The Guide to Chinese Cooking: A Journey Through China's Favorite Dishes - Hardcover

by Handa Cheng (Author)

"There are seven essential things in life: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea." So goes the ancient Chinese proverb. So far, so familiar, perhaps ... but Handa Cheng is keen to change our perception of Chinese food and shed light on a cuisine that is rich and varied, with unique ingredients, techniques, and traditions.

In this comprehensive guide, Handa introduces the vastly different culinary regions of this immense country and their speciality dishes, from Mouth-watering Chicken to Mapo Tofu, and Dan Dan Noodles to Yu Xiang Eggplant. From luxurious imperial fare to frugal vegetarian recipes of Buddhist monks, Handa distils 5,000 years of history and food culture into 14 simple chapters, with easy, fresh recipes that are packed with "good to know" tips and memories of his childhood in Wenzhou.

Step-by-step recipes help you learn the essentials of this thousand-year-old cuisine, while 35 illustrated chef's tips and techniques go further, uncovering key ingredients and traditional cooking methods. Feature pages get to the heart of each chapter: tofu as a blank page, the infinite possibilities of an egg, Chinese food and herbal medicine, street food and dining out, and even the ceremonial practice of tea drinking.

In The Guide to Chinese Cooking, Handa explores taste, texture, and spice to recreate authentic family dishes that are well-balanced and seasonal - all with an emphasis on everyday cooking and eating.

Author Biography

Author: Handa Cheng was born and lived in China in the Jiangnan region until the age of 11, before moving to Paris. Having made a career in UX design, he decided to devote himself to his passion: Chinese cuisine. Through his Instagram (46.7K subscribers, @chifan_paris), his newsletter, and the food tours he leads in Paris, he shares his knowledge with as many people as possible. Photography: Franck Juery lives and works in Paris. He works as a freelance photographer mainly for publishing, the music industry, the press, communication and advertising.