Chinese-ish: Home cooking, not quite authentic, 100% delicious

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Chef Kaul and illustrator Hu offer up a colorful and proudly inauthentic survey of Asian recipes … The recipes are enlivened by whimsical depictions of delicacies … The dishes are rich in heritage and individuality … Far-away flavors feel close to home in this delectable spread. The masala omelettes, fried oyster omelettes and green bean omelettes of my childhood all beg to differ.

You’ll find a bounty of inauthentic Chinese-influenced dishes from all over South-East Asia, including all the best rice and noodle dishes, wontons, and dumplings. Continue to stir-fry over high heat until the sausage fat begins to render and the noodles are lightly charred, 2-3 minutes.For me, I wouldn’t know the difference, but all look achievable and/or a fun afternoon project, such as how to make dumplings.

This unique and beautifully illustrated cookbook offers a combination of cuisines spanning Southeast Asia that reflect the authors’ immigrant heritage … They also include anecdotes throughout the book to give readers insight into their lives and the meaning of the food they detail … Kaul and Hu have written an excellent introduction to Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisine, recommended for intermediate to advanced cooks. Very gently break up any lumps of rice with a spatula or your fingers, taking care to keep the individual grains intact. Thank you to Anne Cater, Random Things Tours and Murdoch Books for my stunning gifted copy and for having me on the blog tour for this book. Food was a huge part of this journey - should they cling to the traditional comfort of their parents' varied culinary heritage, attempt to assimilate wholly by learning to love shepherd's pie, or forge a new path where flavour and the freedom to choose trumped authenticity? Tuck in to Hot and sour noodles and Chicken congee, make your own Chilli oil and Lazy XO sauce, and enjoy those meals for one with Burnt spring onion noodles or Chiffon omelette.

I read from the Netgalley version, which was pretty chopped about and you couldn't appreciate the full beauty of the book from a screen. Smacking the cucumber with the back of a knife or cleaver, or even a hammer, creates lovely nooks and crevices for the dressing to find its way into, resulting in a punchy, refreshing dish for those swelteringly hot days. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and fry the chillies and peppercorns over low heat until they are fragrant and the chillies have turned a deep red. And now I have it in my collection, in pride of place, where it belongs, I feel it is a book you might need to have, too.