The Essential Wok Cookbook: A Simple Chinese Cookbook for Stir-Fry, Dim Sum, and Other Restaurant Favorites Paperback – May 8, 2015

As a family that loves Chinese take out and stir fry dishes, this cookbook has found a great home with us. I am amazed at how easy and inexpensive it is to whip up many of our favorite Chinese take out dishes at home with this cookbook! I always thought that it would take so much time, money, and work to make our own dishes with Chinese flair. I have found thanks to The Essential Wok Cookbook that this could not be further from reality.I love the way they have laid out recipes in this book and also include many that are under $10 to make and take less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Being a busy mom of two small children on a limited income, this is invaluable. I am always looking for ways to stretch our dollars as well as my time and this book is a lifesaver. Not only am I able to make a great dish (Easy Sesame Chicken, Pineapple Fried Rice, and Vegetable Egg Rolls are favorites here) for under $10, but everyone loves it and I know that I am serving something healthier than take out food.I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to make some great dishes in a wok, regardless of your expertise. The step by step instructions are a cinch to follow and many of the ingredients can be found easily at your local grocery.*I received this ebook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review, all opinions are my own.

Granted, I am not a very experienced wok user but I wonder if there might be an error in the recipe for “Better Beef with Broccoli.” It calls for 3 tablespoons cornstarch to 2 tablespoons water to coat 1 lb of cut up beef. It was pretty thick and stuck to the bottom of my wok. It was difficult to stir fry the broccoli and onion with that cornstarch coating burning to the bottom of my wok. I have seen recipes where the broccoli is steamed a bit in the wok first and removed, before the meat is cooked, which in this case might have worked better for me. The second time I tried the recipe, I used just 3 TEASPOONS of cornstarch instead of tablespoons, to the 2 tablespoons of water and it was much easier to manage and tasted better. It could be my technique that needs work. I have noticed other recipes in the book calling for either 3 teaspoons or 3 tablespoons of cornstarch for what appears to be the same amount of liquid. I suspect the tablespoons is meant to be teaspoons but as I said, it could be me and my technique, or lack thereof. Still learning to “wok.”Made the “Super Easy Vegetable Lo Mein” today, with spaghetti, and it was very good. I am loving this cookbook. All the sauces I have tried have been delicious. I like that it is American Chinese and easily accessible. Looking forward to getting better at handling my new wok by making these scrumptious recipes.

If you've ever entertained the idea of creating Chinese dishes at home The Essential WOK Cookbook by Naomi Imatome-Yun is a great place to start. I don't eat a big variety of Chinese food typically but my family does enjoy take-out from time to time so I was intrigued when I came across this cookbook. Packed with almost 100 flavor filled recipes, it gives you the knowledge and tools to skip the take-out and opt for healthier versions of some of your favorite authentic Chinese meals with less effort and cost than you would imagine. I was impressed from the beginning with how informative of a read this turned out to be, including the rich and vast history of what we know today as Chinese American cooking. Did you know that Soy Sauce was one of the oldest condiments and also comes in two varieties?The first chapter covers basic history and includes individual origin stories of some of your favorite classics like Wonton Soup with is roughly translate from Cantonese to "swallowing clouds". It also gives an array of history, styles, and tips on Woks and even gives instructions on seasoning them which I did not know was encouraged.The second chapter covers the basic ingredients you typically see in this style of cooking and how they are used as well as the tools to make the job easier. It also covers MSG, what it is and does.The remainder of the chapters are split into recipe sections such as vegetable, chicken, fish, and rice/noodle meals. I think my favorite is the last entitled The Basics which includes my favorite Steamed White Rice.I'm glad I've had the opportunity to expand my culinary skills with this cookbook addition.*I received this in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is great! I have the digital version and I love that I can search through recipes so fast. I have never used a wok before but this book helped walk me through the steps and help me feel confident in cooking Chinese food in my own kitchen. The first chapter, titled Everyday Chinese Cooking, was actually interesting and informational. (I had planned on skipping over it, but I skimmed it a little, then I went back to read the whole thing!) It talks about wok basics, like how to select the best one for you, how to season it, care for it, etc. I found it is a lot like a cast iron pan in that they say it gets seasoned over time, which makes the food better, so how you clean it matters. This chapter also talks about what makes traditional Chinese food very healthy, and how it differs from Americanized Chinese cuisine. Chapter 2, The Chinese Kitchen discusses basic ingredients you'll need, and essential cooking tools, which I found very helpful as well. Throughout the book there are also little stories about the origins of fortune cookies, what MSG is, etc.I did notice, however, when I was making the Hoisin Chicken that the last remaining steps weren't mentioned. There were sautéed onions and bell peppers set aside, then the chicken was cooked. Obviously you put the two together and serve it, but the book never said how/when to combine them. I thought it was silly that the book never mentioned the onion mixture again, but I guess they didn't feel the need to state the obvious, like most recipe books do. It was a minor issue, so I still gave the book 5 stars. Note: I received this book for free in exchange for my review, however it did not influence my opinions or my review at all.