Authentic Chinese Cuisine: For the Contemporary Kitchen (Paperback)

~ (Author) "It's been almost 30 years since Benjamin Lee, a fellow student at Langara College in Vancouver, B.C., began trading Chinese cooking lessons for my home-cooked..." (more)
Key Phrases: light unbleached sugar, soy protein chunks, cup vegetarian broth, Breast of Tofu, Vegetarian Ground, Braised Chinese Seitan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book stands out among the many Chinese vegetarian cookbooks available with its many innovative recipes for vegetarian "mock meat" dishes, just like those you'd enjoy in Buddhist restaurants. These recipes are as authentic as possible, without calling for extremely exotic ingredients that may be very hard for anyone outside of a large city to find.

Best-selling cookbook author Bryanna Clark Grogan, well known for her in-depth exploration of global cuisine, generously shares her knowledge of Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques, helping to enrich your experiences with her superbly crafted recipes. Chinese vegetarian cuisine can provide variation and culinary delight along with nutritional excellence.

About the Author

Bryanna Clark Grogan has been a food writer and teacher for more than 30 years. Her interest in cooking began before she can remember and having her first child sparked a lifelong interest in nutrition. She is also the author of Authentic Chinese Cooking, Soyfoods Cooking for A Positive Menopause, Nonna's Italian Kitchen, 20 Minutes to Dinner, The Almost No Fat Cookbook, and The Almost No Fat Holiday Cookbook.. She lives with her husband Brian on idyllic Denman Island, off the coast of Vancouver.

Product Details

• Paperback: 191 pages
• Publisher: Book Publishing Company (TN); 1 edition (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157067101X
• ISBN-13: 978-1570671012
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #478,713 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Chinese cuisine by the greatest vegan cook!, November 17, 2002

By	Søren Jensen (Copenhagen, Denmark) - See all my reviews

Bryanna's Italian cookbook "Nonna's Italian Kitchen" must be the very finest ever example of vegan cookbook published to this date. And now she's done it again - with this wonderful vegan cookbook on Chinese cuisine, taking you all the way through dumplings, dim sum, noodles, soups, stir-fries, ... and vegetarian "mock-meats" that were invented thousands of years ago by strict buddhist monks. Whereas it used to be quite a work to rinse out the starch of a flour ball so that only the protein (gluten) was left, the arrival of pure gluten powder makes this a snap to prepare at home. While some recipes are somewhat elaborate which acquire some routine (making dumplings, spring rolls, etc.), there are several quick recipes (stir-fry chapter a.o.) that are very easy to prepare. It is an excellent cookbook if you love chinese foods, and the innovative inclusion of above-mentioned "mock-meats" makes it a cut above the rest. The pages are jam-packed with one tasty recipe after the other - this is a shining example that you do not need to feel deprived when embarking on a vegan diet.

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars for those pursuing a vegetarian life style, January 27, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Authentic Chinese Cuisine For The Contemporary Kitchen offers a superbly developed compendium of vegetarian Chinese recipes similar to those found in a Buddhist restaurant. Bryanna Grogan brings her expertise to bear in offering delicious, nutritious recipes for homemade "Mock Meats"; savory snacks and appetizers; dumplings and breads; rice; noodles, soups, and sauces; stir-fried dishes; braised, steamed, and stewed dishes; and even sweets. From Shanghai Spring Rolls, Mandarin Pancakes, and Savory Rice Porridge, to Duck Sauce, Buddha's Delight, and Walnut Cookies, Authentic Chinese Cuisine For The Contemporary Kitchen will quickly became a personal and family favorite for those pursuing a vegetarian lifestyle.

20 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars This book is OK., July 22, 2006

By	wonderbreadpowers - See all my reviews

I appreciate what the author was trying to do with this book; it's great to have a source for Chinese-style mock meats. However, after trying several of the recipes, I found that they just aren't as good as I thought they would be.

I was excited to use vital wheat gluten to whip up a batch of seitan, but it turned out to be incredibly gummy. I assume this problem is avoidable, but the directions in the book don't give much guidance: "Mix until it forms a smooth, firm dough. Knead briefly." There's no information about what to do you if instead of a smooth dough, you end up with a rubbery, bouncy ball. (Perhaps it's better to mix and knead by hand rather than using my mixer? Tips like this would help a lot!)

As far as the regular recipes go, they are hit and miss. The simpler the recipe, the better they seem turn out. The page on Basic Stir-Fried Chinese Vegetables contains really useful information, and the recipe on the facing page for Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli is a winner. However, the "Beef" and Broccoli with "Oyster" Sauce and the Kung Pao "Chicken" are just OK, and Mapo Doufu was downright weird. But I will still continue to work my way through the book; I would like to try the Lemon "Chicken" and some of the versions of the Steamed Savory Filled Buns.

Overall, it is a decent resource for vegetarian Chinese cooking. For people who are interested in this topic, it's probably a good place to start. I would recommend using store-bought seitan though!