always fabulous. Cannot say enough about this book!
Basic, but not boring. Accomodating & Practical.......1999-04-05
By affording substitutions, Ms. Simonds' work has allowed me to enjoy chinese food despite being away from an asian market, or decent chinese restaurant. This book stands in marked contrast to many which fail to take into account the limited ingredients the person in a small town has to work with.
Average customer rating:
- Good Cookbook
- Great authentic chinese food that anyone can make at home.
- Great, easy, tasty recipies
- Do better elsewhere...
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The New Classic Chinese Cookbook
Mai L. Thayer
Manufacturer: Council Oak Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Chinese
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The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook
ASIN: 1571780521 |
Customer Reviews:
Good Cookbook.......2004-09-02
This cookbook has some excellent recipes. I've made five or six of them with very good results (some of them more than once).
To get good results with the stir-fry dishes, you must usually use the restaurant secret mentioned on p. 17 (blanching in oil, sometimes referred to as velveting) which makes the meat tender, and provides a nice glazed look to the finished dish. Unfortunately, this technique is not called for in the individual recipes, but is, nonetheless, a very crucial step. This secret is omitted by many, if not most, Chinese cookbooks, however, so I wouldn't fault the author too much.
Many of the dishes can be prepared with ingredients available in most supermarkets (Hoisin Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Light Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Sesame Oil, Dry Sherry, Five-Spice Powder, etc.), but for a number of recipes, you will need to venture to an Asian market to get things such as Sichuan Peppercorns, Ground Bean Paste, Spicy Bean Paste, Sweet Bean Paste, Shaoxing Rice Wine, and other "exotic" ingredients. This is good, however, since getting authentic results is often impossible with many of the Americanized substitutions advocated by many lesser cookbooks.
Overall, I'd say this is a very good cookbook. I am sure there is a better Chinese food tutorial out there, however, so I am holding back one star. No photographs.
Great authentic chinese food that anyone can make at home........1998-12-02
The receipes are both easy and authentic. The recipe for broiled salmon steaks with mushrooms in ginger and scallion sauce is delicious! The sichuan eggplant in chili garlic sauce tastes like it came from my favorite restaurant. The recipes are very authentic yet easy to follow, even for a beginner. To top it all off, these tasty recipes are also healthy!
Great, easy, tasty recipies.......1998-11-10
This is a fabulous book. The recipies are authentic but approachable. Everyone I made has turned out really tasty.
Do better elsewhere..........1998-10-02
Well, the recipes in here work. They taste like run-of-the-mill takeout Chinese food in a box. There's little discussion of techniques, ingredients, or variations. (In fact, the author warns at the beginning that all the quantities have been carefully measured, and don't even think about changing them!) Vegetarians beware: the chapter entitled 'Vegetables and Tofu' is mostly made of recipes that contain veggies and tofu, but also a hunk of pork, chicken, etc.
Save your time and get one of Barbara Tropp's books instead.
Book Description
Americans love the taste of Chinese food but worry about its high fat and calorie content. Thanks to Weight Watchers Stir-Fry to Szechuan, youll be able to enjoy the tempting flavors of Chinese dishes without the guilt! Stir-Fry to Szechuan takes a fresh look at classic Chinese cuisine. The result is a satisfying and healthy collection of flavorful dishes from Grilled Garlic Shrimp and Kung Pao Chicken to Curried Fried Rice and Red Cooked Pork with Pineapple.Youll find complete up-to-date Weight Watchers nutrition information with every recipe, along with at-a-glance icons that help you identify microwavable, one-pot or make-ahead dishes. Its all packaged in a fresh, contemporary cookbook design including full-color photographs of featured dishes. And best of all, with the Weight Watchers name, you can be assured that every delicious recipe our high
Customer Reviews:
Weight Watchers Stir-fry to Szechuan.......2001-09-21
A wonderful cookbook, full of recipes that anyone can make. A taste for everyone...ever wonder how to make a low calorie Kung Pao Chicken?...well it's in there. It's an excellent way to get vegetables into your meals too. Real Chinese food has Chicken and Beef as accompliments...veggie and rice/noodles are primary. This book has both ways to calculate your weight watchers needs, points and exchanges. I highly recommend this book. Nothing dull here!
Great so far!.......1999-12-12
My husband and I have tried 4 recipes out of this book so far, and all 4 were a big hit. One in particular -- curried shrimp with noodles -- was really good and we have made it 5 times already. You really wouldn't know it was "diet food" unless you saw the book title. I'm only giving it four stars just because I haven't tried most of the recipes yet. But so far, very good, and the format of the book is great too!
Single best cookbook I own.......1999-07-03
I usually consider a cookbook a success if I find a handful of recipes which I will continue to use. I have already tried 11 recipes from this (comparatively) small book and plan to or have already reused most of them. This is a real find for Chinese food lovers watching their diets, but it's also recommended for anyone who enjoys cooking Chinese food.
It won over this skeptic.......1998-11-29
This is a fabulous Chinese cookbook, not only for Weight Watchers members but also for those interested in the taste of Chinese cooking without all the extra fat and calories. Being a Weight Watchers member, I was a bit skeptical that the lower-point recipes would be flavorful and satisfying, but I am now a believer. The egg drop soup is so much more delicious than anything I've ever eaten from a take out restaurant. It is a light soup with some unexpected flavors, such as black mushrooms. The Kung Pao Chicken recipe was much better than many 'regular' recipes I've tried. I love to cook Chinese dishes at home but I've never succeeded in getting them to look or taste like something from a restaurant, until now.
I would recommend this title to anyone looking for a good basic Chinese cookbook and would encourage any Weight Watchers members interested in moderate point, yet delicious recipes to buy this book!
Book Description
Interest in the cuisines of Eastern Asia has never been greater. What better time for a new edition of this classic Korean cookbook, complete with a fresh new design ?throughout and a beautiful new cover? With its intriguing flavors and generous spice, Korean cuisine is one of the most exciting Asian cuisines and, featuring leafy greens, grains, and an abundance of seafood, one of the most healthful as well. The Korean Kitchen includes more than 140 tantalizing, easy-to-follow recipes for soups, salads, fritters, pancakes, fish and shellfish, barbecue, noodles, and, of course, the Korean national favorite: pickled vegetables, or kimchi. Complete with a history of the cuisine, a glossary, and tips on serving a traditional meal, The Korean Kitchen leads the way to homemade Korean fare.
Customer Reviews:
McDonald's?.......2007-10-01
I shy away from cookbooks written by non-native authors in general, but I do give them a chance. And whereas this cookbook is slightly more comprehensive than most Korean cookbooks, there are no pictures and without them one is left to one's own devices when it comes to food presentation.
Another concern: the author admits in his preface that during his trips to Korea, he'd "take breaks" from the cuisine by visiting McDonald's to "sooth his tongue." If the author doesn't enjoy the cuisine he's reviewing/compiling, perhaps the McDonald's Corporation might be willing to subsidize his next project?
I re-sold my copy.
Good supliment cookbook........2007-04-22
I bought this book to supliment the Dok Suni cookbook after I had been using it for more then a year. There is a lot of options and variety in this book with background information on where and when he found each dish. There isn't really any pictures (as has been mentioned) but if you already know the basics of Korean cooking this is a great book to add to your library. I would rate it just behind Dok Suni for Korean cookbooks and the two are the only Korean cookbooks I have tried I would recommend to others.
Not THE choice for those new to Korean food.......2004-03-18
My mother was Korean and I ate her cooking and that of her friends all my life. I've eaten at a number of different Korean restaurants. No one cooks dishes exactly the same, so don't be surprised if you've eaten Korean food & when you make the recipes in this book, they don't taste exactly like what you've had before. There's an exhaustive supply of tasty, easy-to-follow recipes here; however, one thing you won't get in this book is illustration--there is not one picture or photo in it. If you're a person who likes to know what a dish is supposed to look like when it's cooked, and you're NOT familiar with Korean food, get this book as your backup, not your primer. Note--There is a metric conversion chart in back for those who don't use US measurements. Here's a tip: There are number of sites online that have fantastic recipes and pictures. Do a Google search for "Korean recipes." The pictures you find on some of the sites will give you an idea of what your dish should look like and will leave your mouth watering.
Misses the mark..........2004-02-21
If you follow the measurements, your dishes won't taste like traditional korean food found in restaurants. Korean cooking is all about the little details, which the author appears to have left out. He appears to be only vaguely familiar with the intricacies of Korean cusine. This is not a book you'll refer to over and over. I would try one of the Korean authors cookbook if you want something real.
First time or experienced, this is a great basic!.......2002-06-30
Unlike the western cooking, most cultural recipes aren't exact. You can't say a teaspoon here or a 1/3 cup there. Great food comes from experience and well, one shoots from the hip.
That being said, I must say how much I love this book. I am a Korean myself, ate Korean food most of my life, but never learned how to cook it. Sure, I regret it, but I seem to have a definite flare with western cuisine more than eastern. Or so I told myself.
On my mother's birthday, I decided to try my hand on cooking Korean for the first time. You can say fear was in the eyes of my family and could see them biting their tongue. My husband purchased this book for me a while back, and though I've cracked it open, I've never cooked anything from it. This was my chance and I seized the opportunity. After sitting on the bookshelf for two years, its moment finally came.
I made the bul-go-gie and the chicken casserole (duk-chim). By intuition, I substituted the regular sugar for light brown sugar. (It came out a bit darker but the molasses in the sugar gave it a depth that white sugar would not have given.) Also, a note - it is very important to get the best beef you can from your butcher when making this dish. If you get bad beef, you'll essentially get a bad dish. Anyhow, it came out perfectly and tasty too! The chicken casserole (I cooked it in an oval dutch oven - enamel cast iron from Le Creuset) under low heat and the meat literally fell off the bone and melted in my mouth!!
The final test came when my family ate my creations. Their eyes opened wide and everyone was very impressed that I actually cooked this without help from them! I got wonderful compliments and I knew this book was a total reference guide that shouldn't be shoved in the back of the bookshelf!
It's important to use the best ingredients possible. Having the right equipment is very important too. But the most important thing is to learn to understand which intensity you'd like to enhance and which to tone down as you flavor the foods. No book can teach you what's EXACTLY right in your mouth. Only you can decipher the complexities of that. Use this book as a guide and you'll enjoy a very successful time cooking Korean food.
p.s. My best friend isn't Korean (though I swear her inner child is) and she's been cooking out of this book from cover to cover and has nothing but praises for it!
Book Description
Tasty tidbits that make a meal or serve as appetizers: that’s Dim Sum. And it allows diners to sample a wide range of foods, from dumplings to shrimp balls, in bite-sized portions. These simple recipes—which use authentic ingredients such as Shao Shing rice wine—make it easy to create a luscious Chinese banquet. A discussion of equipment (woks, cleavers), followed by information on techniques such as stir-frying and red cooking, will get home chefs started. Each recipe—with its fillings, doughs, marinades, and sauces—is beautifully laid out, along with advice on preparation, variations on each dish, and introductions to unfamiliar ingredients.
Average customer rating:
- The Classic Chinese Cookbook
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The Classic Chinese Cook Book
Mai Leung
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The New Classic Chinese Cookbook
ASIN: 0060914149 |
Customer Reviews:
The Classic Chinese Cookbook.......2002-11-09
I purchased this book over 20 years ago and it continues to be my favorite of its kind. The recipes for Hot and Sour soup, as well as "Happy Union" have been crowd pleasers over the years. I recently shared it with a chinese-american friend of mine, a superb cook, whose parents owned a restaurant, and he loved it! I am looking for a copy for him as a surprise. Enjoy!
Book Description
A Taste of China combines a lively and informative narrative with authentic recipes from Ken Hom's travels within mainland China. His journey takes him from the private homes of family and friends, through the food stalls in bustling urban markets, to the local restaurants and tea houses. Ken travelled to almost every region of China and in this book presents a sense of the history, culture, and lives of the Chinese people. Here are recipes from all the regions of China—Green Beans stir fried with Chilli from Sichuan, Wonton Noodle Soup from Canton, and Fantasy Pork from Yunnan. Seasoned with glimpses into everyday Chinese life, A Taste of China is a glorious and rare culinary journey to enjoy and savor.
Customer Reviews:
My Best Chinese Cook Book.......2005-02-01
Wonderful. This book is just great! Ken Hom has not only shown how you could cook good traditional Chinese Food but also taught us a great deal in Chinese history, culture and traditions.
Very easy to follow. I have learned a lot from the book.
Thanks Ken.
A must-have for an overseas chinese!.......1998-12-22
A very fascinating and practical guide to the real authentic chinese cooking. Very well researched and easy to follow. Being an overseas chinese, I only use to hear about these authentic dishes from my grandfather, today I am keeping the tradition alive by cooking them! Two Thumbs up!
Book Description
You've never seen such a magnificent spread! This collection includes all your favorite Chinese dishes-deep-fried prawns, crispy duck, beef noodles, marinades, dips, garlic, and ginger- the list goes on. Special sections feature lesser-known regional cuisines, vegetarian dishes, and even quick-fix snack foods with a Chinese flair. With this book you can plan menus that combine the exotic and the familiar into a meal that is uniquely your own. Instructions are clear and easy to follow even for the newcomer to Chinese cuisine.
Customer Reviews:
If you love Chinese food, buy it!.......1999-08-19
I love Chinese food. A friend gave me this book. It turned out to be one of the most recipe books I use. It is excellent. The recipes are authentic, accurate and very tasty. I highly recommend it for any Chinese food-lover like myself. I use it almost once a week. It never turns me down.
Customer Reviews:
Great instructions.......2007-07-30
There are a great many detailed instructions at the beginning of the book which is its best value I am a novice with chinese food. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but am looking at a crab and asparagus dish.
lover of cooking.......2007-02-20
I enjoy cooking a great deal and like to experiment with different culture's cuisine. I own a vast collection of cookbook, but must confess that this is by far one of my favorites. It has a vast array of recipes. Unfortunately the ingrediates are not easily found in typical supermarkets. The recipes that I have tried are delicious, there are grea pictures and the instructions are easy to follow. I strongly recommend this book.
For those not daunted by prep work..........2006-05-08
I've made some dishes from this book since receiving it two weeks ago - Ants Climbing a Tree (love the Chinese people's play on words; it's actually cellophane noodles with ground pork), Spinach in Bean Curd Cheese, Yangchow Fried Rice, Roast Pork Belly, and Beef Fried Rice. All have been tasty and well-liked by me and my family.
However, this is not the book for those looking for very quick, 4-ingredient type meals. For most of the recipes, there is need for numerous ingredients and much chopping, cutting, and other prep work. I'll take the Ants Climbing a Tree as an example. The noodles have to be soaked in boiling water. You then prepare the marinade, mince and marinate the meat, chop/mince/grate your other ingredients, and stir-fry; then cook everything together. The actual cooking is quick but, the prep work does take considerable time. I found this to be especially so in the Roast Pork Belly, which needs to be pricked, "painted," marinated, air-dried, and then finally, roasted. I have made roast pork belly in the past by simply (a) pressure cooking to tenderize the meat, and (b) seasoning and roasting in the oven - a process that was much less laborious with an extremely delicious end product. As such, I am not keen on repeating the labor-centric recipe for this in the book. For the other main dishes, I will simply plan on making them when I don't have to have dinner on the table in less than an hour.
The pictorial guide to ingredients is extremely beneficial and much appreciated. As my grocery store does not stock 99% of these ingredients, it will be helpful when I go to the Asian supermarket this weekend to stock up.
Altogether, I like the book and the dishes I've made so far, and I'm looking forward to making more (if not all) from it.
easy to follow and a treat to eat.......2006-04-22
I received this book for Christmas and I have been cooking chinese food like mad crazy ever since. The best section of the book is the beginning which gives an overview of different chinese ingredients which might be unfamiliar to the novice. I've had success with each and every recipe I have tried---from the Tossed Noodles with Ginger and Scallions to Sweet Corn Soup. My favorite is the Dry-fried Four-Swason Beans on page 203. And also, my brother had been talking for months and months of a crispy seaweed dish that he loved to eat at chinese restaurants in England. I never had any idea what he was talking about until I found the "Seaweed" recipe in this book. It was so easy to make and he said that it was just as he remembered. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to start experimenting with Chinese food in the kitchen.
THE book to have for Chinese cooking........2006-03-02
Having grown up in Shanghai, I consider myself fairly familiar with authentic Chinese food. I have used many different Chinese cookbooks both written in Chinese and English, and Yan-Kit's Classic Chinese Cookbook is by far the best. For anyone who is not familiar with the ingredients and methods unique to Chinese culture, the book's first few chapters provide a great introduction. I have tried maybe 1/3 of the recipes, and all of them lead to good results. I highly recommand this excellent book.
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- Ohne Heim - Ohne Grab: Die Geschichte Der Roma Und Sinti;
- The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz
- The Prophet
- The Octopus and the Orangutan: More True Tales of Animal Intrigue, Intelligence, and Ingenuity
- Job Seekers Sourcebooks: For Hi-Tech Positions Nationwide
- Rea's Authoritative Guide to the Top 100 Careers to Year 2005
- Cabins, Cottages & Villas: Enchanting Homes for Mountain, Sea or Sun
The Breath of a Wok: Unlocking the Spirit of Chinese Wok Cooking Through Recipes and Lore
The Chinese Kitchen: Recipes, Techniques, Ingredients, History, and Memories from America's Leading Authority on Chinese Cooking
The Essential Guide to Chinese American Celebrations and Culture: Good Luck Life
Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
Potsticker Chronicles: America's Favorite Chinese Recipes
