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Looking for a good Chinese cookbook

14 replies

mommybunny · 17/05/2016 21:36

I've started doing some "Chinese-style" cooking at home - stir-fries, cashew chicken, fried rice, noodles, stuff like that - and my DCs really love it and I'd like to do even more! I'm finding it's great on weeknights as I can get all the prep done beforehand before I have to collect DS from school at around 6, and then it takes minutes to fry it all up and get it on the table. It's low fat, high in fibre as I add lots of vegetables, and I make as much of my own sauces as I can to keep out excess sugar. We eat with chopsticks which my DCs find a treat.

I've been using recipes from the internet, but would love a good cookbook to thumb through and have at hand. For the moment I'm kind of looking for "takeaway classics" and would prefer not to have to keep very exotic ingredients on hand, but will be grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks!

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Blondie1984 · 17/05/2016 21:50

How about "Gok Cook's Chinese"? A friend gave this to me and I didn't have particularly high hopes but actually it's really good - and it has a chapter on recreating some of the take-away type dishes

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HuevosRancheros · 18/05/2016 07:53

My first thought when I read the title was "Every Grain of Rice" by Fuchsia Dunlop. But it isn't hugely takeaway style food - maybe get a copy from the library? We did it as one of the books on the cookery book club on here - have a search:)

If you can find a copy of Ken Hom's "Chinese Cookery", that is the book that my dad and I learnt Chinese cooking from 30+ years ago, and is more takeaway/uncomplicated ingredients

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TheSpottedZebra · 18/05/2016 11:11

I like Jeremy Pang's Chinese Unchopped. He has a Chinese cookery school, and the tone of the book is educative, but v laid back.

Or maybe search put some of his tv stuff - I think he was on food network so might have stuff on their site? I also like Gok (and his show was also great, and in C4 i think). And I also like Ching He Huan. And the Fuschia Dunlop book, although that's not really 'takeaway inspired', as PP said.

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NoSquirrels · 18/05/2016 11:21

Seconding the Gok book - as a PP I didn't think it would be any good, but is actually really accessible as well as having more unusual recipes, and leads you nicely from the sort of "home takeaway" style chapter to the more complicated stuff.

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dexy24 · 28/05/2016 17:13

I do a lot of Chinese cooking and would recommend any of Ching He Huang's books, they are great and so simple (and tasty!)

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figginz · 28/05/2016 17:19

Every Grain of Rice is a marvellous book but the pp is right, probably too many oddball ingredients. Nothing a quick trip to any China Town won't solve though.

I like Yan Kit So's Classic Chinese Cookbook. The celery and chicken recipe is yum.