Chinese Vegetarian Cookery

Out of religious conviction and economic necessity, Chinese cooking has a broad and vital vegetarian tradition. Thus one is disappointed by the timid and repetitive treatment Santa Maria gives the subject. Part of the problem may be that the book, a British import, is written for a home audience perhaps new to Chinese cooking. The most basic shortcoming is that the instructions are neither vivid nor precise, and little effort is made to convey the niceties of technique and menu planning. Rather, the reader encounters an array of uninspired stir-fried, braised or steamed dishes, rice, noodles, eggs and sweets. The English nomenclature and weight measurements have not been converted for American readers. (June)