SAVOURY

{Book Review & Giveaway} GARLIC-PEPPER CHICKEN with CASHEW RED CHILI RICE … The Mainland China Cookbook & a giveaway

2010/08/21 / 78 Comments
‘Everyone eats and drinks, but few can appreciate taste’
Confucius

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I tend to shy away from cooking Chinese food at home even though Mr PAB and PAB junior love a good one. I consider myself challenged in so far as cooking an authentic one as we have long been influenced by an Indian/Chinese hand in Chinese food. Going back to the days when we were kids, we would love that greasy bag full of noodles stamped Chinese, noodles almost being synonymous with the cuisine. The most popular from my kid vocabulary were haka noodles, sweet corn chicken soup and American Chop Suey! Limited knowledge and ignorant taste-buds continued until much later, when visits to the US opened a new window … Kang Pao Chicken! Now we were getting somewhere! I made a version once, a couple of years ago, and it was quite good. Frequent trips to HKG now have introduced me to a different world of Chinese cuisine, though culinarily adventurous I am not!

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The other day I heard from Sohini at Random House asking if I could attend the book launch of ‘The Mainland China Cookbook‘ by Anjan Chatterjee, and my ears perked up. WHAT? Had been waiting for a book like this for so long! For some reason, if you need to cook in India, or for that matter bake here, it always feels good to own a book authored locally as the commentary would be familiar with the nuances of the Indian kitchen etc. Not sure if you know what I mean, but I am quite the queen of substitutes, surviving the Indian kitchen! If I don’t have something, I just know what I can use instead!

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I couldn’t attend the launch as junior PAB was doomed to develop fever the previous day, then it poured forever, and to top it off, the launch timings changed the last minute! But the lady kept her promise and I received a copy of my book for review 2 days ago. I was immediately overtaken by mixed feelings. Cold feet primarily as I was treading largely unknown territory, and then the extreme inquisitiveness to see how to stir up something the Chinese way for my carnivorous family. As expected, I read the book at bedtime, and dreamt of scaling the Great Wall of China at night!

1
Judge a book by the cover, and this one gets high marks. It has an attractive cover, embossed title and all! The photograph on the cover and the ones within, though fewer than I would like, each are of top quality. The camera work by Anshika Verma draws you to the book, tempting you to hurry and get the wok on fire! The book begins with introducing you to regional Chinese cuisine {well researched and written; I enjoyed this bit a lot}, and goes on to discuss ingredients, utensils and cooking methods.

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On the downside, I wish the ingredient index had been a little more inclusive of ‘general‘ items. For e.g., I still wonder which noodles I should be using, as I am that much of a novice here! Also, maybe the ingredients listed per recipe could have been in weight as well as cup/tsp measures as most Indian kitchens lack a weighing scale. Having recently acquired one I  can endlessly extol the virtues of owning one, but  realistically I can see many puzzled faces trying to figure out 5gms of this and 10 of that! That said, having no patience to use the scale that very rainy day, I used my great Indian ‘andaaz‘,  or eyeballed most listed ingredients and the end result was absolute joy!

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There is plenty of choice within the 200 odd pages and it took me ages to decide which one I wanted to try first. Eventually zeroed in on the Garlic-Pepper Chicken because it rained all morning and it was too flooded to go to the market. I had all the ingredients at home, well sort of, so it was time to wok!! I ‘wokked‘ off on shaky grounds, very under-confident, but as time progressed it was a lot of fun! The book might seem daunting for beginners, yet we’ve all got to make a beginning someday, somewhere. I did, and am already looking forward to the next stir-fry. 

As the author Anjan Chatterjee writes … all Chinese food follows the principles of yin and yang i.e of balance. Very few Chinese dishes consist of only a single ingredient, as it offers no contrast, and so lacks harmony. So, with a few exceptions, all Chinese dishes consist of a main ingredient {chicken, fish, tofu, Chinese greens, asparagus, aubergine}, with one or several supplementary ingredients like capsicum, mushrooms, carrots etc. in order to give the dish the desired harmonious balance of colour, aroma, flavour and texture.
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This is my inherent food philosophy for everything I make. What is a foodie existence without a harmonious balance of colour, aroma, flavour and texture? Nothing!! The Garlic-Pepper Chicken was a celebration of colour and taste. Of course I was iffy about marinating chicken strips in egg, but I psyched myself completely to get over my eggphobia as chicken and egg come from each other! That done and the peppers chopped, the rest was a virtual breeze. I lined up all my ingredients in tiny bowls and enjoyed an afternoon of rainy day stir frying! I served the chicken over some Cashew and Chili Fried Rice. Both fabulous!! {I now have this long list of ingredients for Mr PAB to lug back from his next trip to HKG!!}

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The book has several interesting dishes I’d like to try – Spring Lamb Stir-Fried with Garlic & Sesame Oil, General Tso’s Favourite Chicken, Yu-Ling’s Hot & Numbing Chicken {how yum does that sound?}, Vegetarian Sweet & Sour Crispy Noodles, Flash Cooked Pea Shoots with Garlic, Crunchy French Beans Shanghai Style … and so many more! Did I forget Pan-Fried Chili Fish and Sichuan Chili baby Corn? 
I could go on forever, but I need to stop. I enjoyed the book so much, that the  good lady at Random House was happy to have me include a BOOK GIVEAWAY for my readers in India.
I have  1 copy 2 copies to giveaway, and the only rule is that you must live in India or have an Indian mailing address.
If you love good authentic Chinese food, and would like to experiment with Mainland China’s signature dishes, then leave a comment on this post to be considered for the giveaway by the 28th of August, ’10. Do make sure you include a contact. Thank you.
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Garlic-Pepper Chicken
From ‘The Mainland China Cookbook‘ by Anjan Chatterjee
This dish typifies the style of cooking that has made Hunan food a strong contender for the best in China.
~
200gms chicken leg, boneless, scores and cut into 1″ bite size pieces
For the chicken Marinade:
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp corn flour
2 tsp groundnut oil
~
1 green bell pepper {capsicum}, diced into 1 ” pieces
1/2 tsp chopped fresh red chili {I used roasted red chili flakes}
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced {I used 4}
6 black peppercorns, crushed
10gm red capsicum, diced into 1″ pieces {I used 1/4 each red,yellow & orange}
For the seasoning:
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp Shaoxiang wine, or white or rice wine {I used red wine vinegar}
1 tsp cornstarch mixed in 1 tbsp water, for thickening
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp chili oil
Groundnut oil for sautéing
Method:
Mix the chicken with all of the marinade ingredients and set aside for 20 minutes
Meanwhile, assemble th rest of the ingredients.
Heat 30ml oil in a wok till moderately hot.
Stir fry the chicken until golden-brown for 2-3 minutes. {Mine took a lot longer}. Remove with a perforated spoon, and drain on paper towels.
Add another 30ml of groundnut oil to the wok. Heat and swirl the wok to coat the surface right around.
Add the garlic and sauté till it turns brown, and then the chillies. Cook for 30 seconds.
Return chicken back to the pan, and add the crushed black pepper and chopped bell pepper. Sauté well and add the seasoning ingredients, finishing with sesame oil and chili oil. Toss well for 10 seconds. Serve hot!
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Cashew and Chili Fried Rice
500gm long grain rice, cooked
2 tbsp groundnut oil
50gms cashews, dry roasted
2 tsp fresh grated ginger {I skipped this}
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped {I used 3}
2 spring onions, roughly chopped {I used a medium white onion}
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp salt {I skipped this as my cooked rice had salt}
1/2 tsp white pepper
Method:
Heat a wok over high flame, add the oil, swirling around to coat.
Add the cashews, ginger, garlic, spring onions and chillies to the wok. Stir fry for 1 minute.
Add the cooked rice and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add seasoning.
Add the soy sauce, pouring it down the side of the wok. Stir fry for 1 minute and toss well.
Remove from heat and serve.
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{Junior PAB, who thoroughly enjoyed the meal, grabbed the book soon after! His explanation, “That was really good Mama. Now I’m going to choose what you make next!“}

♥ Thank you for stopping by ♥

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Posted by Deeba @ PAB

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

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78 Comments

  • Andy

    2010/08/21 at 9:02 am Reply

    Hi Deeba,

    Came in now to look for one of your recipes for dinner tonite and saw this event.

    We celeberated my hubby's bday at Mainland China last week. Just love their food….would love to have a chance to cook the same kind of food at home..hope I will win a copy!

    Andy

  • Shirley @ Kokken69

    2010/08/21 at 9:06 am Reply

    Deeba, I can relate to the many points you have brought up in this post. I have started to travel to India very regularly and I always frown upon the Chinese food served there. What seems to be popular there,it seems are the so called 'international cuisine' restaurants where they will invariably feature a selection of Chinese dishes among the Indian dishes… I too, can understand what you mean by having a food author who is living in the same region to lend a local nuance to the recipes – making it more accessible to readers. I smiled when I saw you place the rice in the springform pan…how clever!

  • Sheetal

    2010/08/21 at 9:11 am Reply

    Hi Deeba,

    We visit Mainland China almost every other week. The manager too knows us now :). Chinese == Mainland China for us. Would love to get this book from you.

  • Divya Kudua

    2010/08/21 at 9:26 am Reply

    Wow..you have done complete justice to the cookbook by writing such a great review and presenting us with even better pics!!I would like to own this book for the same reason..to learn Chinese cooking the authentic way!

    P.S-Hope I win this one..hehe!!

  • Happy Cook

    2010/08/21 at 9:32 am Reply

    I still have to sayi do loveour indo-chinese dishes we get back home like the super spicy chillie chicken 🙂 when my sis came ehre she thought the chinese places here were bland compared to the indian once, but have to say the best chinese food i have ever ate is in the china town in London, it was so good that we went twice .
    Book sounds really good, i am bookmarking for buyingthem in my trip to india next time.

  • Debipriya Bhowmick

    2010/08/21 at 9:50 am Reply

    ohh man!! i just posted some thing and it doesn appear in the comment list! 🙁 WELL i am getting right down to biz 😛 i need the book! 🙂
    hi deeba, am debi from bangalore and have been writing to you did mentor me with french fougase.. (does this qulaify to get a book, NO?? ok let me try another point) this is a fact, i have grown cooking chinese the chinese way and my love for cookign started with chilly chicken.. 🙂 does this qualify?!? 🙂

    kidding! in case i dont win it can you tell if i coud get this book off the shelf from any of the stores?

    Debipriya.bhowmick@gmail.com

  • jayashree

    2010/08/21 at 9:51 am Reply

    I'd love to lay my hands on this book to further my skills in CHINESE CUISINE !
    Crossing my fingers & hoping it's meee…:))

  • Prathibha

    2010/08/21 at 10:02 am Reply

    I want to test my luck to own that book….Ofcourse Chinese in Main land is the best and would definitely to know the secrets of the authentic chinese food..Nice picture and nice review abt the book..

  • Deepa

    2010/08/21 at 10:33 am Reply

    Hi Deeba,
    Love the way you have used the springform pan to create the visual appeal for the rice.

    Mainland China does have some great vegetarian options in their menu – their okra and aubergine dishes are unique and very tasy. Wonder if the same can be made at home.

    Deepa

  • Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]

    2010/08/21 at 10:57 am Reply

    Mainland China is my favourite place to go for Chinese food. Love it 🙂 Looking forward to more Chinese posts 😉

  • Hanaâ

    2010/08/21 at 11:03 am Reply

    I hope you're doing well :o) Thanks for stopping by my blog. I would love it if you used your Droste pastilles the same way I did. I didn't know they also had orange. Must not have been carried by the store I bought mine at. Looking foward to seeing what kind of baked creation you come up with :o)

    That Chinese dish you made looks wonderful and comfort food-ish. I love how you served the serve in a mini springform pan :o)

  • Caroline Rowe

    2010/08/21 at 11:26 am Reply

    Deeba! I'd love to read, and see if it's really real, and bring to life some of my favourite Chinese dishes!

    Meanwhile you must come by and I shall cool some of the few I can remember!

    Best,

    Caroline – caroline2@gmail.com

  • punam

    2010/08/21 at 11:59 am Reply

    Hi Deeba, read your post on chinese cooking and about the new chinese cook book written by an indinan and that too a restauranter.I have eaten chinese in a number of differnt countries but nothing beats the chinese food we get here. Would love to have the book to try out new receipes.

  • bunkycooks

    2010/08/21 at 12:37 pm Reply

    The book sounds like a great tool for cooking Chinese food at home. I do Thai cooking, but not Chinese very often.

    You have lots going on! Hope all is going well.

  • Aqua Blue

    2010/08/21 at 12:58 pm Reply

    Great post Deeba! The ying and the yang are so perfectly balanced… Makes me very inquisitive about the book.

  • Rachel

    2010/08/21 at 1:08 pm Reply

    I read about the book in the papers.. and have been wanting to get hold of it since then… I keep going back to Mainland China in Chennai for their crackling spinach.. just can't seem to get enough of it 🙂

  • lisaiscooking

    2010/08/21 at 1:17 pm Reply

    It is great to have a book that comes from your local perspective. I do a fair amount of substituting too! Your garlic-pepper chicken looks amazing. The colors of the peppers are lovely!

  • browniegirl

    2010/08/21 at 2:54 pm Reply

    Gosh, Im all goggle eyed just reading about it and looking at your stunning stunning pictures. What a beautiful post! Well done Deeba. Oh I wish I had an Indian mailing address so I could win that beautiful book, but alas, I live about as far away as anyone could hehe. Hugs and big love to you xx

  • bellini valli

    2010/08/21 at 3:22 pm Reply

    I am so happy to hear about these events in India.It always seems from my perspective here in Canada that everything is geared towards the States. It sounds like a great book Deeba!!

  • Madhuri

    2010/08/21 at 4:38 pm Reply

    Checking in very often to see the amazing food photographs and ur skills of presentation. Awesome job Deeba!

  • An Open Book

    2010/08/21 at 6:49 pm Reply

    im such a sucker for chinese and have started enjoying authentic chinese…
    the recipe looks like a keeper and im def giving it a go…

  • Natashya KitchenPuppies

    2010/08/21 at 7:11 pm Reply

    Beautiful! I love a homemade Chinese feast almost as much as I love a homemade Indian feast! ☺
    Another book for the wishlist. Thanks!

  • Anusha

    2010/08/21 at 7:13 pm Reply

    Hi Deeba, I love chinese and this sure looks awesome, even though I am a veggie 🙂 Are there good recipes for vegetarians in this cookbook, or will we have to substitute meat with tofu,soya,mushroom et all ? 🙂

  • anjani

    2010/08/21 at 7:40 pm Reply

    hello deeba 🙂

    I'm Anjani,i've just started cooking a month back! and i've already bought a convection oven,a mini tandoor, an electronic weigh scale, a electric egg beater.. and baking pans of different shapes and sizes! for breads and cakes.. i just love your blog. my mom keeps asking whooo is inspiring you to cook that u keep cooking all the time!you never used to enter the kitchen even to make a cup of tea! i say "deeba".. she'll be like.. "who??".. "deeba.. she stays in gurgoan and cooks a lot of good looking food :D!" i forgot..i also got a camera!!! i'm totally inspired by your blog and the variety that your blog offers!i've have been shopping for ingredients all the time! and i have 4 shelves in the kitchen for myself now.. havent thought of buying any cook books.. coz i've been referring to ur recipes, i've tried your malai chicken tikka, mushroom bruschetta,swirl cake,cappucino muffins,paneer tikka,zebra cake, and i also tried a rainbow cake on the same lines with 3 colors ;)looked deadly!
    how do you manage to stay fit when you cook such tasty food allll the time!?? 😉
    i think i need to buy a tread mill next! 😀
    My mom would want to say a big thank you if she could meet you 🙂

    did i forget to mention about the mainland china book?? 😀

    i also tried your macaroons!

    Love
    Anjani

  • Cina John Diby

    2010/08/21 at 8:29 pm Reply

    Lovely yummy recipe especially the cashew rice. Awesome with a capital "A". 🙂
    Love to have the book.Am sure it will have a lot more to experiment with.

    Cina Diby
    cina.dc@gmail.com

  • vinodh

    2010/08/21 at 10:19 pm Reply

    There is always this craving for chinese food that comes from nowhere. Indian Chinese cuisine is an epiphany in itself. I am sure Martin Yan doesnt know about our Chicken Manchurian. But I am proud I love our take on chinese food. Its delicious and its true "comfort food" anyday. Its nice to have a book written locally. I am sure it will please all palates.
    callvinodh@yahoo.com

  • Kamalika

    2010/08/21 at 10:21 pm Reply

    Hi Deeba …LOved the review…Main land china is one my and my families favourite restaurants….Twice in a month we have to visit that place to enrich our taste buds….I loved their buffet more that the à la carte….as in buffet you will have the multiple tastes of delectable authentic chinese spread direct from the wok…

    would surely love to try a luck to win the book….
    My contact: kamalikac1@yahoo.com

  • Nags

    2010/08/22 at 1:06 am Reply

    rice in a springform pan! only you could do something this crazy Deebs! The book sounds gorgeous 🙂

  • Gera @ Sweets Foods Blog

    2010/08/22 at 2:23 am Reply

    Wonderful chicken with garlic and pepper – impossible to not taste superb 🙂

    Also great giveaway for your readers in India – good luck for them!

    Have a great weekend.

    Gera

  • Jane Ko

    2010/08/22 at 11:23 am Reply

    You have amazing pictures. This sounds so delicious.

    I would like to invite you to participate in my $40 gift certificate giveaway

  • Anna Johnston

    2010/08/22 at 7:27 am Reply

    There is something just a little bit scary I agree in cooking Chinese recipes, you wonder if you'll ever really do it justice when cooking in a home kitchen. I really do like the sound of this cookbook, love the Garlic-Pepper Chicken recipe too.

  • s

    2010/08/22 at 8:16 am Reply

    The book sounds great although I havent been to mainland china..we LOVE chinese food as well as indo chinese. Ooooh I do hope i win the book!

  • Natasha

    2010/08/22 at 12:07 pm Reply

    Hi Deeba,
    Lovely dish, beautiful presentation, as always! Chinese food has to be about the light,fresh taste, the vibrant colors of the ingredients used, have to get the crunch of the veggies, the tender meat and the fine balance of the flavors. Happy to know this book is about authenticity of the food.
    Will have to get the book!
    Cheers
    Natasha

  • eve's lungs

    2010/08/22 at 2:34 pm Reply

    Hi love your presentations and your photography .Mainland China is an all time favourite with my family basically because the food they serve is so light and delicious . The book will be an added asset to people in demystifying what goes behind the dishes !

  • Pavithra

    2010/08/22 at 3:29 pm Reply

    Wow beautiful dish with beautiful pictures as always Deeba… Nice to know about this book. I love chinese cuisine.. Awesome pictures again.

  • Wafah

    2010/08/22 at 3:45 pm Reply

    fantastic pictures as always, and wat a clever idea to put rice in a springform pan, ha!
    and oh how i wish to win that book!

    wafahbeg at gmail dot com

  • Anonymous

    2010/08/22 at 9:45 pm Reply

    hello,

    I would looove to get my hands on that book and I am so happy there is a chance I actually win it as I have an address in India at the moment 🙂

    Your faithful admirer,

    Martina (Croatia)

    martina dot hadrovic at gmail dot com

  • Sayantani

    2010/08/23 at 7:07 am Reply

    Mainland china and Oh Calcutta are our favourite food joint for its wuthentic recipes and unique flavours. love the dim sums at Mainland china and that is the main reason I am here to try my luck in winning this book.
    your dish is equally tempting…and at least I have one authentic recipe reproduced at your blog to try…if I dont win the book 🙂
    love the way you creatively used the spring form cake pan. very unique.
    my contact
    ahomemakersdiary@yahoo.in

  • bindiya

    2010/08/23 at 9:44 am Reply

    Oh Deeba I just lurveeeeeeee Chinese food, would be in heaven if I got that book!,Chicken looks awesome and so do all the pics, u have captured Delhi's rainy weather quite well 🙂

  • anjani

    2010/08/23 at 9:55 am Reply

    oooops! i forgot to mention! i also tried your walnut brownies and robert's best brownies! checked up my handwritten recipe book after i mailed you the post!

    The same Anjani Again!
    and its anjani.r@gmail.com 🙂

    Happy cooking!

  • Pavithra

    2010/08/23 at 9:56 am Reply

    Love your site. The chinese food looks amazing. Always shied away from cooking chienese, but this is inspiring me to try !! Thanks 🙂

  • d

    2010/08/23 at 10:48 am Reply

    i love authentic chinese food,
    i live in india and have an indian address,
    i love mainland china (and when we took a chinese colleague there for lunch once she said it was the most authentic chinese she had eaten in india)
    i LOVE your blog
    i love being at the receiving end of giveaways
    🙂
    d
    div5213320@yahoo.com

  • Cracked

    2010/08/23 at 12:44 pm Reply

    Hi,

    I simply LOVE Chinese food. I have been to different places in South East and tried authentic Chinese. Obviously, I frequent various places which specialize in Chinese food in Delhi. Some places to name are Yum Yum Tree, Mainland China and the likes.

    I would love to have 'The Mainland China Cookbook' by Anjan Chatterjee', and this would be prized possession, as I want to cook Chinese 'By the Book'.

    Thanks.
    Anukul
    anukuls at gmail dot com

  • Barbara Bakes

    2010/08/23 at 2:52 pm Reply

    I always learn so much from your posts. Love how you shaped the rice. The meal looks delightful as usual.

  • Ria Mathew

    2010/08/23 at 4:44 pm Reply

    Ah! I am bowled over! I am a sucker for Chinese food, especially the Indo-Chinese version 😉

    Mainland China was one of my firm fave for appetizers! I remember having one of their chicken wing/drumstick saucy fry sorta thing…it was just so good!

    I really wish I'd win this book!

    Pick me, D! I have never ever won a giveaway before 😀

  • Swagata

    2010/08/24 at 2:30 am Reply

    Hi Deeba,
    Have been a regular visitor to your blog, but never got a chance to leave a comment. Who doesn't love chinese food?? Garlic pepper chicken looks yum! And pictures are awesome too!
    Swagata.

  • Dhanya

    2010/08/24 at 9:09 am Reply

    Hi Deeba
    Lovely lovely presentation…absolutely love the burst of colors in the picture…and super sure that the dish itself would have turned out to be lip-smacking to say the least :)!!! Having made the kung-pao chicken based on ur recipe (and earning rave reviews for it :D), I know what I'm dishing up this weekend :):)
    Keep 'em coming…looking forward to more color feasts :):)

    Love,
    Dhanya

  • Anu

    2010/08/24 at 5:03 pm Reply

    Thankyou Deeba for wonderful visual treats, I religious follow your blog but never left a comment. Just awwwhhh with everything you do..Hope I win this one..

  • Jamie

    2010/08/25 at 8:48 am Reply

    Deeba, this is such a great cookbook review! I love the honest pros and cons. And the dish sounds and looks fabulous! I love Chinese food and rarely make it for the same reasons as you. This looks a winner, though, and worth the try! Glad sonny is better.

  • maria

    2010/08/25 at 9:16 am Reply

    My kids luv Chinese food…So may be I can experiment more Chinese food if I win a copy. 🙂
    thank you for the review & giveaway Deeba

  • SS

    2010/08/25 at 1:43 pm Reply

    Oh ! I would absolutely adore Mainland China. I haven't been there in almost a year now. Monosodium glumtamate (ajinomoto) is usually used in Indian Chinese fare. Was expecting and had my first baby (boy) in May, hence have stayed away..:-( Would love to lay my hands on this book and make all the yummy stuff at home!

    Sneha
    (shenoy.sneha@gmail.com)

  • Meher

    2010/08/25 at 3:49 pm Reply

    Hi Deeba!

    I have been obsessively following your blog ever since I stumbled upon it accidentally while looking for a date and walnut loaf recipe. Ever since then, I love to read about the exploits of your kids and family and your latest baking / cooking adventures!! A lot of the times I find a resonance in my daily life as I wait to unleash my latest baking exploits on my school-going son and unsuspecting husband! 🙂

    I won't be exaggerating if I said, your food pictures are TO DIE FOR!! Such simple juxtapositions of food and colour and the frame just lights up! (like the redness of the cashew rice against the dull black of the springform pan! How utterly clever!)

    Ever since I read about the launch of Anjan Chatterjee's book about the recipes and the secrets of Mainland China, I really wanted to lay my hands on the book. More so after making the recipes you wrote about on your site!! The result and adulation from the family was just amazing!! So if only my cooking inspired such raves everyday, what a joy life would be! Thats the reason I would love to receive a copy of the book! (Hopefully with a note in it from you!)
    For our family Chinese food = Mainland China! And what better dedication to this fab place than to own copy of its best kept secrets! 🙂

    Hope to get some good news from you soon!!

    Much love!
    The Caped Baker.

  • Pistakulfi

    2010/08/25 at 4:08 pm Reply

    Very balanced review. Super Pics! Loved the rice against the springform pan.

    Just wish there were more books available in India on authentic Chinese cooking (in India!!) like this one that actually informed us about ehtnic Chinese food rather than Indo-Chinese gunk.

    Would love a copy! How else to get over the same fear as you of experimenting with cooking Chinese food at home ?

    Big fan of the blog. Big on cooking your recipes.

    Pistakulfi.

  • Nalini Hebbar

    2010/08/26 at 4:49 am Reply

    Seems quite easy…thanks…I make Chilli Chicken too, quite similar, and was happy to see that I am quite close…Your blog is a treat to the eyes…and cruel on the taste buds…They go on an overdrive!

  • Simran

    2010/08/27 at 6:37 am Reply

    You make rice and chicken look gorgeous!

    Pick me for the book, so I can finally learn Indo-Chinese cooking 😉

  • Wajiha

    2010/08/28 at 6:29 am Reply

    Indian-Chinese food tends to be a favorite of most new cooks. I'm pretty sure there is a lot in authentic chinese suitable for indian palate just waiting to be tried. lovely pictures btw.

  • Anonymous

    2010/08/28 at 1:38 pm Reply

    Hi Deeba, love Chinese food, specially Indo Chinese. Would love to be added to the list for the book. Thanks. Angela (angeladias007@gmail.com)

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