Chef Jane is a restauranteur, food educator, and former chef-owner of Bao Wow Restaurant in Portland. With a father who owns a Taiwanese restaurant and a mother who owned a Boba Tea shop, food and small business entrepreneurship have been in her blood since she was born. Her recipes stress the importance of tradition, but with modern flair with inspiration from pop culture, fashion, and media.
If you're a fan of Chinese food, whether it be American-Chinese takeout or the street carts of Hong Kong, the best way to learn is from the previous generations which refined and perfected their techniques over millenia. But Chinese cuisine is more complex and rich than a single cookbook could ever capture. Start loading up your cookbook library because Chinese cooking can be a lifetime pursuit, filled with delicious dishes, noodles, dim sum, and dumplings!
Authors Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong are regarded as authorities in Chinese cuisine, but what I love about this book is that it also has a section dedicated to recipes from other world-renowned chefs! This is a buy-it-for-life purchase for yourself or as a gift. You can cook a new recipe every day and it will still take you over two years to make it through this one.
Xi'an is a classic American success story. From humble beginnings as a hand-pulled noodle shop in Flushing, New York, it has grown to be a nationally recognized–but still family owned–brand. Jason Wang shares his secret recipes that made Xi'an what it is today. With a range of recipes that make for easy weeknight dinners as well as fun activities for kids, this cookbook is an excellent gift.
This book is for those wishing to broaden their horizons beyond General Tso's and explore dishes from the Yangtze River taverns to the finest Taiwanese restaurants. And expect to learn a history lesson or two along the way. This is by far the best English cookbook for anyone looking to explore Chinese cuisine. I love how well-researched it is and the step-by-step instructions. It is one I return to on a regular basis for inspiration.
Every Grain of Rice is an inspired take on the cooking of southern China. Vegetables are not just side dishes, but are the main event accented by meat and fish. Most recipes focus on areas south of the Yangtze River. Every Grain of Rice gives a gentle but meaty introduction to Chinese cuisine with no shortage of recipes.
Example Recipes:
Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs (Tang Cu Pai Gu)
Crunchy Cucumber in Garlic Sauce (Suan Ni Pai Huang Gua)
