Chinese Technique: An Illustrated Guide to the Fundamental Techniques of Chinese Cooking
by Ken Hom

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Trade
ISBN:  0671253476

Of all the emails I receive from readers, at least one-quarter deal with problems in food preparation - soggy egg rolls, stir-fried food that sticks to the bottom of the pan, and so forth. When he first began teaching at California's Culinary Academy, Ken Hom was surprised to discover that his students frequently lacked a grasp of basic Chinese cooking techniques, although they had read about them in cookbooks. His purpose in writing Chinese Technique: An Illustrated Guide to the Fundamental Techniques of Chinese Cooking was to fill this gap in the cookbook market - by providing readers with an illustrated, step-by-step guide to preparing their favorite recipes.

With over 1,000 photographs (including forty-four in color) the book easily meets this goal. When it comes to basic techniques, everything from stir-frying vegetables to shredding ginger is fully covered. This is followed by individual chapters devoted to a particular type of food, featuring a variety of cooking methods. For example, the vegetables section includes recipes for braised Sichuan eggplant, steamed stuffed bitter melon, and blanched Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce.

Although he was born in Arizona, Hom has a larger following in Britain, where his two BBC cooking series - "Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery," and "Ken Hom's Hot Wok," were extremely popular. Among those in the know, Chinese Technique is considered a classic. While the book is now out print, Borders will attempt to find a second-hand copy for you (through an agreement with Harvest Booksearch). Whether you use Borders or choose another route, obtaining this book is well worth the effort.

Rhonda Parkinson, your Guide for Chinese Cuisine