Product ReviewsThousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook : A Novel by Gloria Bley Miller (1984, Trade Paperback, Reprint)

Very good, but NOT the 'holy grail' of chinese cooking

I decided to get it mainly because I wanted to recreate some of my restaurant favorites at home, and discover some recipes I've never tried...

You'd THINK that with a title like '1000 recipe chinese cookbook' you can't go wrong!! That it's like the ULTIMATE collection of chinese recipes!! Well, that's partly true...

It's very evident that this author took a painstakingly extensive effort into not only the collection of recipes but she delves into the the technical parts of it, like cooking techniques, ingredients, even a history or a Chinese culture lesson here & there. There are 4 pages alone discussing nothing but chopsticks ferchristsake!! *lol* It was a labor of love & it shows. However, as thorough as she's tried to make the book out to be, there still are a few missing elements...

For instance: Although it's likely you'll find your favorites here(I found mine! Almond Chicken! YES!!)There are a few you may not...Many of you who love orange flavored chicken are going to moan for example!*LOL* Also couldnt find shumai (yummy little dumplings). According to this book, Chinese are into pork in a BIG way (a surprise to some I'd imagine. Judging by chinese menus around the states, you'd think chicken was their #1).So if you don't care much for pork (like me) you'll find yourself skipping over a bunch of pages.

A good # of the recipes here might be a bit of a shock to some.A little TOO 'authentic chinese'...not the kind you'll find in restaurants!Such as "congee"; a sort of mush or gruel made of rice(don't ask what they suggest you flavor it with *LOL* just kidding)"fish maw";a part of a fish that could be considered a chinese cross betwn a pork rind & 'chitlin' let's just say *hah* also:simmered beef tongue, stir-fried beef w/melon (WTH?) or chicken w/ bacon and DATES (yeesh!)

What's more, some of the directions in cooking some of the dishes are a bit off.I'll share 1 or 2 to keep it short (too late,huh? *LOL*): In the recipe for stir-fried mixed vegetables(in which there are several variations.Gotta LOVE that!),they instruct you to PARBOIL(blanch) the vegetables before you toss them in??WTH ?? Not only have I never done that,I've NEVER seen it done at the restaurants here, Chinatown or anywhere!!Ever ever!!I'd suspect they'd be overcooked mush for sure if you do that!Also, the steamed eggs I remember having in chinatown a forever ago were silky and perfect. The ones listed here instruct you cook em for 30 minutes?? They'd be hard and rubbery enough to bounce off the wall I imagine!!

Was very dismayed to find, in the ingredient substitute section, that there was no substitute for cornstarch (to which Ive become allergic). Anyone who's ever been to an asian market knows there's a colorful variety of substitutes, from potato starch, arrowroot, taro root starch, lotus root powder, I can go on. Plus,there's no quick reference for anything anywhere, making finding your recipes a bit of a chore. But will I part with mine? HECK no!! In spite of it's shortcomings, it's still a treasure chest of recipes, IMO. Also, the section of planned menu suggestions are great when hosting, or are wanting to impress family, friends or that other special someone ^_^Read full review...

One book that replaced six of my Chinese recipe books.

Many recipes that look great. My favorite to date is Lobster sauce....with many variations.
There are recipes for sauces for hundreds of dishes.
The recipes are easy to follow and delicious too!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: betterworldbook...

Love these cookbooks good price "$1"

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: ggiezgg

Wonderful!!! Received much than expected. 100% ++++

I decided to buy the Chinese Cookbook because it's easy to read, understand, follow and find ingredients. The book is more complete than I expected. If you're into Chinese cooking I highly recommend this book.Read full review...

Recipies were difficult.

The recipies were not realistic.I read the book cover to cover. I have purchased many books and was very diisappointed in this one.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: thrift.books

AMAZING BOOK!

I got this to replace a hard cover one.
Amazing book!

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: betterworldbooks

Great book!

Excellent resource.

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1000 recipes

Thank you for making this book available 😊 Amen

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: jacklopezinc

Loves me some Chinese.

If you are into Chinese dishes and you have no access to a wise old Chinese person this is a must for your kitchen.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: discover-books

Fantastic collection of Chinese recipes at an affordable price!

A comprehensive and massive collection of recipes and at such an affordable price.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: discover-books