Learn to COOK - Chinese Cooking for Dummies
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List Price: $21.99
Our Price: $14.95
Your Save: $ 7.04 ( 32% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: For Dummies
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Average Customer Rating:   
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.5951
EAN: 9780764552472
ISBN: 0764552473
Label: For Dummies
Manufacturer: For Dummies
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 360
Publication Date: 2000-10-06
Publisher: For Dummies
Studio: For Dummies
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Editorial Reviews:
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Have you ever had a craving for fried dumplings or hot and sour soup at midnight? Ever wonder how your local Chinese takeout makes their food taste so good—and look so easy to make? Still don’t know the difference between Sichuan, Cantonese, and Mandarin cooking? Discovering how to cook the Chinese way will leave you steaming, stir-frying, and food-styling like crazy! The indescribably delicious cuisine of a fascinating country can finally be yours. And in Chinese Cooking For Dummies, your guide to the wonders and magic of the Chinese kitchen is none other than Martin Yan, host of the award-winning TV show Yan Can Cook. In no time at all, you’ll be up to speed on what cooking tools to use, how to stock your pantry and fridge, and the methods, centuries old, that have made dim sum, Egg Fu Young, Kung Pao Chicken, and fried rice universal favorites. You’ll also be able to: - Think like a Chinese chef—usin g the Three Tenets of Chinese Cooking
- Choose and season a wok, select a chef’s knife, plus other basic tools of the trade
- Find the essential ingredients—and ask for them in Chinese with a Chinese language (phonetic) version of black bean sauce, hoisin sauce, plum sauce, bamboo shoots, and more
- Cook using a variety of methods—including stir frying, steaming, blanching, braising, and deep frying
And with over 100 recipes, arranged conveniently like a Chinese menu, Chinese Cooking For Dummies lets you select from any column in the comfort of your own kitchen...which is when the fun really begins. Imagine putting together your ideal meal from the book’s rich offering of recipes: - Delectable morsels—including Baked Pork Buns, Spring Rolls, Potstickers, Steamed Dumplings, and Shrimp Toast
- Seafood dishes—including Sweet and Sour Shrimp, and Oysters in Black Bean Sauce
- Poultry dishes—including Moo Goo Gai Pan, Kung Pao Chicken, and Honey Garlic Chicken
- Pork, beef, and lamb dishes—including Sichuan Spareribs, Tangerine Beef, and Mongolian Lamb
With sixteen pages of tempting, full-color photographs, several black-and white illustrations, and humorous cartoons, Chinese Cooking For Dummies gives you all of the basics you’ll need, letting you experience the rich culinary landscape of China, one delicious dish at a time—and all, without leaving a tip!
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Good introductory book
Comment:
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.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Okay, but get it from the library
Comment: 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.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Big disappointment
Comment: About three years ago I decided to learn authentic Chinese cooking. I purchased several books. This one was the most disappointing. I enjoyed Martin Yan when I saw his TV cooking shows. I had high hopes for this book but was disappointed to say the least. Recipes are very mediocre, a couple downright bad. It appears to me that Martin Yan is not trying to present simply great Chinese food but instead modifying recipes to appeal to what he thinks Western tastes would like.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great for first-timers, only wish there were more pictures
Comment: Four main things to comment on:1) You definitely feel Martin Yan's personality in these pages. Great broad yet brief background on regional influences on Chinese cooking.
2) Equally good broad yet brief explanation of basic ingredients and also the prep and cooking techniques.
3) Recipes are pretty easy and you are welcome to buy most of the basic sauces rather than make them from scratch.
4) Only wish there were pictures with each recipe. On to the details. On the first point, if you like his PBS shows, you'll enjoy reading this book. It has his wit and its easy to imagine him speaking to you, cleaver in hand. The background info about different regions is brief yet insightful. For example, you will not learn the history of each region, but you will have some insight about the differences between menus at The Canton Cafe versus Larry's Peking Palace. On the second point, if you're a complete novice to cooking (let alone Chinese cooking), there's enough info about equipment, technique, and ingredients to get you going. He also provides lots of pragmatic advice - substitute ingredients and make-shift cooking supplies when you have limited options. On the third point, recipes are easy AS LONG AS YOU'RE PATIENT. Unlike some other cuisines, most of this book involves stir frying and that means you MUST have your ingredients prepped before you start throwing things into the wok. There's no time to measure and chop once you start because the "cooking" stage only takes 2-3 minutes :) I found cooking, in general, to be much easier if I have everything premeasured and ready-to-go in little dishes, just like on the TV shows. On the fourth point, like most "Dummies" books, this one is printed with very few color pictures. And the ones that are provided are bunched together in an insert in the middle of the book - several glossy pages showing finished dishes. Where some areas, such as explanation of techniques, are adequately accompanied by illustrations, I really prefer to have pictures with each recipe. And if not step-by-step, then at least one showing the finished dish. Alas, that is the one area I found lacking. In summary, great book and more pictures would've made it even better. Also, one bit of advice - don't expect to get stir-frying right the first few times. It does get a lot easier after a few tries though.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not authentic enough
Comment: Overall, this book offers a quick overview of Chinese cuisine, specifically one of many provinces, Canton. However, as a Chinese, I have tried many of the recipes in this book and found that the directions were too complicated to follow, especially preparing for the sauces. And after half an hour to 45 minutes of long arduous preparation, I find that the dishes were less than palatable and authentic. I would say if you like Americanized Chinese foods, go right ahead and try it. The Lemon Chicken dish is recommended. However, if you are looking for more authenticity and sophistication, try other ones.
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