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"There are seven essential things in life: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea." So goes the ancient Chinese proverb. So far, so familiar, perhaps … but Handa Cheng is keen to change our perception of Chinese food and shed light on a cuisine that is rich and varied, with unique ingredients, techniques, and traditions.

“There are seven essential things in life: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea.” So goes the ancient Chinese proverb. So far, so familiar, perhaps … but Handa Cheng is keen to change our perception of Chinese food, and shed light on a cuisine that is rich and varied, with unique ingredients, techniques and traditions.

In this comprehensive guide, Handa introduces the vastly different culinary regions of this immense country and their specialty dishes, from Mouth-watering chicken to Mapo tofu to Yu Xiang eggplant. From luxurious imperial fair to frugal vegetarian recipes of Buddhist monks, Handa distils 5000 years of history and food culture into 14 simple chapters, with easy, fresh recipes that are packed with “good to know” tips and memories of his childhood in Wenzhou.

Step-by-step recipes help you learn the essentials, while 35 illustrated chef’s tips and techniques uncover key ingredients and traditional cooking methods. Feature pages get to the heart of each chapter: tofu as a blank page, the infinite possibilities of an egg, Chinese food and herbal medicine, street food and dining out, and even the ceremonial practice of tea-drinking. In The Guide to Chinese Cooking, Handa explores taste, texture, and spice to recreate authentic family dishes that are well-balanced and seasonal – all with an emphasis on everyday cooking and eating.