Phoenix claws and jade trees : essential techniques of authentic Chinese cooking / Kian Lam Kho

Includes index.

1.The essence of Chinese food -- 2.The Chinese kitchen -- 3.The Chinese pantry -- 4.Basic ingredient preparation -- 5.Chinese stocks -- 6.Harnessing the breath of a wok -- 7.Explosion in the wok -- 8.Dipping in oil -- 9.Flavoring with sauces -- 10.The virtues of slow cooking -- 11.The intricacy of boiling -- 12.The power of steam -- 13.The making of hearty soups -- 14.Playing with fire -- 15.Enriching with smoke -- 16.Appetizing cold dishes -- 17.Sweet but not dessert.

Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees offers a unique introduction to Chinese home cooking, demystifying it by focusing on its basic cooking methods. In outlining the differences among various techniques--such as pan-frying, oil steeping, and yin-yang frying--and instructing which one is best for particular ingredients and end results, culinary expert Kian Lam Kho provides a practical, intuitive window into this unique cuisine. Once one learns how to dry stir-fry chicken, one can then confidently apply the technique to tofu, shrimp, and any number of ingredients. Accompanied by more than 200 photographs, including helpful step-by-step images, the 158 recipes range from simple, such as Spicy Lotus Root Salad or Red Cooked Pork, to slightly more involved, including authentic General Tso's Chicken or Pork Shank Soup with Winter Bamboo. But the true brilliance behind this innovative book lies in the way it teaches the soul of Chinese cooking, enabling home cooks to master this diverse, alluring cuisine and then to re-create any tempting dish they encounter or can imagine.