Young Chef's Chinese Cookbook: Step-by-Step Fun Recipes for Young Chefs Book

Provides step-by-step recipes for fifteen Chinese dishes.

Children's Literature

This book, part of the "I'm the Chef" series, is a good introduction to making a variety of dishes. The utensils and ingredients are shown in photos, making it easy to get all supplies ready (as a cooking impaired adult, I really appreciated having everything set out for me). Step-by-step instructions are easy to follow for dishes as simple as vegetables with oyster sauce to the more complicated chicken porridge. A wide selection of dishes are offered, from the familiar spring rolls to the colorful and not well known four color soup (carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach supply the colors). Readers will learn what various foods are meant to symbolize. For instance, at Chinese New Year, chicken means prosperity and fish represents togetherness and abundance. Noodles are always served at birthdays because they are believed to be the symbols of long life. (Which explains to this Californian why we have a chain called Long Life Noodle restaurants.) Desserts represent a happy life and a dumpling stuffed with a sweet filling of peanuts or sesame is often eaten on the last day of the Chinese New Year. The book includes a legend about a monster named Nian to explain why red paper is hung during new year. (It scares him away.) The disclaimer in the front of the book recommends these recipes for ages 9 and up with adult supervision. With adult participation (handling the hot dishes, doing whatever frying needs to be done), you could start using the book with children as young as five. 2001, Crabtree, $22.60 and $8.95. Ages 5 to 14. Reviewer: Sharon Levin<%ISBN%>0778702804