Authentic Chinese Cookbook

[Seven S]

Can anyone recommend their favorite true chinese cookbook? Looking to add a great book to my collection, wondering which ones you highly esteem. I am only interested in true authentic, not that there's anything wrong with Ming Tsai's East Meets West approach, but thats not what I am looking for. Thanks!

 

[auntdot]

I have a series of three cookbooks called the Pei Mei cookbooks.

Purchased them in Chinese stores in NYC Chinatown many years ago.

Have seen them not too long ago in an Asian store near us.

Went to Amazon, but am having trouble with their website at the moment.

The recipes are good and reliable.

Hope this helps.

 

[XeniA]

I swear by Helen Chen's "Chinese Home Cooking" (I think that's the title ...). I've tried any number of recipes within and they're spot on.

She's Joyce Chen's daughter, BTW.

 

[Ishbel]

I've got a couple of Ken Hom books that I've had for many years. Have to admit, I've never cooked much from them!

 

[tropical cooker]

tried many of the recipes and they were like Popo's

The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook
by Gloria Bley Miller
1966 Simon and Schuster
First Fireside edition, 1984

isbn 0-671-50993-4 Pbk.

My copy is soft cover but I understand that there is a hard cover. Softcover list price was $20.00.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I probably have at least a dozen Chinese cookbooks, but I have two that I use CONSTANTLY & have never steered me wrong. Every recipe I've tried from these 2 treasures has been delicious. I don't think either of these are currently in print, but you can probably find them at one of the great on-line used & out-of-print booksites (Alibris, Abe, Amazon, etc.).

Madame Chu's Chinese Cooking School, by Grace Zia Chu, published in 1975 by Simon and Schuster.

The Key to Chinese Cooking, by Irene Kuo, published in 1977 by Wings Books, a division of Random House. (This one was particularly recommended as "the most literate, clear, and comprehensive of all the Chinese cookbooks on the market" by James Beard.)

Both of these are definitely worth searching out & using regularly. My copies are positively dogeared now - lol!!

 

[htc]

I like The Food of China. I originally bought this book just as eye candy for a coffee table. The pictures in the book are great and I've tried a handful of recipes. The recipe for the steamed turnip/rice cake is very good and tastes exactly like the stuff that comes off of the dim sum cart. I made that dish for my parents and they really enjoyed it. (My parents are always a good gauge for trying Vietnamese/Chinese recipes on.)

 

[ChefJune]

I like Nina Simonds' books. I realize she is not Chinese, but she lived and studied there for quite a number of years.

 

[mish]

When I first started out cooking, I bought a Kikkoman soft-cover book. The recipes were easy and gave me a feel for ingredients and method. I then bought a wok and experimented with the recipes that came with the wok. Mostly I made stir frys and won tons (an old recipe that came with my won-ton maker), and embellished as I went along. There are many different cuisines, as I understand it, re 'Chinese' cooking - i.e. Mandarin, Cantonese, etc. BTW, I love Thai food - but re your query, sure it would not fall under authentic 'Chinese'.

A book I like is Chinese Cookery, by Rose Cheng & Michele Morris by HPbooks. I refer to it on occasion, have made a recipe or two, but mostly go by my experience and improvise.

Edited to add: If you're looking for a cookbook to add to your collection, browse around the library first, before you buy to see what appeals to you.

If you are planning on cooking/making the recipes, from my experience, I enjoyed the recipes I made, but since I didn't use the ingredients every day (i.e. oyster sauce, sesame oil, etc.), it sat in the fridge & was dumped.

 

[shpj4]

The only cookbook that I have is "The Best Of Chinese Cooking". I am sure everyone at DC will help you - they are wonderful and special people and are all great cooks and chefs.

Good Luck.

Jill and Jolie

 

[Shunka]

The one I swear by is "Chinese Cookery" by Rose Cheng and Michele Morris. I think it is out of print now though. You might be able to find it on ebay or alibris.com.

 

[mish]

The one I swear by is "Chinese Cookery" by Rose Cheng and Michele Morris. I think it is out of print now though. You might be able to find it on ebay or alibris.com.

Shunka, we always think alike. That's the one I mentioned... I bought it eons ago. Sure you can locate it. That's two votes for Chinese Cookery. Look for the pic of the shrimp and snow peas on the cover. (BTW, that's the recipe I gave grumblebee.)

 

[Shunka]

Mish, I have had this cookbook for over 26 years, poor thing is kind of falling apart. I have made many of the recipes in it and of course, adjust to our tastes at times. The crab (or shrimp) stuffed chicken wings take time but are so worth it!! We also really like the curried parchment beef; although I do do a quick stir-fry of the beef most times before I make them. Shoot!! now my mouth is watering for those!!! Guess I better make some, lol.

 

[ChefJune]

shrimp and snow peas

I love shrimp and snow peas! Chinese food is always so pretty.....

 

[BreezyCooking]

Oh - two more that I have & use that have terrific authentic recipes, along with a lot of cultural information & positively GORGEOUS photography are the "Beautiful" series cookbooks - China, The Beautiful Cookbook & Asia, The Beautiful Cookbook.

I've found their Dim Sum & vegetable recipes outstanding, & if you can find them in their original hardcover form (they've been reprinted in softcover), they make fabulous coffee-table books.

 

[htc]

ChefJune, I just found out that Nina Simonds is on of the authors of the book I recommend!
Check out the link below. It's a really good book, icing on the cake that it's got great pics too. Figure any recipes that pass by my Dad with a thumbs up is good for me, since we're Chinese and he's REALLY picky about food..

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/1740450329/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/102-1970002-5394524?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

 

[mish]

Mish, I have had this cookbook for over 26 years, poor thing is kind of falling apart. I have made many of the recipes in it and of course, adjust to our tastes at times. The crab (or shrimp) stuffed chicken wings take time but are so worth it!! We also really like the curried parchment beef; although I do do a quick stir-fry of the beef most times before I make them. Shoot!! now my mouth is watering for those!!! Guess I better make some, lol.

You're making me hungry too.

Shunka, here's our book (1981) on ebay, for under $1.00

 

[Shunka]

Oh wow!!! That is the one!! Darn good price!! BTW, got the beef marinating in the sauce for curried parchment beef now; want to drop in for some?

 

[mish]

Oh wow!!! That is the one!! Darn good price!! BTW, got the beef marinating in the sauce for curried parchment beef now; want to drop in for some?

No regrets. We got our $ worth, for sure.

YUM! I would love to come over with the Mu Shu Chicken (pg 78) and Chicken with Lemon Sauce (pg 79). But, I haven't even started dinner yet. The book is on my dining room table though. Let us know how it turns out.

Just noticed you're not too far from me. Get the wok started, I'll be right over, lol.

 

[Shunka]

Yes, we did get our money's worth with this cookbook. It is the one I always use or use as a reference. My late FIL was from Sumatra and he told me that the recipes in it were spot on. He was a very hard to please percon to cook for; that meant a lot to me. The curried parchment beef always turns out divine!!! Eating one now!!!!