2024 the best vegan recipe book review

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(as of Nov 17, 2024 10:36:08 UTC - Details)

JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNER • IACP AWARD WINNER • 100+ fresh, plant-based, umami-packed recipes that show the range of traditional and modern Chinese vegan cuisine from the creator of The Plant-Based Wok.

ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Simply Recipes
ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Saveur, Vice, Epicurious, Library Journal

When Hannah Che decided to become a vegan, she worried that it would separate her from the traditions and food that her Chinese family celebrated. But that was before she learned about zhai cai, the plant-based Chinese cuisine that emphasizes umami-rich ingredients and can be traced back over centuries to Buddhist temple kitchens.

In The Vegan Chinese Kitchen, through gorgeous photography, stories, and recipes, Hannah Che shows us the magic of this highly developed and creative tradition in which nearly every dish in the Chinese repertoire can be replicated in a meatless way, such as Blistered Dry-Fried String Beans or Sweet and Sour Tofu. You’ll also find recipes that are naturally plant-based and as irresistible as they are nourishing, such as flaky scallion pancakes, corn stir-fried with peppers and pine nuts, or pea shoots braised in a velvety mushroom broth made with sesame-oil roux.

This book will delight vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike, inviting you to explore a whole world of flavors and ingredients.

From the Publisher

Dry-Pot Cauliflower

Beans Stir-Fried with Olive Preserved Greens

Mapo Tofu

Vegetarian Roast Goose

Crispy Fried Mushrooms with Five-Spice Salt

Chive-Stuffed Boxes

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Clarkson Potter (September 13, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593139704
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593139707
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.7 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.73 x 1.14 x 10.26 inches
Reviewer: Someone
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Authentic Flavor
Review: This has become my favorite book. Every recipe I have tried has been a hit with non-vegans. The pictures are aesthetically pleasing, and the directions are easy to follow. Ingredients are sometimes difficult to find, but you really need them if you want that authentic chinese cooking taste. This book has expanded my pantry, cooking knowledge, and waistline!

Reviewer: Charlotte Guttenberg
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Beautifully written and produced!
Review: So often it is hit-and-miss when ordering books without actually holding them and leafing through them. I have received books that I was able to review online but the content didn't hold up to closer inspection after received. A huge gap is often in the formatting of the recipes.This book is lovely. It is beautifully written. The photographs are splendid. The formatting is obviously professionally produced.I often gift books to others, and this one is my next choice for a few friends who share my interests.Well done!

Reviewer: Carol Chau
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Outstandingly authentic and beautiful!
Review: Ms Che masterfully presents traditions, techniques and her own gorgeous photography! A trifecta of cultural cuisine! Her Chinese background combined with her life in America plus her eye for food photography translates to a most genuine, and educational respect for my culture. For those bilingual in Chinese and English this cookbook is a wonderful treat for the eyes and mind! Kudos Ms Che!

Reviewer: Caitlin Fitzgerald
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Excellent Cookbook
Review: This is an excellent cookbook. Every recipe (as far as I can tell) has an accompanying full page, beautiful photograph of the finished dish and the instructions are clearly written and accessible. I have made about ten or so recipes so far, and best of all, the recipes work.I'm a decent home cook, but I've previously struggled with cooking Chinese food, as even though I love eating it, the cooking techniques and some of the ingredients are not super familiar to me. My partner is Chinese and I do most of the cooking at home, so I really wanted to get better at it. Her family eats mostly vegetarian (though they wouldn't describe themselves as such) and she was vegan and then vegetarian for many years, so I was drawn to this book in particular for ideas for things she would like.It's been a hit! Everything I've made so far has been delicious, and she's often surprised and delighted that the pick(s) of the night are something she remembers her parents making, but hasn't had in years. China is a big country with many local cooking styles and dishes, so some of the recipes I've made from this book are not things she grew up eating, but she has liked them too. I am looking forward to trying out some of the more ambitious recipes, like the stuffed steamed buns and the roast "goose". There is even a recipe for my personal favorite Chinese dish, the stuffed chive pocket, which my partner's mother makes almost every time we visit.

Reviewer: ANA
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: STUNNING 🔥
Review: Bought this for one of our vegan neighbors that moved away and she couldn't have been happier 😁Much like me is a big fan of Asian food.She said the recipes are mind-blowing and the images are stunning ! 🍜

Reviewer: Rubytwoshoes
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Beautiful Book!
Review: This is so beautifully written with wonderful pictures and the stories throughout really personalize her quest. A lot of the recipes were not my cup of tea for one reason or another, but was worth it just to read her tales...

Reviewer: S
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Best cookbook I have ever used
Review: I love vegan cookbooks and own many but this is by far my favorite. The tips in this book have been a game charger for my cooking, my tofu dishes have never tasted better. Recipes are super clear and easy to follow, highly highly recommend.

Reviewer: Lisa A. Santoro
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Delicious. Perfect instructions. Ring bound!
Review: Upon receipt, I made 3 recipes already this week and they are so delicious. And **ring bound** bless you. Get this cookbook. I'm a gringo and I don't get asian food this good anywhere near where I live. You'll need to do some on line ordering of specialty stuff, but not too much. A lot of these recipes are made w/stuff you can get in most markets.

Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Love how the author draws you into her story. You're going to love the eggplant!

Reviewer: Maria
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I love how this book is written, recipes are easy to follow and measurements are more precise than in many other cookbooks. The food is delicious. Just tried the tofu dishes and those are some of the best i ever ate (the braised tofu skins are incredible). Nourishing, easy and often quick recipes with a pretty small amount of ingredients once you have the spices and pastes at home.

Reviewer: Elliot
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This book has become one of my favourite cooking books of all time, every single recipe has been great. I’ve tried pretty much all the Chinese-adjacent vegan cooking books and whilst they’re all quite good this is easily the best.One great thing about the book is that as well as providing excellent authentic recipes, it also does a great job of teaching new techniques and introducing new ingredients. It has a large glossary and sections explaining equipment, cooking techniques and how to put together a meal. The authors writing about her experiences with veganism in China are also lovely and she does a great job of adding context to each recipe and group of recipes. The book teaches you how to approach and cook Chinese food as whole rather than just teaching you how to cook a handful of Chinese recipes with no context, which I really appreciate as I have always found Chinese cuisine a bit of a mystery.Another great thing is that unlike a lot of other vegan-Chinese cookbooks this doesn’t focus largely on westernised Chinese food or Cantonese food. There are many recipes from the north of China which I wasn’t previously aware of which are great, and the author does a great job of explaining the different cuisines of China. The book also doesn’t stray away from using ingredients unfamiliar to many readers such as tofu-skin or gluten, these ingredients allow for way more variety than so many other vegan cookbooks that restrict your options for protein, although there are still plenty of tofu recipes. However, I don’t think any ingredients would be even slightly hard to find with a trip to an Asian supermarket.It also includes some great ideas for classic favourites like dumpling and bao filling. For example, the author deep fries the tofu used in dumpling fillings before dicing it, many recipes for tofu dumplings exist but the simple idea of deep frying the tofu first makes the filling so much more satisfying. Recipes for popular dishes like sweet and sour tofu and Mapo are also in the book and are great too. My partner is Chinese and loves the sweet-soup desserts from near the end.Overall, I think this book is one of the best vegan cooking books you could purchase and one of the best Chinese cooking books you could purchase, I can’t recommend it enough.

Reviewer: Helen
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: One of the most inspiring cookbooks I've read. The recipies are simple and everything is tasty. Personal versions of classics. Easy to follow. Highly recommend.

Reviewer: Elizabeth A. Davies
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Photos of some really appetizing dishes, but some recipes were a bit complex. I am looking for simple dishes that can be tossed together after work on a weeknight.