5 comments about Henry Chung's Hunan Style Chinese Cookbook.

1. I have searched for a copy of this wonderful book for over 5 years and have recently found it,it is my most treasured of many cookbooks! I have been a customer of this wonderful actually fabulous restaurant in San Francisco for over 20 years, it just seems to be just as wonderful as before!This book has allowed me to duplicate my favorite hot and sour chicken many times over. what a shame it is out of print, Henry is very much alive and the place still a success. what a wonderful, simple and accurate book,hopefully this book will someday be back in print and I may share it with my friends.



2. For those who love to eat or cook Chinese food, this book is a must-have. It details about 50 tasty recipes from Hunan province in China, and is totally authentic. The author has avoided "spicing down" recipes for American readers -- garlic, hot chiles and other Hunan staples are used boldly and creatively, and your taste buds will be crying out for more after trying these gems. In fact, my wife, who is herself Chinese, relies on Henry Chung's book more than the Chinese-language cookbooks she brought from Taiwan. It really is that good.



3. cheers, Henry, Cheers... From Marty's Special BBQ Pork, to the overstuffed steamed dumplings this book has it all including an amazing recepie for Velvet Chicken. A must purchase.



4. I've never eaten at the restaurant (but think I saw it when I visited San Fran years ago). The book is written in simple sturdy english. The recipes are authentic. Best of all, I like the fantastic fables and hearsay of not-so-old China (and personal anecdotes)as related by Chung. Enjoyable to read, even if you never intend to try out any of the recipes.



5. Having lived near his restaurant(s) in San Francisco for a decade, I was compelled to pick up this cookbook, now that I've moved away. In contrast to many restaurants that rely on MSG and rude service to attract customers, Henry's food was very spicy and very delicious.
   
   Some of my favorites were the cold chicken sesame salad (surprisingly) and the Onion Cake appetizer. The chicken salad recipe is here and completely rocks, and the Onion cake is here also (really delicious, if you can tolerate wheat). Sadly missing was info on making his delicious "fish balls" dish. I'm currently trying to reverse-engineer this dish.
   
   Icing on the cake... the occasional 1-2 page essays on marriage, death, Feng Shui, gender issues, etc., according to Hunan culture.
   
   Well done, Henry (burp).

5 comments about Dim Sum (Essential Kitchen Series).

1. ..................I got this cookbook for Christmas along with a bamboo steamer (a must for making dims sum) from my sister and so far I've made several delectable recipes. This cookbook also makes cooking dim sum for the first time easy. There are sections devoted to: serving dim sum, making tea, common equipment and utensils, ingredients, and step by step dim sum cooking methods. There is also a handy glossary. I had never made dim sum before, but my husband and I have had marvelous success from the start.

   The recipe section of the cookbook is divided into: classic dim sum; dumplings; buns; pancakes, parcels and wraps; seafood; pork; vegetables; desserts and dipping sauces. All and all this cookbook contains about forty-five recipes. So far we've tried, and enjoyed: Shanghai Dumplings, Wok-fried Money Bags, Flower Dumplings, Shrimp Toasts, Red Bean Paste Buns and the Ginger Soy Dipping Sauce.

   The photos in this cookbook are attractive and will really make you want to start cooking right away. I only have one negative comment about this cookbook, which another reviewer has already mentioned. The recipes are Americanized and this was not evident to me until I actually tasted my first batch of dim sum. They were very good, but the flavors weren't bold enough. Now I simply make sure to add about double the amount of ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce and garlic.




2. This is an excellent cookbook. I had borrowed one from a friend of mine and decided that she couldn't have it back. I had to buy a new copy to get one back to her. The recipes are a good sampling of and introduction to authentic Chinese Dim Sum. A beginner can follow these recipes and get authentic results. ... some recipes could/should have been included, but I feel that a book like this is an introductory level and stands well on its own. I also felt that the recipes were not very Americanized. The Chinese restaurants near here (O.K. It IS Vermont) typically have steak teriaki and egg rolls as appetisers and nothing that even comes close to the recipes in this book. The ingredients are relatively easy to obtain in an American market or in an Asian market in American cities. The beginning of the book shows a great lesson in some of the techniques and some ingredients. As an American trying to learn more authentic Chinese recipes, I found this book most useful.



3. This is a REALLY bad book. I was very disappointed in the complete lack of authenticity of the recipes. That they should be simplified is something I've come to expect, but that they should be so inauthentic is inexcusable in this day and age when Chinese ingredients are so widely available--in supermarkets, Chinatowns, or online. Here are some examples:
   
   In the section on ingredients, Ms. Liley includes (Vietnamese) rice paper wrappers (although the Chinese do in a very few cases use a type of rice paper wrapper, it bears no resemblance whatever to the hard, glassy Vietnamese kind); she states erroniously that Spring roll wrappers are made of rice flour (see Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's "The Dim Sum Dumpling Book" for the authentic recipe and method); and she labels as wonton wrappers, which are square and egg-based, potsticker/gyoza wrappers, which are round and water-based.
   
   In the recipe for Pearl Balls (p.26), she lists short-grain rice instead of glutinous rice for the coating, and suggests that the rice be soaked for 30 minutes. I have been making pearl balls since I was 16 years old, and you *must* use glutinous rice, because even short grain non-glutionous rice won't soften in the relatively short steaming. Also, the rice needs at least 1.5 or 2 hours soaking.
   
   Finally, Ms Liley in recipe after recipe suggests fish sauce (widely used in Vietnamese, Thai, and Filipino cooking, but never in mainstream Chinese) as, presumably, a substitute for light soy sauce, since most Chinese recipes specify light soy sauce (or a combination of light and dark soy sauces) for fish or seafood-based dishes.
   
   The photos are exquisite, but what good are glamourous photos when the content is so falsified? Better to take the extra money and buy Lo's dim sum book, or the book "Dim Sum" by Rhoda Yee (the text is excruciating, but the recipes are good and really work), or for those who really want to get into this in depth, the dim sum books by Wei-Chuan Publishing.



4. I was looking for a complete book on dim sum food because my daughter is such a big fan. We found almost all of the foods she loves to snack on except one so our search continues but we are enjoying the book and all it offers - yum!



5. Truth is, the pictures are quite nice and it makes for a nice cofeetable book but I think several reviewers here pointed out correctly that this is not an authentic chinese dim sum book. The recipes have incorrect ingredients (fish sauce in chinese cooking?) and the few recipes I tried didnt have complete lists of ingredients and lacked in flavor. This is made for an uneducated, simplified western audience. With more and more people dining in dim sum establishment nowadays, our palates are more discriminating. I really liked the "Dim Sum - The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch" by Ellen Leong Blonder.

1 comments about Williams Sonoma Savoring China: Recipes and Reflections on Chinese Cooking (Savoring Series).

1. A combination of some of the tastiest recipes of China and an introduction to the geography, history, and traditions of China, "Williams-Sonoma Savoring China" is a feast for the eyes and mind as well as the body. Each recipe has a picture of the completed dish as well as complete instructions for its preparation. Many of the dishes may require a trip to the local Chinese grocery as some ingredients may not be readily available in your neighborhood store. This is not just another cookbook of common recipes for dishes you are likely to find in the local Chinese buffet. This is a book with recipes like Shandong Chicken and Mushrooms, Braised Duck with Bamboo Shoots and Mushrooms, or Honey Glazed Beef and Walnuts.

   In addition to the recipes there are many pictures and articles that bring the Chinese experience into your home. Beautiful scenic pictures, as well as pictures of every day life. A culinary delight, a visual feast, and an interesting education, "Williams - Sonoma Savoring China" is a highly recommended read.

5 comments about Practical Korean Cooking.

1. first of all- if you're going to buy any books by noh chin-hwa- make sure this is the one. i bought traditional side dishes by the author- and it was basically just a chapter cut out of this book. i should have listened to the person who also stated the fact in a review.
   
   i'm twenty something- and this cookbook reminds me of my mom's chinese cookbooks from the 70's. Sure it's photography and dish ware are dated- but the recipes and instructions are fantastic. i'm completely leery of the recipe for raw liver, and it is true the instructions do seem very time consuming... however i read in Korean cuisine by wei-chaun- that a lot of traditional korean cooking techniques are very daunting tasks.
   
   i bought about 6 korean cookbooks after eating at a korean restaurant- they all seem to have the same dishes with very little variation. this book however expands beyond the bulgogi... the chige...and the kimchi. One such item would be the fermented soy bean lumps. now i don't intend to try this recipe- but i found it really interesting that the instructions include- "remove the mold and dust from the fermented soybean lumps two days before using" I'm chinese american- so i'm pretty much used to weird ingredients. the american side of me however is pretty nitpicky about "is this clean? is that mold? is that still good?" i often buy dried wood ears- but because they have a faint white moldy look to them i'm reluctant to actually use them.
   
   anyways this is what i consider to be what a cookbook should be. pictures of every single recipe and photos of instructions as well. i wish it also had photos of the ingredients- with the glossary area- but there are plenty of photos of the ingredients pre cooking- to get an idea of what to look for in the korean grocery stores. fabulous! worth the $$ !!!!



2. I found the book very easy to use, and the finished Korean dishes tasted just like those at my favorite Korean restaurant. Then one day I discovered the Korean cook in that restaurant had a set of "recipe cards" in Korean, with the exact same photos and same recipes! These recipes are "real."



3. Having been stationed in Korea, being taught a few dishes while there, eating at Korea House Restaurants in the US, I found these recipes to yield authentic flavors I initially found in Korea.
   
   Over the years I've consistently stuck with and cooked a few traditional Korean dishes. The recipes in this book are wonderful and the flavor and aromas that have come from my own attempts at new and familiar recipes just splendid!
   
   Highly recommended.



4. I refer to this book as the Betty Crocker of Korean Cooking because it reminds me of my mother's Betty Crocker from the 70s. The layout is very glossy with lots of colour photographs and step by step instructions in very dry, matter-of-fact, subject-verb-occassional predicate style. This book is probably not for you if you need it as a complete primer on Korean food or if you are the kind of cook who needs to know everything down to the last 1/8 of a tsp you will find this, and probably most Korean cookbooks, kind of frustrating as Koreans (like many cooks worldwide) are not really known for their exacting measuring in cooking ;-) If, however, you are the kind of cook who is familiar with Korean cuisine and wants guidelines on how to do it, this is THE BOOK for you!
   
   For novices I would recommend Kwak's Dok Suni and for those more experienced cooks interested in a more cultural bent or just more background I would bundle this book with Heppinstall's Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen, which covers a lot of the same recipes but in a completely different format.



5. The book is good, there is a good variety of dishes, but not completely for the Korean palate. The first recipe I expected to see was at least dwenjang-cheegae, but it wasn't there...
   However, I've been using the book for more complex recipes, and it's been working out well.

No comments about Chinese Regional Cooking: Authentic Recipes from the Liang School.

4 comments about Authentic Chinese Cuisine: For the Contemporary Kitchen.

1. Authentic Chinese Cuisine For The Contemporary Kitchen offers a superbly developed compendium of vegetarian Chinese recipes similar to those found in a Buddhist restaurant. Bryanna Grogan brings her expertise to bear in offering delicious, nutritious recipes for homemade "Mock Meats"; savory snacks and appetizers; dumplings and breads; rice; noodles, soups, and sauces; stir-fried dishes; braised, steamed, and stewed dishes; and even sweets. From Shanghai Spring Rolls, Mandarin Pancakes, and Savory Rice Porridge, to Duck Sauce, Buddha's Delight, and Walnut Cookies, Authentic Chinese Cuisine For The Contemporary Kitchen will quickly became a personal and family favorite for those pursuing a vegetarian lifestyle.



2. Bryanna's Italian cookbook "Nonna's Italian Kitchen" must be the very finest ever example of vegan cookbook published to this date. And now she's done it again - with this wonderful vegan cookbook on Chinese cuisine, taking you all the way through dumplings, dim sum, noodles, soups, stir-fries, ... and vegetarian "mock-meats" that were invented thousands of years ago by strict buddhist monks. Whereas it used to be quite a work to rinse out the starch of a flour ball so that only the protein (gluten) was left, the arrival of pure gluten powder makes this a snap to prepare at home. While some recipes are somewhat elaborate which acquire some routine (making dumplings, spring rolls, etc.), there are several quick recipes (stir-fry chapter a.o.) that are very easy to prepare. It is an excellent cookbook if you love chinese foods, and the innovative inclusion of above-mentioned "mock-meats" makes it a cut above the rest. The pages are jam-packed with one tasty recipe after the other - this is a shining example that you do not need to feel deprived when embarking on a vegan diet.



3. I appreciate what the author was trying to do with this book; it's great to have a source for Chinese-style mock meats. However, after trying several of the recipes, I found that they just aren't as good as I thought they would be.
   
   I was excited to use vital wheat gluten to whip up a batch of seitan, but it turned out to be incredibly gummy. I assume this problem is avoidable, but the directions in the book don't give much guidance: "Mix until it forms a smooth, firm dough. Knead briefly." There's no information about what to do you if instead of a smooth dough, you end up with a rubbery, bouncy ball. (Perhaps it's better to mix and knead by hand rather than using my mixer? Tips like this would help a lot!)
   
   As far as the regular recipes go, they are hit and miss. The simpler the recipe, the better they seem turn out. The page on Basic Stir-Fried Chinese Vegetables contains really useful information, and the recipe on the facing page for Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli is a winner. However, the "Beef" and Broccoli with "Oyster" Sauce and the Kung Pao "Chicken" are just OK, and Mapo Doufu was downright weird. But I will still continue to work my way through the book; I would like to try the Lemon "Chicken" and some of the versions of the Steamed Savory Filled Buns.
   
   Overall, it is a decent resource for vegetarian Chinese cooking. For people who are interested in this topic, it's probably a good place to start. I would recommend using store-bought seitan though!



4. I would strongly recommend this book to any vegan or vegetarian interested in Chinese Cookery. The book starts out with an introduction to Chinese Cookery including regional cooking information, tools, ingredients, etc... Pictures of some of the more exotic ingredients for easier identification would be helpful but a good google search can help here.
   The recipes themselves are very easy. I would argue that they are modeled after authentic recipes but do incorporate modern ingredients such as TVP(texturized vegetable protein). The recipes are usually very easy to complete. Sometimes the author uses Western ingredients instead of traditional ingredients such as Dry Sherry instead of traditional Chinese rice wine (like shao xing wine).
   The book also dedicates an entire chapter on how to make mock(fake/vegetarian) meats from scratch- a good resource if you are into mock meat. A huge portion of the recipes in this book are based around a mock meat of some sort, if you abstain from mock meats due to ethical concerns, you may have trouble with this book.
   Overall I have found this book to be an excellent resource, and very much enjoy the recipes. The lack of pictures is a real downside for me as I believe that a good beginners cookbook should have some pictures but the price makes up for it to me. The non-traditional ingredients do not bother me at all, I believe they allow you to create traditionally meat based dishes out of modern day vegetarian/vegan products.
   
   I look forward to trying the authors other cookbooks!
   
   I would recommend, as a companion to this book, the cookbook: "Vegetarian Cooking" (also Chinese, but the title does not specify this) published by Wei-Chaun
   ISBN: 0-941676-20-X
   
   5 Stars!

1 comments about Wolfberry: Nature's Bounty of Nutrition and Health.

1. Probably the main value of this book is the objective way the authors have presented information. Unlike other descriptions of goji berry found on the internet -- where there is so much hype that seems to come from the legendary Chinese myths about the health benefits of wolfberry -- this book zeroes in on the facts.
   
   First thing to state -- goji berry and wolfberry are the same botanical species, Lycium barbarum L. which, like all well-cultivated food crops, has cultivars, varietals or light species variations (like grapes) of significant diversity grown throughout close geographical regions.
   
   The word "goji" is the anglicized pronunciation of Mandarin for wolfberry, "gouzi" ("wolf"-"berry"). "Goji" seems to be the popular name for this berry among the non-scientific public, and is increasingly used on the internet. No where in scientific literature, however, is the word goji used. Even in China, "wolfberry" or Lycium barbarum are the names used in science.
   
   Example of the book's objectivity is shown in chapter 3 where a table-by-table presentation of all the goji berry's nutrient data collected by 3rd party contract lab assays are presented and discussed. I found it especially useful that the authors identified "signature" nutrient classes for goji berries -- the polysaccharides (which can be 30% of the berry's fresh weight) and pigment chemicals called carotenoids fo which one, called zeaxanthin (important as an eye antioxidant), appears to be the densest concentration known among edible plants. Each of these gets a separate chapter, 4 and 5, resp.
   
   Also of value in this book is what appears to be all the medical literature published and consolidated about wolfberries on the US National Library of Medicine website, pubmed.gov -- the authors say 81 publications as of early 2006. Although there is considerable scientific jargon contained in the abstracts presented, I found it helpful to see the diversity of scientific interest in this plant. Even as obscure as goji berry science is to most Americans, I have to wonder if any common berry -- like the strawberry, cranberry or blueberry -- has as much scientific investigation about its many nutrients.
   
   I have been interested in adding fiber sources to my diet so was intrigued to read in chapter 4 the authors' suggestion that the polysaccharides (long-chain sugars) are really sources of what they say is "fermentable fiber" in the colon where short-chain fatty acids would be produced, contributing many health benefits. That's a new concept in the discussion about goji berry polysaccharides, and one hopes it is the case, but will need actual research to prove it.
   
   Chapter 8 was interesting reading for me. It discusses the botanical family that goji berry belongs to -- Solanaceae -- which oddly to me is the same family as the tomato and potato, but when I looked for descriptions of this botany, I found that it is a large family of thousands of plants, many of which are edible. The authors didn't discuss the berry diversity among Solanaceae, so we can't tell if wolfberry is alone among these diverse plants.
   
   As a hobby cash crop farmer, my favorite chapter was 9 on cultivation, harvesting and geographical distribution of goji berries. There are 2 sections in this chapter written by Chinese horticultural researchers and translated into well-organized and revealing descriptions on how to grow and process wolfberries. There is nothing else like this available on the internet or in published books -- as I have looked thoroughly. Careful reading of this chapter reveals many of the farming demands this plant has, including its growwing conditions and soil preferences which no doubt impart the exceptional nutritional qualities to wolfberries.
   
   It's on this last point that I think the book makes a clarification on origins of goji berry that have many people in the public confused -- where do goji berries come from in Asia? Most of the internet information about goji berries would lead you to believe they derive from Tibet -- which strikes me as odd given the high altitude (>10,000 ft for much of the country) and poor farming available from its rocky soils and cold, arid climate -- not good growing conditions for a delicate fruit like the juicy wolfberry. Chapter 9's description (from a scientist in Ningxia, China) provides insight to what this plant needs to flourish and yield the best fruit -- more moderate climate and fairly specific soil conditions, including as the authors propose, mineral-rich silt deposited in Ningxia by Yellow River floods. As a crop farmer, I can tell you these are critical growing factors (think of the value of natural fertilizers to fruit and vegetable quality in your own garden).
   
   Lastly, I want to say that the glossary was well-done, even though it didn't provide specific page (only chapter) references for the words. It is a great collection of medical and scientific terms I needed to check while reading.
   
   This book takes a critical, scientific look at goji berries. I think the American public needs this at the base of public interest in goji berries. I can tell from checking search rates for goji berry and wolfberry on the web that public interest in this fruit is growing rapidly. In a few years, it might be a common berry in American food products, as it certainly has an exceptional nutrient quality.
   
   As the authors introduce in the opening chapter: is wolfberry nature's most nutritious food? I ask -- what could be more important to identify now, when our country's nutrition seems to be so poor, objective knowledge about a simple berry providing such thorough nutrition?

3 comments about A Spicy Touch Volume II.

1. Delicious East Indian/Africian menus of food. The receipes are laid out clearly and are very easy to follow. There are recipies from Chinese fried rice to African Ugali to Indian Biryani. Machuzi Ya Nyama Na Bhoga is included also. It is a meat and vegetable stew from Kenya. Just about anyone who loves African and Asian foods will absolutely love this book. People of all ages can cook these recipies. Another book to add to this collection is Volume I of "A Spicy Touch."



2. Wonderful book documenting the version of cooking by Indians in East Africa. The dishes come out tasting exactly as I remember them 25 years ago in Kenya.



3. I have tried lot of recipes from vol I and II and I can say the recipes are easy to follow, and turn out to be delicious. Everytime I have made something from these books I have had so many compliments. Thank you Noorbanu. I hope you can produce a third volume and one of the recipes I am looking for is Royal Falooda.

3 comments about Chinatown New York: Portraits, Recipes, and Memories.

1. I was looking for a gift and stumbled across this incredible book. What a fantastic design! The historical photos and pictures of modern-day Chinatown are spot-on for all the romance and bustle of the neighborhood. But as I started reading, I realized it's one of those rare books that is just filled with real information--really fascinating information about the history, culture, and food. It is truly an anthropological tour of the neighborhood.
   
   Although I've lived in New York most of my life, I've always been intimidated by Chinatown. This book beautifully and reverently presents the area in all its history, diversity, and complexity....And of course the food! I recommend it for people like me who aren't familiar with the area, but also for anyone who knows it well--a gorgeous homage to the Chinese immigrants and their history.



2. This has Got to be hands down the BEST ever written, photographed, illustrated and designed book about Chinatown New York I have ever had the pleasure of coming across. Ms. Volkwein has done an Incredible job collecting the pertinent history, personal testimonies, fun and interesting facts regarding the Chinatown culture and it's people. She made it darn near sound like Disneyworld (in the best way mind you) You cannot read most parts of this book without planning in the back of your mind when you'll next trek down to Chinatown for some soup dumplings or fresh seafood dishes. If you've ever seen the movie, "Eat drink Man Woman", Ang Lee's underated movie about a Chinese Chef and his daughters,
   you can remember craving a Chinese meal afterwards. This book makes you swallow just as hard. Beautifully composed and so descriptive that it highlights all there is that makes Chinatown the jewel it is. As a Chinese person who has not lived in Chinatown but spent a great deal of my life visiting it, the book made me appreciate the nieghborhood so much more. I learned so much about this everchanging downtown enclave. the next time I spend time there i can safely say I will take more time and enjoy exploring some of these little known treasures that abound from this book. on another note, this is also one of the most POSITIVE books/press concerning this part of historic lower Manhattan that i've come across in years. Ms.Volkwein's focus was set and the tone of the book was clearly set on entertainment,culture and the area's pleasant aspects. Down to great photos and nice touches of calligraphy, the book's design is real easy on the eyes. It was a TRUE delight and I highly recommend this book to anyone as a mandatory precursor to their next Chinatown visit. Ten Thousand Felicitations Ann!



3. The author's approach to telling the stories of the families of Chinatown makes the book credible and interesting. Few people realize that Chinatown is much more than a destination for buying imitation purses and cheap watches - Chinatown is a vibrant community where many families have made there home for decades. Seeing it from their point of view makes it come alive. Chinatown is truly one of NYC's greatest communities.

2 comments about Cooking Light Stir-Fry Cookbook (Cooking Light).

1. I bought this book because I've been trying to avoid Chinese take-out! I love Chinese food, but take-out can be so greasy. By making my own, I can control the oil and sodium in each dish.

   An avid collector of Cooking Light books, I had to pick this up! More than 100 recipes; lots of fish, poultry, and beef selections; lots of variety. Got it yesterday; made the beef with spinach and ginger sauce for dinner that night. Got good reviews from my testers!

   Also, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the book covers more than Asian stir fry. Cuisines covered include Mexican and Italian, with fajitas and other quick cooking, high-heat dishes.

   Enjoy!




2. So far we have tried 15 of the 150 recipes and they have all been good. We rate dishes on a 1 to 10 scale, and all in this cookbook have been 7 or higher. It is taking us a while to get through the recipes because we are repeating so many of the 8's and 9's! Also, all of the recipes include the calorie and carb counts, which is very helpful.