Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook

by Gloria Bley Miller

An essential resource in the American kitchen and a classic for nearly four decades, this is the definitive Chinese cookbook, perfect for cooks at every level.

Here is the largest, most comprehensive Chinese cookbook ever published for the Western world. A Tastemaker Award winner, Gloria Bley Miller distills centuries of Chinese recipes and techniques into concise and easy-to-follow directions that will enable any cook to produce dishes that please the eye, delight the palate, and suit the budget.

With verve and wit, Miller tells you how to prepare everything from egg drop soup and drunken pork to sizzling rice and delicate wontons. There are 150 recipes for chicken alone, plus dozens of variations on pork dishes, vegetables, and noodles, as well as other Chinese favorites. Using Miller's recipes, ordinary meat and seafood become delicacies, while vegetables retain their color and texture. And Miller's delicious recipes are splendidly high in nutrients and low in calories.

The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook contains everything the cook needs to know about Chinese cooking, including how to:

-Use special Chinese cooking techniques such as steaming and stir-frying

-Create unique seasonings and sauces

-Substitute hard-to-find ingredients with those available in any supermarket

-Plan menus suited to every time constraint, budget, and occasion

The classic Chinese cookbook, this is the only book you'll ever need to master one of the world's greatest and most versatile cuisines.

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

927 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

Reviews

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only had this book a year, and it's already covered in sauce stains and grease. Wonderfully comprehensive and simple to follow, it's a great source to learn the basics of Chinese cooking. Thousand Recipe is a foundational text that has earned a place next to Joy of Cooking on my shelf.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those with a genuine interest in authentic Chinese cuisine, this is the ONLY guide you will ever need. It covers all aspects of Chinese cuisine, from regional cuisines to the proper method for cooking raw rice to selecting the right tea for a meal. Well organized,comprehensive, and a joy to read.

[Redsteve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is definitely an "outsider's" book on Chinese cooking for Americans (Written in the 1960s and much of her information from Chinese immigrants), this book is authentic in technique, and is definitely not “American Chinese food”. Most of the recipes are fairly simple (a recipe with more than a dozen ingredients is unusual) but gives the reader an excellent grounding in all aspects of Chinese cooking. Often, 1-3 basic versions of a dish are described, followed by 1-2 dozen different ingredient combinations that can be used, followed by several pages of specific variations. Probably because the author got her information from Chinese living in the US, the book is pretty weak on regional specifics - other than a few recipe names and 3 pages of the introduction, she doesn't go much into the differences in cooking in different parts of the country. Over the years, the author has gotten a certain amount of flack for her recipe for hot mustard, which includes the instruction to boil a cup of water and then allow it to cool before adding the dry mustard. I'm assuming that this was one recipe the she didn't completely adapt for American kitchens. On the other hand, living as I do in New Orleans with our frequent "boil water advisories", I appreciate the handy reminder that you never know what might be lurking in your water supply. Warning - the author assumes a certain amount of cooking experience in the reader; however, it is easy to follow, and, in fact, is the first cookbook I ever owned.

[Ken Chow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those without basic cooking skills may find this text lacking, and you should probably be starting with a more basic tome. That said, for reasonably experienced cooks, this book provides wealth of recipes and techniques that will endlessly delight and amuse.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, any chinese recipe you could want.

[Jo]

A wonderful woman who was my substitute mother in Texas, gave me this book. While I haven't tried many recipes, everytime I look at it, I am reminded of Marg

[Joanne Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only Chinese Cookbook you need to own.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are twelve different cultural regions in Chin each with its own cuisine. This cookcook book explores all the differnt regions and there is sure to be something to please any cook in this work.

[Kir Chashin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the greatest Chinese cooking book. You get the real clear idea of how things work, and recipes range from easy to very sophisticated. Hightly recommended.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very useful book on Chinese cooking, I have had it since 1976 and continue to use it.

[Martha Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Dad gave me this book (bought at a garage sale or some such place). While the version I have is older and has no photographs, only some illustrations, it is a wealth of good chinese recipes.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

good for anyone who loves chinese cooking or learning about culture. it's at the school library and i always want to check it out again and again

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is very much a cookbook in the old style, ie. a non-teaching cookbook. It's basically a collection of lists of ingredients with minimal instruction. That said, it's decent for the price and useful to those who already know what they're doing. For those looking to learn to cook Chinese meals, look elsewhere to a teaching cookbook like those of Martin Yan.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author discusses the cultural context of food in China prior to presenting an extensive collection of recipes. The recipes are easy to understand and follow. A must have for the cook who loves Chinese food.

[Heffalump · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Dad gave me this book (bought at a garage sale or some such place). While the version I have is older and has no photographs, only some illustrations, it is a wealth of good chinese recipes.

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth getting!

[Hildegart · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are so many recipes in here to choose from!! I haven't liked every single one I've tried, and servings can be off, but it's a nice cookbook to have around!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cookbook is a must for folks seeking to learn more about Chinese cooking.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many recipes to choose from! There is bound to be something for everyone.