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!

Truly an amazing collection of recipes for any and everyone. Not sure what the people who didn't like it were looking for as this is above and beyond in terms of recipe quality and ease of instructions.

This book is well written, with nicely detailed instructions that should be good even for beginners, while containing a few advanced recipes that will provide interest for the experienced cook. My main gripe is that, while the book is extensive, it does have a fair amount of 'filler recipes.' For example, you could probably combine the various 'rice/noodle with chicken/fish/pork/beef' recipes into a single item and save a few pages. They even included a recipe for 'steamed rice,' which is (basically) "put rice in rice cooker, turn on rice cooker." I mean, that is how you properly cook rice, but I hope that most people can figure that out from the directions on the bag.

I have been watching this Chinese cookbook for a while, and now that it is here, it is even better than I expected. The book is visually beautiful and has so many wonderful dishes inside. I will be cooking from it later in the week, and just by looking at the recipes, I can tell that they will be savory and delicious. My biggest problem will be in whittling down the number of dishes I make for my family. It is all here, from appetizers and soups to different meats and side dishes. Desserts are here too, so I must make enough to have leftovers. I am so happy to finally own this beautiful book. The front cover, in its beauty, sets the stage nicely.

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.

I have15 to 20 Asian cookbooks, mostly Chinese but some Japanese and so on. As a Chinese cookbook, this is top-notch. Recipes aren't too exotic (no eye of newt or whatever the Chinese equivalent is), but look pretty reasonable to make and tasty. What more does one want in a cookbook? (well, I would like that recipe for Hong Kong steak from a certain Chinese restaurant in Chicago, but I didn't expect to find that here and didn't, alas, but found lots other good stuff...)

An exquisite presentation of Chinese cuisine, this heirloom quality tome is a joy to hold and just flip through randomly. Yet the information it contains is detailed and well documented. This may not be the best cookbook for beginners nor is every recipe it contains appropriate for busy work schedules. Nevertheless, time spent perusing its gilded pages will be rewarded with an increased understanding and appreciation for advanced cooking techniques. The author describes methods of food preparation which are universal and applicable to most cooking styles. So whether you are looking for a specific recipe such as a fried chicken with General Tso's Honey or need to up your game with stir fry, you will find it here. That is if you don't lose your weekend in its beautiful pages. This book would make a wonderful gift for someone who loves culture, China, cooking and reading about these things.

Exactly what I was looking for.

Good recipe pics above doesn't look that appetizing but it contain alot delicious Chinese dish so ya I'll give it a 5 star

Regalo apprezzato, oltre ad essere una buona qualità di carta e copertina, le ricette sono veramente spettacolari

Firstly I'd like to sincerely thank the authors for achieving what they describe as an ambitious task, you achieved it. I have searched long and hard for an encyclopaedia of Chinese cuisine. Written by Kei Lum Chan & Diora Fong Chan published by Phaidon. Phaidon seem to be on a crusade to create encyclopaedias on world cuisines. A crusade worth fighting and so far they've produced some outstanding books written by brilliant authors with lots of contributions from local cooks. Having bought Thailand the cookbook & India by Phaidon I've not bought a takeaway and struggle to find decent restaurants. This book is beautiful, quality paper with gold edging. The book is over 700 pages presented with a variety of photographs and a really insightful introduction and explanation of regions, ingredients and cookware so on. Generally there are two recipes per page, there are no filler pages or excessive pictures to pad the book out. The recipes are easy to follow and there is a good variety of recipes for each meat, veg or seafood etc. Like any good cook book this is relevant to all levels of cooks. Like I say the authors and publishers have worked hard and with passion to create what is a rarity in Chinese cookery a book that is an encyclopaedia. The subject matter is varied and offers great opportunity to cook something different. Go on a exotic culinary adventure and buy this book, you won't regret it! It's cheaper then a boring and takeaway. I have really enjoyed this and would defy anyone to find a similar quality book, Phaidon seem to believe in high quality and set a market standard. These books will become very collectible in the near future. I also have Phaidons India by Professor Purpesh Pant & Thailand the cook book. Please Phaidon produce books on Japan, Vietnam, Burma, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos and Korea. I live in the Uk and use 'Thais R Us' in Canterbury as my walk in store and to get advice from the lovely staff, if they don't have it I use the following online stores. All of these stores are cheaper and better then any major supermarket. wing yip starry Asian supermarket Tradewindsoriental store Amazon keeps removing web addresses so search for the above.

Gute Rezeptesammlung.