The Key to Chinese Cooking
by Irene Kuo
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Book Summary Information
Author: Irene KuoEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1996-02-17
ISBN: 0517148897
Number of pages: 532
Publisher: Random House Value Publishing
Book Reviews of The Key to Chinese Cooking
Book Review: Not just the best Chinese cookbook. One of the best cookbooks ever.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had The Key to Chinese Cooking for 27 years; it was one of the first 5 cookbooks in my collection. I now own somewhere around 300 cookbooks, but this is still among the best.
Kuo got everything right. In an era when no one had heard of dim sum or regional Chinese cuisine, she included long sections about ingredients, techniques (including improvisations when you lack authentic equipment), and cooking styles. Every technique introduced includes introductory recipes, such as steamed lemon chicken in the steaming section. There are also lots and LOTS of recipes for every conceivable category, and it probably goes without saying that they're uniformly excellent. The book falls open to spicy pork with peanuts; hot and sour soup; tangerine peel chicken; shrimp fried rice.
But what sets this apart is the writing and instructional style. Kuo has become my touchstone for friendly, technical writing. She knows the reader hasn't deep-fried a duck before, so she gives careful detailed steps that somehow manage to both reassure you and keep you moving. It's never too much information, making you feel as though a task is daunting. I was lucky to find this book when I still a cooking beginner, because I credit the author with making me unafraid to try new recipes and techniques.
My only criticism is that her estimates of serving portions are unreliable. Sometimes she'll say that a recipe serves 4, when served with rice, and we get just a meal for two. That's the case for one of our favorites, chicken in black bean sauce. (I must have a dozen such recipes. This is the one I use.)
Overall though - this is one of my favorite cookbooks. Highly recommended.
Summary of The Key to Chinese Cooking
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