The thing about this book that distinguishes it from other Chinese cookbooks, is that is had ALL the recipes I was looking for (e.g., black bean sauce for noodles, Dan Dan, Singapore noodles, sweet and sour shrimp, etc). The only downside is that the author decided to make some of the dishes lighter (e.g., not having the shrimps dipped in batter and fried for the sweet & sour shrimp) - which I think should go into a different kind of book than a general Chinese recipe book as this. However, to me that is something that can easily be corrected without exercising too much imagination.

I've flipped through many Chinese cookbooks, and this is the only one that I've bought.

This book is pretty good for beginners like me ..it's so informative on the cultures and what to do but ..there's no illustration of the food itself how it would look like when it's done...so basically having to guess what it looks like ,however it definately teaches me how to make the food from dim sum but and it's pretty simple and easy but the ingredients are sort of hard to get ...in all like i said it's a good book .

In The Everything Chinese Cookbook, Chinese cuisine expert Rhonda Lauret Parkinson has developed a truly "user friendly" specialty cookbook which is ideal for the novice kitchen cook wanting to prepare and serve traditional Chinese dishes as part of a family dining experience. With an informed and informative introductory chapter on getting started with respect to Chinese cooking, individual chapters are devoted to dipping sauces, appetizers, soups and salads, rice and noodles, beef dishes, pork entrees, chicken and other poultry, tofu and eggs, fish and other seafood, Chinese vegetables; desserts and snacks. An ideal introduction into the kitchen mechanics of preparing popular Chinese dishes, The Everything Chinese Cookbook is further enhanced with two appendices: "Putting It All Together" and "Glossary of Asian Ingredient". The Everything Chinese Cookbook will take even the most amateur kitchen cook and show how to deliver expertly prepared and palate pleasing Chinese fare for ordinary daily dining or those special celebratory dinners with a true Chinese flair and expertise.

I love Chinese food: Not the torturous, pages-long recipes found in "gourmet" chinese cookbooks, but the delicious concoctions I can get at the local Oriental restaurant. This terrific book seems to have been cribbed from a Chinese takeout menu; all your favorite are here, from Moo Goo Gai Pan to Hot-and-Sour Soup. the recipes are well written and easy-to-follow, and none of the dishes is difficult to prepare. There are hints and tips for the novice, as well. A great value!