Customer Reviews

The New Classic Chinese Cookbook

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

This is a fabulous book. The recipies are authentic but approachable. Everyone I made has turned out really tasty.

This is a high-quality book. The recipes I've tried have turned out quite delicious. And they are clear and concise. So I vote "yes" on this book.