Chinese Soul Food: A Friendly Guide for Homemade Dumplings, Stir-Fries, Soups, and More

by Hsiao-Ching Chou

Any kitchen can be a Chinese kitchen with these 80 easy homestyle recipes—plus tips and techniques for cooking with a wok, stocking your pantry, making rice, and more

Chinese food is more popular than any other cuisine and yet it often intimidates North American home cooks.  Chinese Soul Food  draws cooks into the kitchen with recipes that include sizzling potstickers, simply but delicious stir-fries, saucy braises, and soups that bring comfort with a sip. These are dishes that feed the belly and speak the universal language of "mmm!"
 
In Chinese Soul Food , you'll find approachable recipes and plenty of tips for favorite homestyle Chinese dishes, such as red-braised pork belly, dry-fried green beans, braised-beef noodle soup, green onion pancakes, garlic eggplant, and the author's famous potstickers, which consistently sell out her cooking classes in Seattle. You will also find helpful tips and techniques, such as caring for and using a wok and how to cook rice properly, as well as a basic Chinese pantry list that also includes acceptable substitutions, making it even simpler for the busiest among us to cook their favorite Chinese dishes at home. Recipes are streamlined to minimize the fear factor of unfamiliar ingredients and techniques, and home cooks are gently guided toward becoming comfortable cooking satisfying Chinese meals.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Food and Drink, Food and Wine, Reference

256 pages, Hardcover

Published January 30, 2018

Reviews

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hsiao-Ching Chou delves into the heart of Chinese cooking, understanding its power to provide sustenance and comfort. This unique collection of recipes will inspire lovers of Chinese cuisine to fire up their woks. Chou expertly teaches popular classics such as Soup Dumplings and Mu Shu Pork, as well as less familiar dishes, like Beef with Pickled Chinese Mustard Greens and Spicy Clams with Chinese Sausage, showcasing the remarkable range of Chinese home cooking.
Grace Young

When I first met Hsiao-Ching Chou and she told me about making wontons and dumplings and other dishes, I was startled for I never had thought of these foods being made, and here was someone who actually made them. And that’s just one reason why I’m so glad to see Chinese Soul Food coming into print. Another is Hsiao-Ching’s personal comments about life in her parents’ restaurant that run through the book; they shed light on so many lives. As for the food, when I thumb through this book I want to make everything, it sounds so good and so comforting. Congratulations on a fine book!
Deborah Madison

Soulful. Smart. And hunger inducing. This is the sort of food you eat if you’re lucky enough to have a Chinese grandmother cook for you.
Steven Raichlen

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chinese Soul Food is a book you'll actually cook from, not just look at the pretty pictures.

I've had the good fortune to attend one of Hsiao-Ching Chou's dumpling classes at Hot Stove Society in Seattle, so I was really looking forward to this book. I've cooked about a half a dozen dishes from it. (Pics on Instagram @dailywaffle).

The verdict so far: Chinese Soul Food is worth for it the stir-fry section alone. The Beef and Asparagus is great, the Chicken with Snow Peas, the Rice Cakes with Chicken and Shiitakes. They're simple, delicious, and great for weeknight meals.

I'm an avid home cook (but far from pro) and I've had an Americanized chicken stir-fry in my rotation for years. Chinese Soul Food provided a few small lessons that led to huge breakthroughs. In the past, I wasn't getting stir-fries done in 15 minutes or less. The directions are clear and well-written. I'm confident I'll get good results with other recipes as I cook through the book.

The one area it could use more on is how to fold the dumplings. There are a few photos, but a video would be a huge help if you haven't done it before. I used store bought wrappers, so I can at least tell you the Pork and Chinese Cabbage filling tastes great.

Finally, if what you're looking for are the Chinese-American style dishes you grew up with, like Cashew Chicken, Mongolian Beef, General Tso's Chicken, Chinese Soul Food has those, too. The Guilty Pleasures chapter offers recipes based on many of the dishes served in her family's restaurant in Columbia, Missouri.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. These aren’t going to be the most traditional or refined version you’ll find of these dishes, but they’re the versions you’ll actually cook, and not just for a special occasion. I’ve made her chicken soup so many times now that it’s fair to say it’s changed me into someone who actually keeps homemade chicken broth on hand!

[ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is true comfort food! The MaPo Tofu is a family staple now. The recipes are clear and concise and the photos are helpful. And the stories that connect these recipes to the author’s family history are a delight.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accessible Chinese food for the uninitiated home cook. Luckily for me my daughter made the dumplings, there were enough to freeze and enjoy a few different times.

All delicious.

[Delia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m not sure why this author’s books are so popular but these recipes were so terrible I felt distressed that people would try to cook from them and think that’s how home-cooked Chinese or American-Chinese food tastes. There are a lot of better sources for Chinese recipes out there. Avoid.

If you are looking for simple, straightforward recipes 365 Ways to Cook Chinese by Rosa Lo San Ross is a surprisingly broad and deep collection of versatile, timeless recipes. This is an overlooked gem and is very easy to find used (online or at garage sales, thrift stores, and used bookstores) for the price of a good beverage.

[emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me.

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yum yum drool. As claimed, this is a user friendly guide to preparing your own delicious Chinese meals at home. I would love to own this as a reference or base for many standard recipes that Americans are familiar with. Raise your hand if you have to go digging around on the internet every time you have a hankering for kung pao chicken. But like the majority of Chinese restaurants in America, the popular dishes in this book come from southern provinces. This in itself has an interesting history, and is related to why people in Chinatowns around the US, as well as Chinese families who have been in the US for 3+ generations, speak Cantonese and not Mandarin. Anyways, my experience in China was in northern provinces and some regional favorites are not present in this book. Nevertheless, this one is a goodie!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok book I did not love or hate it. It is just something that works better for someone who is already familiar with this cooking technique. This is not for the novice cook. There are not very many pictures in the book either so that is another negative. This would only be good for someone who makes this kind of food all of the time. The only positive thing was the step by step instructions on how to make dumplings. That was good.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very comprehensive Chinese cookbook. In the introduction, the author takes readers through her personal history, then delves deep into ingredients, techniques and tools one needs to successfully recreate the recipes in the book.

The recipes are accompanied by beautiful pictures. The recipes are made with ingredients that are commonly at most grocery stores and a the instructions are clear and easy to follow.

[L]

Dumplings, pg's 56-77
Smacked Cucumber, pg. 82
Marbled Soy Sauce Eggs, pg. 85
Green Cabbage and Kohlrabi Slaw; pg. 89
Wontons, pg. 98
Chili Sauce for Wontons, and Chili Oil, pg. 99
Ginger Scallion Oil, pg. 104
Soup Dumplings pg's 107-109
Chow Fun with Beef, pg. 126
Ma Po Tofu, pg. 148
Three Cup Chicken, pg. 152
Hot and Sour Soup, pg. 170
Chicken Broth, pg. 173
Stir Fry Rice Cakes, pg. 210
Long Life Noodles, pg. 213
Master Sauce, pg. 224

[Danielle T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, I read a cookbook without actually making anything in it... (this time mostly because it's due and I need to return it), but I do want to get my own copy at some point. Recipes were written clearly and it seems like they'll be easy to follow. A fair amount of things used recipes from elsewhere in the book, which makes sense (why not repurpose something into other dishes?)

[Charles Eldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will use this cookbook. Often. To delicious ends.

The ease of each wonderful recipe cannot be overstated. Definitely in the Top 5 of most-used cookbooks in our house. You’ll be making restaurant-quality meals easily on weeknights. It’s companion book of vegetarian options is likely wonderful.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive introduction to Chinese cooking with in-depth information on ingredients and where to purchase them. Growing up in Missouri, I had to giggle at the Americanized recipes at the end of the book and appreciate Chou’s decision to include them. Looking forward to trying my hand at a majority of the dishes.

[Brian TramueL · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got at least 10 great recipes. I grabbed it because I love consuming dumplings/ pot stickers & this tells me how to make them. I was a mighty Asian King in a former life or I could have been the King's cook.

[Olga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good step by step instructions. Most of the recipes are fairly easy if followed diligently. This book is for someone who wants a home-cooked Chinese takeout. I've tried 2 recipes so far and both were on point.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to follow instructions and some recipes that can be made without investing a lot in special tools, spices, condiments, and other foods. Can't wait to try some of the recipes. I think Smashed Cucumbers will be the first one I try.

[Stephen Simpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a ragtag mix of recipes, ranging from the "authentic" (as much as I hate that word in relation to food/recipes...) to the very definitely Americanized. Instructions are easy to follow and the recipes are okay, but just okay. Nothing "oh my god, that's amazing" here.

[Leila · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great reference book if you're looking to start making homemade Chinese dishes! The story of how the author was introduced to cooking, experience working in her family restaurant and how she discovered her passion for cooking is also interesting background info.

[Honest Mabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I have been trying to find more authentic Chinese recipes. The websites out there have been a bust. I do love wok of life but I wanted to have more than one resource.

I have made a few things from this book and am exceptionally pleased by it! I have the Chinese bbq pork marinating right now.

I have two other books but I am super excited!!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve had the book in my shelf for a while. Finally took it down to find a chicken stir fry. Went with Cashew Chicken. Was delicious. I had never heard of the “Master Sauce.” I plan to make that a staple.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recipes that I am excited to try out and branch out with different types of stir fry and other delicious meals.

[Paul T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern recipes, excellent cook, good range.

[Clivemichael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Instructive, well laid out, easy to follow with personable commentary.

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Former food writer for one of the local newspapers and a product of a restaurant family, Hsiao-Ching Chou provides recipes and explanation of a more home-style nature.

[Sufen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only used 2-3 recipes. The rest of the recipes required special ingredients and techniques that I wasn't familiar with. An enjoyable read about Chinese cooking, nevertheless.

[Riegs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very accessible.

[Ribbqah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to understand, helpful explanations on methods & ingredients. Good recipes for the novice-to-Chinese cooking.

[Aasinathena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly.....I did not enjoy this book at all.

[Kristen Peirce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read with quite a few yummy and practical recipes. I am looking forward to adding several of them to my regular rotation.