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Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food: Deliciously Doable Ways to Cook Greens, Tofu, and Other Plant-Based Ingredients Hardcover – January 19, 2021
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Chinese Soul Food drew cooks into the kitchen with the assurance they could make this cuisine at home. Though a popular cuisine across North America, Chinese food can be a little intimidating. But author Hsiao-Ching Chou's friendly and accessible recipes work for everyone, including average home cooks. In this new collection, you'll find vegetarian recipes for stir-fries, rice and noodle dishes, soups, braises, and pickles. Of course, the book wouldn't be complete without vegetarian versions of Chou's famously delicious dumplings, including soup dumplings and shu mai, as well as other dim sum delights. Separate chapters feature egg and tofu recipes. From Cauliflower with Spiced Shallot Oil to Kung Pao Tofu Puffs, and from Hot and Sour Soup to Ma Po Tofu to Steamed Egg Custard, these recipes will satisfy your every craving for classic Chinese comfort food--and all without meat.
You will also find helpful information including essential equipment, core pantry ingredients (with acceptable substitutions), ways to season and maintain a wok, and other practical tips that make this an approachable cookbook. Home cooks are gently guided toward becoming comfortable cooking satisfying Chinese meals. Whether you're a vegetarian or simply reducing the amount of meat in your daily diet, these foolproof recipes are made to be cooked any night of the week. As the author likes to say, any kitchen can be a Chinese kitchen!
- Print length272 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherSasquatch Books
- Publication dateJanuary 19, 2021
- Dimensions8.32 x 0.9 x 9.28 inches
- ISBN-101632173336
- ISBN-13978-1632173331
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From the Publisher
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Seaweed SaladThis recipe yields a generous amount of salad, but any leftovers can be saved for the next day. In fact, the longer it sits in the dressing, the more time the flavors can come together. |
Tofu RollsAlternately called bean curd skin, spring roll soybean skin, and yuba, these skins are derived from the film that forms on the surface of simmering soy milk. |
Lucky 8 Stir-FryThis mixed vegetable dish takes its inspiration from Buddhist vegetarian cooking and can include any combination of ingredients that represent good luck, prosperity, happiness, family wholeness, and longevity. |
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Sweet Corn SoupIf you keep a couple bags of frozen corn in the freezer, you’ll always have one great soup in your back pocket. This soup is delicately hearty—yes, that’s possible! |
Soup DumplingsSoup dumplings (aka xiao long bao or XLB) have been enjoying a fervent following in the United States in the last few years. Here, we have a tofu-based filling and a simple vegetable broth that gels with the addition of agar agar, a seaweed-based product. |
Homestyle Egg Foo Yung with Curry GravyEgg foo yung is basically a fluffy omelet with gravy. To get the eggs to puff up, they’re gently deep fried in a giant wok. If you don’t do much deep frying, this can be a barrier. So I offer two methods to make the omelet. |
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Flaky Ribbon PancakesThe Chinese name for these pancakes is shou (hand or fingers) zhua (grab or catch) bing (pancake). Conceptually, it’s a pancake that has layers of ribbons coiled within it and you use your fingers to pull a stretch of pancake and break it off to eat. |
Mung Bean CongeeCongee is my oatmeal. As a child, I preferred eating it with just a dash of sugar. As my palate evolved, I graduated to having congee with savory condiments. |
Sweet Potatoes with Chili-Shallot JamSweet potatoes have so much flavor, you don’t have to do much to them. In my family, my mother is the superfan and will eat roasted sweet potatoes unadorned or as an accompaniment to plain congee. When I served her this dish, she perked up and exclaimed, “This is good!” There’s no higher compliment. |
Editorial Reviews
Review
"[Hsiao-Ching Chou's] sole regret about her first cookbook, [Chinese Soul Food], is that she didn’t include more vegetarian recipes. Her second one—Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food—comes right when we could use more vegetables after overdoing the COVID-19 stay-home holidays. [Chou] concentrates on accessible assistance: mostly straightforward recipes, wok-buying advice, a guide to pantry ingredients, a vegetable tutorial and more."
—Seattle Times
"Hsiao-Ching Chou’s new cookbook is an exercise in exceptional approachability."
—Seattle Met magazine
"In this compact book Hsiao-Ching Chou, a Seattle-area cooking instructor who’s particularly popular for her dumpling classes, demonstrates the astonishing diversity and appeal of Chinese vegetarian cooking."
—Kitchen Arts & Letters
"Above all, Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food is another example of the author’s passion for sharing China’s storied cuisine. She’s committed to encouraging people to try their hands at creating exciting home-cooked meals that will leave them satisfied and perhaps a little surprised at their own abilities. Once again Chou proves that any kitchen can be a Chinese kitchen—even a vegetarian one."
—International Examiner
"The beauty of [this] cookbook, and Chinese cooking in general, is that it’s forgiving."
—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
a burbling clay pot of tofu and cabbage, or a side of spicy pickles, vegetable dishes
are put together with as much thought as any meat or seafood dish. Balance of
seasonality, flavors, textures, and sometimes curative properties guides the preparation.
Even those who eat meat are biased toward having an abundance of vegetables.
Many dishes include meat only as an accompaniment.
Being vegetarian in the Chinese culture is not perceived as a character flaw. Not
only is vegetarianism accepted, but the industry for producing plant-based products
and meat substitutes has a long history. That is due in large part to Chinese
Buddhist monks and nuns who adhere to a vegan diet that also excludes pungent
ingredients, such as alcohol, garlic, onions, leeks, and chives. Not all followers of
Buddhism subscribe to a vegetarian diet, however. But temple vegetarian cuisine
is well known and even revered. Culturally, meat has always been considered a
luxury because it’s expensive. During Lunar New Year, serving a broad selection of
meats and seafood represents wealth, abundance, and good fortune. Historically,
the advent of meat and seafood substitutes made from plant-based ingredients
has meant that those who couldn’t afford meat or those who have chosen to be
vegetarian for health or religious reasons could also share in the symbolism, especially
when it comes to “lucky foods” served during the Lunar New Year reunion
feast. Using bean curd and wheat gluten to create meat substitutes goes back to
imperial China and has been around for over a thousand years.
I have noticed recently at the Chinese market where I shop here in the Seattle
area that there are more products marketed toward vegetarians. For example, the
same hoisin sauce that I’ve always used now has a bottle label listing it as vegetarian.
It’s the same naturally vegetarian sauce, just a different label. My mother
and I scrutinized the label and finally surmised that the “vegetarian” designation
potentially has to do with the fact that “hoisin” is hai xian in Mandarin, which
means “seafood,” and adding the word “vegetarian” was a clear message that the
hai xian sauce does not contain seafood. Likewise, a bottle of Chinese black vinegar
had a sitting Buddha figure on its label that also proclaimed that the vinegar is
vegetarian. Again, we suspect it’s a direct way to signal to vegetarians, especially
Buddhist vegetarians, that this vinegar is not flavored with any forbidden pungent
ingredients.
For me, a meal is never complete without at least one vegetable dish. My produce
drawers are always stocked with Chinese cabbage, baby bok choy, gai lan
(Chinese broccoli), Chinese mustard greens, yu choy, and a revolving cast of other
familiar vegetables—carrots, celery, kale, lettuce, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower,
potatoes, and such—that cater to our cravings. At a moment’s notice—or in the
time it takes to make a pot of rice—I can have a sumptuous meal on the table with
platters of greens, eggplant, mushrooms, and tofu. Delicate, hearty, savory, pungent,
and crunchy all coexist in their individuality and intersections.
The diversity of vegetables and plant foods is dizzying. On occasion, I teach
an Asian greens cooking class, where I display a dozen kinds of uncooked leafy
greens paired with their respective stir-fried versions. Students then sample each
vegetable, and the deliciousness is always a revelation. I will never not delight in
the looks on people’s faces when they taste discovery.
In the Chinese language, the word for “vegetables” is cai (also spelled tsai, choy,
or choi). It’s a broad term that covers a world of greens as a category, as well as the
specific members of this succulent family: bok choy, yu choy, gai choy, qincai, ong
choy, and so on. Cai is also a general term for “dish”—as in “What dishes should we
eat today?” or “What dishes should I cook today?”
I love the preciseness and expansiveness of the term cai: It means one thing and
everything, so context is important for determining whether you’re referring to a
specific vegetable or a meal. If you’re not used to such conciseness in language, it
may cause confusion. To me, there’s freedom in this ability to shapeshift, which we
certainly can extend to the versatility of the Chinese way with all forms of vegetables
and plant foods.
When I talk about a way with vegetables, my intention is to convey an approach
rather than rigid rules and recipes. The alchemy of a searing wok, a splash of oil, a
mess of fresh greens, and a dash of soy sauce delivers a quintessential flavor that
roots your palate in this approach. From that point of reference, a kaleidoscope of
dazzling combinations can emerge at the twist of inspiration. A recipe with specific
amounts isn’t as important as understanding the nature of vegetables and the
support characters that make them sing.
As I’ve become more attuned to the wisdom that comes from lived experiences,
I have realized that my taste preferences have shed thrill-seeking for more focused
flavors. I do enjoy adding a dollop of fire from my menagerie of chili sauces to many
dishes, but I also understand the value of restraint. I will always encourage you
to experiment with building complexity in your cooking, and I will also always
remind you to appreciate the elemental. Subtle flavors in food are not boring.
The way to cook vegetables, for me, is about exploring flavors without heroics
at the stove. I remain firm in my belief that everyday cooking should be accessible
and forgiving. As with this book’s predecessor, my goal is to ground you in everyday
Chinese home cooking, with hopes you will consider developing your own
Chinese kitchen.
Product details
- Publisher : Sasquatch Books (January 19, 2021)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 272 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1632173336
- ISBN-13 : 978-1632173331
- Item Weight : 0.035 ounces
- Dimensions : 8.32 x 0.9 x 9.28 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #737,665 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #235 in Soul Food Cooking, Food & Wine
- #240 in Chinese Cooking, Food & Wine
- #546 in Vegetarian Cooking
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Hsiao-Ching Chou is the author of "Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food: Deliciously Doable Ways to Cook Greens, Tofu, and Other Plant-Based Ingredients" and "Chinese Soul Food: A Friendly Guide for Homemade Dumplings, Stir-Fries, Soups, and More." She is the former food editor at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and has appeared on national television and radio, including “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” and “The Splendid Table.” She won the coveted Bert Greene Award from the International Association for Culinary Professionals for excellence in feature writing. She teaches everyday Chinese home cooking in Seattle. By day, she's a communications director in the biomedical research field.
Customer reviews
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To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonReviewed in the United States on February 13, 2021
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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I love the inclusion of flakey scallion pancakes, you tiao, and basic dumpling dough. My recommendations definitely have to be the vegetable crystal dumplings and the soy milk soup with you tiao -- two childhood favorites of mine. I also love the ingredients explanations in the book because I grew up with many of these ingredients without knowing the actual names for them, so having a name to attach is great for me. The only thing is I wish there were Chinese translations for some of the pantry staples/sauces so that I knew what to look for on the labels when shopping. For those who aren't like me and have a Chinese parent to ask, I highly recommend looking at the woks of life blog for the Chinese translation of ingredients so that you don't get too overwhelmed in the supermarket :)
I always get lost when recipes say "season to taste." I can bake just great because everything has measured amounts. I like that this cookbook does as well! It is written in English originally, not translated (poorly) from Chinese like my other Chinese cookbooks.
I found the photos at the front of the book extremely helpful when shopping for ingredients at the Asian market! Several of the ingredients we purchased were new to us in their precooked form.
I made the Ginger-Red Date Broth p. 110 and realized that I've never been able to replicate the restaurant flavor before because I didn't know about red dates. I also made the Mian Pian Soup p. 113 although I substituted tofu skins for the wonton wrappers.
It also worked great in my Instant Pot & I didn't even need to get out my husband's wok! ;-)
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 13, 2021
I always get lost when recipes say "season to taste." I can bake just great because everything has measured amounts. I like that this cookbook does as well! It is written in English originally, not translated (poorly) from Chinese like my other Chinese cookbooks.
I found the photos at the front of the book extremely helpful when shopping for ingredients at the Asian market! Several of the ingredients we purchased were new to us in their precooked form.
I made the Ginger-Red Date Broth p. 110 and realized that I've never been able to replicate the restaurant flavor before because I didn't know about red dates. I also made the Mian Pian Soup p. 113 although I substituted tofu skins for the wonton wrappers.
It also worked great in my Instant Pot & I didn't even need to get out my husband's wok! ;-)
Released in time for the celebration of the Lunar New Year, I loved diving into these recipes.
I've made more than 12 (and counting) and am pleased with the results for every one.
After buying the Kindle version, I realized I needed the hardcover copy of BOTH cookbooks.
Love the recipes and the stories!!
Top reviews from other countries
I haven't noticed any other slip-up so far, but still wishing for well-tested vegan soup dumpling recipe because the gelatin is not easy to replace here (since the temperature of when/how quickly the product melts is crucial). Anyhow, beyond this, I can generally recommend the book.















