Cook Chinese Cookbook - Nancy Chih Ma

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Description: There was a time when, to many Westerners, Chinese cookery was epitomized by chop suey or chow mein, but those days are happily forgotten, and authentic Chinese cooking is today probably one of the most popular forms of food preparation in the world. Travel where you will, Europe, the Americas, all parts of Asia, Africa, Australia and you will always find Chinese restaurants and Chinese cookery. There is no need to ask why, once you have tried Chinese cuisine. Its eye-appeal, its aroma, and its delicious flavors are the answer and the explanation. And it is perhaps because of this felicitous combination that adventurous cooking enthusiasts tend to feel that it is a difficult and complicated form of cookery. This is not true, as perusal of these recipes will indicate. Proper organization of equipment and ingredients, as set forth below, will dispel such ideas. 

Eating, according to the Chinese, is much more than satisfying hunger. It is an aesthetic pleasure, and any Chinese meal is a social occasion, a time for relaxation, conversation, and the enjoyment of food. Whether it is a simple family meal or a gathering of guests and relatives, the sharing of these pleasures is believed to promote understanding and friendship. Even the manner in which the food is served and eaten is indicative of this. Each participant in this delightful ritual is provided with an attractive, colorful porcelain or china service consisting of a rice bowl, soup bowl and spoon, main course plate, sauce or condiment dish, dessert plate, wine cup, and, sometimes, a teacup. Chopsticks of silver, ivory, lacquer, or wood are used not only to serve one's self, but also to help one's neighbor to choice bits from the serving dishes. This serving and sharing makes for longer and happier meal hours. 

An informal Chinese meal consists of four courses (not including dessert): an hors d'oeuvre or first course of three or four cold dishes, sometimes served on a lazy Susan, sometimes in individual bowls, and already on the large round table when the guests sit down : one hot dish, sauteed or fried: one more hot dish, this time steamed or braised, with which rice is served; soup; and if you wish, dessert may follow. More festive occasions require more courses. Obviously, leisure is necessary for the full enjoyment of Chinese cuisine, an added reason for its popularity. 

Chinese wine, Shao Hsing, Japanese sake, Western wines, or other pre-dinner drinks may be served with the first course along with fruit juice or soft drinks for those who prefer them. Chinese tea, favored by so many Westerners, may be served throughout the meal, or, in true Chinese fashion, may be produced after dessert is finished. From this it is apparent that the cocktail hour takes place at the table, and that most of the appetizers served at this time require some sort of dining utensils -- chopsticks, if you're dexterous. However, many of the hors d'oeuvres described here may be served on skewers or toothpicks for those who prefer their preprandial snacks and drinks in the living room or patio. The ingredients required in these recipes are, of course, indigenous to the Far East, but most of them can be obtained in the West from Chinese or Japanese food stores and restaurants which are becoming more numerous all the time. Substitutions are suggested in some recipes for your convenience. Read carefully How to Cook Chinese on page 9 before you attempt Chinese cookery. It will save you time and effort. 

If quantities used seem small, remember that Chinese meals consist of several courses, and that rice is always served with one of them. Unless otherwise noted, these recipes are designed for four servings. It is better to prepare an additional dish as the Chinese do rather than to double or increase recipes. The preparation of these recipes, alone or as a join venture in cookery with friends, will provide you with as much pleasure as your family and guests will derive from sharing the eating of them. Happiness, in China, is always associated with good food. 

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Condition: Good condition with minor shelf wear to covers.