Our favorite Chineese restaraunt in town closed and we did not notice for months!
I got this book for Christmas and spent the next few days reading it. I have cooked Asian style food since I first started cooking because my mother was an English teacher in Japan in the early 60's and cooked Asian food as often as she cooked Western food--quite a feat considering that we lived in rural Nebraska, two to three hours away from the nearest Asian market.
What sets this book a part from other Asian cookbooks, and I have a lot of them, is 1) The absolute joy Mr. Yan has for his subject, 2) the first few chapters that describe the ingrediants, cooking techniques, and equipment, and the collection of sauce recipes.
If you want red cooked pork, you can read the descripton of braising, make a recipe of master sauce and go on from there.
If you want shrimp with black bean sauce, make a recipe of black bean sauce, read about stirfrying and how to prepare seafood and you have everything you know.
I now keep the all purpose stirfry sauce, master sauce and all purpose dipping sauce, and the sauce for the braised bok choy with banboo shoots on hand at all times.
Some things to remember: This book is definently for a Western audience that wants to replicate what they have eaten in Chinese restaraunts in the United States. His sweet and sour sauce had catsup in it, no doubt to make it resemble the freakish red sweet and sour sauce served in most Chineese American places. One of my favorite dishes my mom made was sweet and sour fish. The sauce was sweet, pungent and BROWN!
Second, buy this book to read to learn about the different cuisines of China, technique, and information on ingredients (also good to find out what you can substitute for hard to find ingredients)not for the recipes.
They have been rather hit and miss.
What I have taken away from this book is the ability to create my own recipes and the ability to cook Chineese recipes from other sources better.
Good introductory book
I gave it four stars because I wasn't wild about the recipes, but then all I really know is what I eat in the chinese restaurant.
The information on the proper use of the seasonings and description of the chinese vegetables is very helpful. His directions are very good.
I started using sesame oil and learned that it should be added at the end.
Okay, but get it from the library
If it's been said before that this book is too "Americanized," that may be true, but I'd suggest that this book doesn't go far enough -- even in that direction. While a "fun" book, the actual recipes themselves do not adequately cover a typical American-Chinese restaurant or takeout-menu; for example, Mongolian Beef and Sesame Chicken (two of the most popular dishes served, among others) are mysteriously and conspicuously missing from the book. The majority of the recipes will probably be unfamiliar. That's too bad, since it seems clearly aimed at someone who would want American takeout style Chinese cuisine. While Yan has a few good ideas here, there are far better books out there with more of what you're looking for.
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