China: The Cookbook

Over the years I've looked for a truly comprehensive book on Chinese cuisine; I am happy to say that I have finally found a cookbook that does justice to an amazing cuisine. I apologize if I seem overly effusive but this is a great book. The book starts with a brief history of the Chinese food culture, then gives an overview of the primary culinary regions and a quick review of classic Chinese cooking techniques and equipment. The best forty pages of content I've read in a long time. No fluff, no hyperbole.The recipes, and there are over 600 of them, cover the full range of topics, appetizers and salads, soups, fish and seafood. poultry, meat, vegetables, tofu and eggs, rice and noodles, and desserts. The book also has a very small section of recipes from famous Chinese chefs from around the globe. It closes with a good glossary and index. I believe that even a novice cook can do well with most of the recipes. A more experienced cook will have no issues following them and improvising with them.I have already tried three of the recipes and they did not disappoint. What I really liked about the recipes, other than the finished product, was how simple and straightforward the instructions were. I reviewed another hundred or so recipes and found that they were equally straightforward and easy to grasp. I have been a student of Chinese cooking for several years and lived in Asia for part of my life. I found the recipes that I read to be faithful to what I was taught. I can't say that about most Chinese cookbooks.I also want to praise and thank the authors and the publisher, for giving us a book that is full of content, not fluff. No glossy art photos, no wasteful white space. You will usually find two recipes per page. It drives me crazy when I see cookbooks that waste paper and do nothing but add cost. The CIA cookbooks are the worst examples of this.If you love Chinese cuisine; if you want to explore its rich culinary diversity; if you want to become a more authentic cook then buy this book. It will be one of the best investment you will make.

I'm quite surprised this book is not rated higher than what it currently is (4.1 as of 12/13/2016). This book is a gem and deserves nothing short of a full 5 stars. Why? It is a rare find. Rare in the sense that it is probably the MOST comprehensive cookbook of Chinese cuisine you will ever come across. From ingredients to recipes to techniques -- This book has you covered IN DEPTH! And speaking of recipes, nearly every region of China is represented in this book... Sichuan, Cantonese, Hunan, even Hakka -- Over 30 regions and over 650 recipes. IT'S ALL THERE! More than you could ever ask for, and probably far more than you'll ever try cooking.Now to address some of the unfair critical reviews here...Someone gave 2 stars and said "nothing exciting if you already have basic Chinese cookbooks." Pffffft. How many other comprehensive Chinese cookbooks are out there with over 650 recipes that highlight 30+ regions, providing details about the ingredients and techniques to cook these dishes? You could literally spend thousands of dollars acquiring the cookbooks needed to cover what this gem contains.And then there are two 3 star reviews that just say "good" or "okay for home cooking." I have no idea what those reviewers are looking for, but this is like the bible of Chinese cooking. It's not just okay - It's AMAZING! And regarding "okay" for home cooking... All I have to say is DUH! Clearly the author didn't intend this book to be used by anyone other than a home cook; because let's be honest, does a professional Chinese cook need to be schooled on techniques and ingredients? I don't think so.So in closing, if you are looking for the one book to be your everything of Chinese cuisine, this is it. You will find a wide variety of tasty recipes that are mostly easy, but some will require more effort. As mentioned earlier, you'll also learn more about ingredients and technique, and at the end of the day you'll probably develop a greater respect of Chinese cuisine based on the diversity of the dishes between regions. And to top it all off, you will get a workout handling this book because it's big and heavy -- It's quality!

This is a monumental book on Chinese cooking in terms of its authoritativeness, authenticity, and breadth, covering all regions of China cuisine. The authors do not take shortcuts writing the 600 recipes; they use authoritative cooking methods and original Chinese ingredients without substituting unauthentic ingredients just for convenience or make compromise to readers not versed in Chinese cuisine. There are so many recipes that even most Chinese will not have heard of or tasted. It is an adventure trying unfamiliar dishes with unfamiliar ingredients. Therefore the glossary and description of cooking techniques are invaluable.The authors make sure that every recipe will turn out well if one follows the instructions. I have tried three recipes with success. Though the book looks imposing, it is actually quite user friendly when one really tries out the dishes.With a book of this size and depth, one hopes that eventually there will be a digitized edition when more photos are inserted and sorting becomes possible. For example, in a digitized edition, the reader can ask: I want a Mongolian lamb dish, super spicy, and locate it instantaneously. Going further, one day there may be a video edition where the preparation of each dish is graphically demonstrated, either by the authors themselves or some competent chefs. That will be the time when the full potential of this book is fulfilled.For now, it is a joy just to flip through the pages and be amazed at the diversity and sophistication of Chinese cuisine. It is a great read and a useful reference on Chinese cooking for many years.