Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking

Yin-Fei Lo's latest cookbook is visually stunning—with brush calligraphy, decorative borders, and full-page color photographs—as well as a comprehensive and educational guide that fulfills the promise of how to master Chinese cooking. The Chinese-born author includes 150 classic recipes as well as essays exploring regional and cultural traditions and Chinese history. The Chinese pantry section is a must-read guide to ingredients, while illustrated techniques demystify processes including stuffing bean curd cakes and forming dumplings. Recipe notes lend expert advice for freezing, preparation, and serving. Divided into three parts that can be slightly confusing (“The Market as Classroom”; “The Market Becomes Regional”; “The Market Particular”), the book offers recipes including popular dishes such as pot stickers, spring rolls, and General Tso's chicken, in addition to more adventurous selections including sea cucumbers braised with steamed black mushrooms. This is a gorgeous holiday gift. (Jan.)