Chinese dishes are my most favorite next to Filipino dishes. Their colors, textures, and flavors are so enticing and literally burst in my mouth. Whenever our family and loved-ones celebrate special occasions, we opt to reserve in our favorite Chinese restaurant because we are always sure that our guests would truly be satisfied and the compliments that we get are truly heartwarming.
My kids and husband can't say no to Chinese food like I do. For a cook like me who is fond of preparing quick and easy dishes due to my very busy schedule, my reliable source in giving me suggestions in finding easy Chinese recipes is my best friend Google (Moms, I know that you can relate. LOL!). I would search for the easiest and quickest recipes and of course, it also takes time to find the right ones and I would always end up cooking the dishes that I know--- Pancit, Lumpiang Shanghai, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Egg Drop Soup, and Siomai (using ready made wanton wrapper). Seriously, nakasasawa na and I also would always say to myself, "Sana mayroon namang iba."
Google search for this matter is finally over at the moment because now I have with me a copy of Easy Chinese Recipes --- Family Favorites from Dim Sum to Kung Pao by by Bee Yinn Low. It has over 70 great-tasting recipes to keep us covered when we crave for Chinese dishes- from appetizers; soups; dim sum and dumplings; beef, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and egg dishes; noodles and rice; desserts; and drinks that are so easy to prepare and I guarantee that are so delicious.
How did Bee Yinn Low come up with this cookbook?
As mentioned in the book's preface, Bee Yinn Low grew up in a Chinese household in Malaysia. She watched her mother cook as she was growing up but wasn't allowed to help that much. After a few years as a working woman in California, her love for Chinese food kept her determined to replicate the unforgettable flavors that she tasted during her youth despite having limited time in the kitchen. She did her best to develop her own versions of her favorite dishes using the readily available ingredients in local supermarkets. She experimented, read, and tasted until her passion became an expertise. Thereafter, her meals became well-loved by her friends and loved ones that prompted her to share her love of Asian Cuisine through her blog, RasaMalaysia.com. Moreover, this website has become the internet's most popular Asian food site.
When I started reading this cookbook, I immediately felt the author's generosity in sharing her skills. All the contents were written and explained in a very simple manner, supported with detailed and enticing photographs that even people who still haven't experienced cooking or find it difficult to cook could follow.
Due to so much excitement, Paps, who is better and expert in the kitchen, cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken based on the Sweet and Sour Fish found on page 102. Wow! It tasted so good that he decided to cook it again the following day!
Bee Yinn Low would like her readers to nail Chinese cooking by first giving basic cooking techniques and tips, basic tools in utensils, and understanding Chinese ingredients. She even included the basics on how to cook steamed rice, make sauces, condiments, and dipping condiments that would compliment the recipes in the book. The content on this part of the book that our family enjoyed the most was how to make homemade dumpling wrappers from scratch (page 31). Our kids were giggling while doing this maybe because it was truly fun and amazing!
Lumpiang Shanghai is a dish that Kuya and Loley love so much. Knowing how to wrap and cook them properly (page 65) makes him love it more. This shows that even kids can follow Binn Yin Low's recipes and replicating her creations here at home make our palates and tummies satisfied at the same time creating wonderful bonding moments while cooking and eating them with the family.
My kids and husband can't say no to Chinese food like I do. For a cook like me who is fond of preparing quick and easy dishes due to my very busy schedule, my reliable source in giving me suggestions in finding easy Chinese recipes is my best friend Google (Moms, I know that you can relate. LOL!). I would search for the easiest and quickest recipes and of course, it also takes time to find the right ones and I would always end up cooking the dishes that I know--- Pancit, Lumpiang Shanghai, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Egg Drop Soup, and Siomai (using ready made wanton wrapper). Seriously, nakasasawa na and I also would always say to myself, "Sana mayroon namang iba."
Google search for this matter is finally over at the moment because now I have with me a copy of Easy Chinese Recipes --- Family Favorites from Dim Sum to Kung Pao by by Bee Yinn Low. It has over 70 great-tasting recipes to keep us covered when we crave for Chinese dishes- from appetizers; soups; dim sum and dumplings; beef, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and egg dishes; noodles and rice; desserts; and drinks that are so easy to prepare and I guarantee that are so delicious.
How did Bee Yinn Low come up with this cookbook?
As mentioned in the book's preface, Bee Yinn Low grew up in a Chinese household in Malaysia. She watched her mother cook as she was growing up but wasn't allowed to help that much. After a few years as a working woman in California, her love for Chinese food kept her determined to replicate the unforgettable flavors that she tasted during her youth despite having limited time in the kitchen. She did her best to develop her own versions of her favorite dishes using the readily available ingredients in local supermarkets. She experimented, read, and tasted until her passion became an expertise. Thereafter, her meals became well-loved by her friends and loved ones that prompted her to share her love of Asian Cuisine through her blog, RasaMalaysia.com. Moreover, this website has become the internet's most popular Asian food site.
When I started reading this cookbook, I immediately felt the author's generosity in sharing her skills. All the contents were written and explained in a very simple manner, supported with detailed and enticing photographs that even people who still haven't experienced cooking or find it difficult to cook could follow.
Due to so much excitement, Paps, who is better and expert in the kitchen, cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken based on the Sweet and Sour Fish found on page 102. Wow! It tasted so good that he decided to cook it again the following day!
Bee Yinn Low would like her readers to nail Chinese cooking by first giving basic cooking techniques and tips, basic tools in utensils, and understanding Chinese ingredients. She even included the basics on how to cook steamed rice, make sauces, condiments, and dipping condiments that would compliment the recipes in the book. The content on this part of the book that our family enjoyed the most was how to make homemade dumpling wrappers from scratch (page 31). Our kids were giggling while doing this maybe because it was truly fun and amazing!
Lumpiang Shanghai is a dish that Kuya and Loley love so much. Knowing how to wrap and cook them properly (page 65) makes him love it more. This shows that even kids can follow Binn Yin Low's recipes and replicating her creations here at home make our palates and tummies satisfied at the same time creating wonderful bonding moments while cooking and eating them with the family.
I highly recommend this cookbook. It's a must-have for busy moms and individuals who want to cook the best and yummy Chinese dishes at the comforts of their homes without taking so much of their time and effort. If you wish to have a copy, it can be purchased here in the Philippines via National Book Store (SM Mega Mall, SM North Edsa, SM Mall of Asia, and Robinsons Galleria), Fully Booked The Fort, and Fully Booked Rockwell. You may also buy it online at www.tuttlepublishing.com. Tuttle Publishing offers free shipping for items worth $35.00 (US $) and above. Aside from this book, there are a lot of interesting books available on the website.
