One thing that we can all agree on is that Chinese food is quite popular worldwide. The famed Szechuan chicken, Chow Mein, and sweet and sour pork, to name a few dishes, are well known to the general public. They don’t comprehend that this is only a little portion of the whole pie.
You can quickly reproduce the delicious Chinese food well-known worldwide following a few basic recipes. The greatest Chinese cookbooks on our list contain many regional dishes and culinary techniques, making them ideal for home cooks. Books on Chinese cuisine teach you how to prepare takeaway or your favorite Chinese restaurant dishes.
Others are devoted to regional foods, such as Sichuan cuisine. And, for those who are just starting with Chinese cuisine, the greatest Chinese cookbooks for beginners will serve as a resource.
This diverse cuisine, which offers a mind-boggling diversity of cooking methods, is a gastronomic treasure trove that offers something for chefs of all skill levels. Start with one of these Chinese cookbooks, which you may choose based on your hobbies and culinary preferences.
Table of Contents
Our Top 10 Picks for the Best Chinese Cookbooks:
Detailed Reviews of 10 Best Chinese Cookbooks
1. Land of Plenty:
The book is a literary work intended to highlight the country of plenty—Szechuan. Szechuan province has many foods and a unique spicy and fiery cuisine. The well-known Kung Pao chicken dish is an example of a Sichuan dish.
But did you know that Kung Pao is only one of the numerous Szechuan meals available to you? It is also popular worldwide; however, well-known chefs typically prepare it in large restaurants. Szechuan cuisine is considered a legend in Chinese food, and it has about 5000 different dishes. What are you talking about?
Since the first time she set foot in the area many years ago, Fuchsia has been a fan of the food. And she went on to study food at the prestigious Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine, where she was the sole foreigner among the hundreds of students. She would afterward distribute a book to the likes of people interested in it.
Land of Plenty is a cookbook that takes Szechuan food into your own house. It provides you with vivid visuals of the region and anecdotes about Sichuan. There is something in this book for everyone, whether you are a newbie in this sector or a beginner cook.
Recipes and Cooking Methods Included:
This cookbook includes 56 Szechuanese cooking methods, 23 taste combinations, and 16 color photos of finished Sichuan cuisine.
- Authentic Recipes.
- Easy to Follow Recipes.
- Detailed Methods of Recipes.
- Limited Photos.
2. The Chinese Takeout Cookbook:
The introduction of the Chinese dinner to the western world may be traced back hundreds of years. It’s no surprise that in the same way hamburgers are popular in America, Egg rolls, fried rice, sweet and sour pork, and other Chinese specialties are becoming increasingly popular in the United States.
I’m confident that some essential Chinese components, such as soy sauce, will no longer be missing from your kitchen. You may use them to make a variety of different dishes. On a lighter note, let’s add that your culinary skills are progressively evaporating from your kitchen.
You don’t always have to eat at your favorite Chinese restaurant to enjoy the various dishes; you can create them at home with the help of the cookbook instead. The diverse Chinatown cuisines will be brought to your home table by a long-time food blogger and a culinary instructor with a lot of experience.
It contains more than 80 recipes that are simple to prepare. As a blogger, she looks for methods to make cooking more convenient for her readers by emphasizing the most important tips on the sidebars.
You will also gain an understanding of the origins of your favorite foods. With the help of this book, you can prepare a superb Chinese lunch no matter where you happen to be.
Recipes and Cooking Methods Included
- Homemade Chili Oil
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Beef Chow Fun
- Cold Sesame Noodles
- Hot and Sour Soup and many more
- The ingredients mentioned in the recipes are easy to find.
- Simple and Easy Recipes.
- Variety of Dishes.
- Dessert Recipes.
- Some users Complained about its paper quality.
- Each recipe does not indicate the serving size or the number of servings.
3. Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees:
This cookbook is an excellent starting point for home cooks, detailing the fundamentals of various culinary techniques, which also serve as the organizational criteria for the book.
With 158 dishes and more than 200 pictures, including step-by-step visuals, it equips us with the knowledge and skills to master and even re-create our favorite foods. This is a fantastic resource for expert cooks looking to enhance a certain culinary technique.
You might be astonished to learn that there are recipes for squab, rabbit, eel, carp, pig stomach, and kidney. Don’t get too worked up over it! It’s a staple of traditional Chinese cuisine. This is what distinguishes this book from others. Although you may never use these recipes, they are still a useful resource!
Recipes and Cooking Methods Included
- Spicy Lotus
- Root Salad
- Red Cooked Pork
- Tso’s Chicken
- Pork Shank Soup with Winter Bamboo and more
- Based on the type of cooking, each arrangement is unique.
- Teach the “how” and “why” behind all you do.
- Images that show you how to complete complex recipes.
- Some substances may require access to Asian markets to be obtained.
- Some recipes may require minor adjustments.
4. The Essential Wok Cookbook:
If we want to avoid the hassle of making these dishes, we may order a Chinese takeaway, which is especially convenient if we don’t know how to make them.
You should, however, be willing to make some concessions on the quality of the meals; otherwise, they will not be as nutritious as they would have been if you had made them yourself.
While most people are apprehensive about preparing meals at home, everything you need is a wok, and this comprehensive guide to creating delectable stir-fries at home. The primary goal is to get proficient with the wok and how it functions.
When you master the skill of wok cooking, it should go without saying that you will be able to prepare all of the major Chinese specialties that you would regularly order at a restaurant. You do not want the additional salt, MSG, or oil to make it a nutritious dinner.
The book provides you with advice on choosing, cleaning, and even caring for your wok to extend its shelf life as much as possible. With its 95 free recipes, you’ll learn how to make dishes in a hurry, fold dumplings, and other useful skills, such as cooking dumplings.
The fact that you’re still waiting for your Chinese friend to show you how to operate the wok is no longer an acceptable excuse. With this cookbook, you can start cooking right now.
Recipes and Cooking Methods Included:
- Pot Stickers
- Lighter Egg Foo Young
- Easy Vegetable
- Stir-Fry
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Sweet Chili Shrimp
- Better Beef with Broccoli, and many more!
- Recipe labels that are one-of-a-kind.
- Cost-effective Recipes.
- A more nutritious version of your favorite takeaway dishes.
- The “Origin Stories” section is really interesting.
- There aren’t enough photographs.
- Recipes for Chinese food that are not authentic.
5. Complete Chinese Cookbook:
Ken is a well-known chef you are likely to have seen on your television since he presents five popular cooking television series in the western world. He serves as a connection between authentic Chinese food and the diverse tastes of foreigners and tourists.
With his delectable and rich Chinese food, he has fed the world’s top leaders and nobles from throughout the world. Ken also happens to be a teacher, a chef, and a television broadcaster, making him exceptionally gifted with words. Because of his extensive travels to the three opposites of the globe, he has written a fantastic and easy-to-understand book.
In contrast to other chefs, he does not simply bombard you with words; rather, he educates you about Chinese cuisine and its history. He discusses the essential kitchen equipment and the ingredients and culinary techniques to employ.
A Chinese cuisine is an art form, and he believes that you will appreciate being a part of it. He arranges the recipes by food type, making them simple to follow, especially if you are new to Chinese cuisine and have no prior experience.
Recipes and Cooking Methods Included
- Shanghai Vegetable Rice.
- Chicken on Crispy Noodles.
- Barbecued Roast Pork.
- Dim Sum dumplings.
- Prawn Crackers.
- Sweet Almond Soup.
- Egg Custard and many more.
- All the instructions are Simple and Straight forward.
- Authentic Techniques.
- Very well explained Recipes.
- Nothing to Complain About.
6. Easy Chinese Recipes:
This is an excellent book for simple Chinese dishes with real flavor! Bee, the author, lives in the contemporary western world, yet she continues to pursue her love by experimenting with items accessible in local stores. It is unnecessary to have a sophisticated kitchen or access to an Asian food shop to follow the directions provided.
This book covers all of the fundamentals of Chinese cuisine, starting with a thorough discussion of the tools and utensils utilized, followed by a part on the wonderfully photographed Chinese ingredients. You’ll appreciate Bee’s attitude and enthusiasm for Chinese cuisine from the beginning to the end!
Recipes and Cooking Methods Included:
- Homestyle Chow Mein Noodles
- Crispy Shrimp Dumplings
- Mongolian Beef
- Kung Pao Chicken and many more.
- Recipes that are simple to follow.
- This product is comparable to the restaurant version.
- Sauce should be made in a particular recipe.
- Make use of ingredients that are easily accessible.
- The foods are well shown in this artwork.
Cooking hints and suggestions as a bonus.
- Minor editing issues were encountered.
- There are just a few vegetarian dishes.
7. Every Grain of Rice:
Fuchsia Dunlop, the first Westerner to study as a chef at the Sichuan Academy of Higher Food, revealed her real enthusiasm for Chinese cuisine in this beautiful cookbook written by the first White person to train as a chef there.
The dishes are not westernized to be more comfortable to eat. Besides translating Sichuanese cuisine into English, the book also includes a glossary of Western culinary terms.
You may also enjoy this book if you are not a fan of meat meals since it emphasizes veggies rather than meat. Meat is used in several recipes, although it is not an absolute need.
It’s a must-have for anybody who enjoys Sichuanese cuisine, thanks to its clear language, relevant background information, and beautiful photographs to get the juices flowing.
Recipes and Cooking Methods Included:
- Sour-and-hot mushroom soup
- Gong Bao Chicken and many more
- Widely available Ingredients.
- There is a large selection of meals.
- The glossary and introduction are excellent.
- There are several vegetarian adaptations.
- Some recipes merely call for weight measurements.
8. Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking:
As a result of this book, you will get an overview of chef Eileen’s years of culinary experience. You will receive classes that will help you improve your home cooking abilities and knowledge. You will gain confidence in your cooking abilities following the step-by-step techniques provided.
The chef will show cooking techniques, materials, and equipment often used in Chinese cuisine to educate you on the same subject. I’m not aware of any other books that will make the majesty of Chinese cuisine available to you in such a straightforward manner.
It features 100 traditional and innovative dishes that you can try out without worrying about the procedure because the chef utilizes clear visuals to make it simple to accomplish. The book further provides a sense of China through photos, without the need for the reader to travel to China.
This tour will take you through the winding streets of Guangzhou, along with other major cities and outlying towns. Furthermore, you have images of the wonderful products and Chinese cuisines to peruse. Everything is done step-by-step, and it will undoubtedly become your favorite book.
Recipes and Cooking Methods Included
- 100 classic and unique recipes
- Great collection of Recipes, history, and Culture.
- Easy to follow recipes.
- Some Ingredient amounts are unknown.
9. Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge:
Cooking using a stir-fryer is a creative, polished, adjustable preparation method—the technique through which the small amount of food you have will feed many people. According to traditional Chinese beliefs, cooks who utilize a wok for their cooking are considered to be masters of the art of cooking in the kitchen.
We might claim that the stir-frying way of cooking is simple, but it is also difficult. This book has more than 100 recipes that will sizzle in the pan and offer a rich flavor to your taste buds.
According to tradition, the Cantonese area is the world’s foremost expert in the art of stir-frying cuisine. Today, however, the approach is being used widely around the world.
With the 80 amazing photographs, you will be able to see the tale of the Asian counters in a single image and the creative character of the Chinese people themselves. Young doesn’t mince words; instead, she simplifies the cooking process so that you can follow along with her.
She shows that she is not forgetting her people who have crossed the sea to become immigrants in other nations, such as Jamaica, by including them in the Chinese Jamaican jerk chicken fried rice. You will gain a thorough understanding of stir-frying.
If you don’t have a wok, she even provides a skillet substitute that you may use in its place. Aside from that, the book demonstrates how to select the best work from a selection of works and how to care for it. For example, you will learn how to slice your meat and the significance of each item properly.
Recipes and Cooking Methods Included
- Stir-fries.
- Moist stir-fries.
- Velvet stir-fries
- Clear stir-fries.
- Chicken Lo Mein with Ginger Mushroom.
- Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli.
- Kung Pao Chicken and many more.
- Intimate Style and storytelling.
- Excellent for those who are new to wok cooking.
- An additional resource list of retailers and websites is provided.
- In general, teach the notion of cooking as a whole.
- The print is a tad too tiny for my liking.
- Some substances may require access to Asian markets to be obtained.
10. Wok Cooking Made Easy:
According to my understanding, the best way to explain wok cooking is that it is high-heat cooking in which the work is suspended over the flames. It specializes in Asian-inspired cuisine that draws inspiration from Thailand, China, India, Vietnam, and other Asian countries.
Other than wok cooking, I’m not aware of any other form of cooking as rapid or effective. The strong heat produced by wok cooking allows your food to cook more quickly while preserving its natural tastes and aroma.
Remember that high-flame cooking is best left to specialists since you run the danger of having an accident in your kitchen. To be safe when cooking on high heat, you must first ensure that you are not in danger. Due to this circumstance, this book is quite beneficial. You have a lot of things to discover.
Even if you are not from China, the book will still be of assistance. It contains all of the different wok cooking recipes that have been simplified to make them easier to prepare with all of the available components. The goal is to ensure that you can prepare the cuisine and that the western audience comprehends the procedure.
When you have this wok cooking book, you won’t need any particular abilities to cook in traditional Chinese. Please make no mistake; all dishes are healthful, light, and delicious.
Recipes and Cooking Methods Included
- Spinach with Garlic stir-fry.
- Thai Fried Rice.
- Sliced Fish with Mushrooms and Ginger.
- Hot and Spicy Sichuan Tofu.
- Classic Sichuan Chicken with Dried Chilies.
- Five Spice Chicken and many more.
- Great Wok cooking bool.
- Convenient size.
- Nice color photography.
- Some recipes are not easy to cook.
Bottom Line:
In this blog post, we’ve created a list of the top ten Chinese cookbooks available. These cookbooks are ideal for anybody interested in learning more about the delectable cuisine of China since they have a variety of recipes and ingredients to pick from. They are excellent beginning points whether you are a first-time Chinese cook or wish to experiment with some new dishes and techniques.
