The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family: A Cookbook

I have been following The Woks of Life blog and website since 2017. I have downloaded many of their recipes and incorporated many of their ideas into my already huge library of Asian recipes. Whether a foodie, novice, home cook, fledgling chef, or even an older dog like me who has really learned some new tricks, this must-have book will make an amazing addition to your library and, hopefully, will be your go-to recipe book for those tempting dishes from your favorite restaurant for good Chinese food. It will definitely be mine. But wait! That is not all that this book has to offer! I have been cooking Asian food for more than 40 years and there are recipes that Nǎinai (grandma) made, like Steamed Pork Patty with Preserved Mustard Greens or Red Braised Pork Bell with Eggs or Cantonese Zongzi, usually prepared for the Dragon Boat Festival! Now if you have a yen for those dishes that you normally order in restaurants, I appreciate the de-mystifying of many of my favorites like Cantonese duck, Biang Biang noodles, and Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai. And, there are even Asian Deserts!! Heck, if I master some of my favorite dishes that I normally order in restaurants, I may never order out again!! If I do, I will be comparing them to mine!Now on to the important structures of this book that make it so valuable for me – QR codes!!! Yes, there are QR codes to aid you in creating the recipes to perfection and always leaving room for your own creativity. There are tons of pictures with step-by-step photos on how to create the recipes. They never leave you in the dark. There are sections for stocking your pantry with essentials, cooking techniques, and even how to season your Wok to name a few! Where was this book 40 years ago?What makes this book such a remarkable compendium of history and awesome recipes is the humble and inspiring story of the Leung Family who shares their family’s memories and their world with us. This is truly an American success story of a family’s passion to hold on to one of the most defining parts of their culture – their food and traditions. Well, I was and am inspired. I loved their Sesame Chicken recipe and tried it right away, as you can see from my picture. We plan to give this book as a gift to our other friends and family who are lovers of good Asian food. It is definitely a jump-start place for any cook and an education for any young person who is a lover of Asian culture and cuisine. I cannot wait for the next book. I am sure that there will be one. Thank you, Woks of Life, your family is now a part of my family.

Just received today and sat down immediately to take a quick peek at my first wok cook book.THRILLED at the info and ez readability. Table of contents plus detailed index. Hard cover with FULL COLOR PHOTOS. I know my daughter & her family will want to "borrow" this cook book. GREAT RECIPES! EZ READ and totally worth the price. Yummy Asian recipes. This cookbook INSPIRES ME! ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND IT

* The recipes are easy to understand and follow, and necessary ingredients and tools are clearly explained. In fact, there's a QR code in the book that takes you to more detailed and comprehensive explanations on their blog, including how and where to FIND those ingredients.* There are QR codes throughout the book, linking you to bonuses like their detailed recommendations on woks, or Judy's homemade Chinese chicken stock recipe, or even a video explanation of how to make chopped meat from your favorite fresh cut, without having to put it through a grinder, and without having to purchase ground meat that could contain who knows what.* The writing is friendly and engaging, and makes me feel like I suddenly have my very own Chinese family instructing me in how to cook!*Not only are there photos of every dish, there are detailed photos of every step for some of the more challenging dishes, like Cantonese roast duck, which has EIGHTEEN photos.*Most recipes are easily adaptable to gluten-free. I use rice noodles instead of wheat, soaked rice wrappers instead of dumpling wrappers, and gluten-free soy soy, hoisin, and oyster sauces. If you are gluten-free, MAKE SURE you check the ingredients of your Shaoxing wine, as at least one brand contains wheat.DO NOT MISS THE LEUNGS' RECIPE FOR "ULTIMATE CHILI OIL (p. 275). I will never buy it jarred again!My favorite recipes I've tried so far:Shortcut Dan Dan noodles (p.97)Quick chicken congee (p.134)Classic sesame chicken (p.162)Beef and broccoli (p. 184)"Mongolian" beef (p. 205)Shrimp with lobster sauce (p. 218)Crispy pan-fried fish fillets (p. 224)Homestyle tof (p.249)Mapo tofu (p. 250)Hot & sour soup (p. 259)Egg drop soup (p.261) for which I first madeChicken & pork stock (p.268)TRUE STORY: I served the Beef & Broccoli to my family when my kids came home from college over Thanksgiving weekend, and they asked why I didn't cook this well when they were little.Buy this book for yourself if you want to eat/serve delicious Chinese food.Buy it for friends and family for a Christmas present.For a thoughtful and unique wedding gift: find the QR code for the authors' wok suggestions, purchase one of those woks, and add this book plus some shelf-stable Chinese food ingredients.

I've been following this group online for recipes, but it is good to have a book to page through. The recipes are easy to read. The ingredients are well described, so you know why you're using them. Best wok recipe book I've seen.

I got this cookbook as a gift for my boyfriend, and he absolutely loves it. The recipes are engaging and well-written, making it enjoyable for both beginners and experienced cooks. Beyond its content, the book itself looks beautiful on a shelf, adding a nice decorative touch to the kitchen or living room. Overall, it was a fantastic present, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thoughtful and useful gift.

I love collecting beautiful cookbooks. The cover and pictures are vibrant, and while I haven’t read the authors stories in here, I can tell they are nicely written and emotion was put into them. I’ve tried a couple recipes, kung pao chicken and egg fried rice (tweaked) and it turned out delicious! Steps are easy to understand and ingredients can be easily found at your local Asian market. Love the book and highly recommend!