Chinese Technique: An Illustrated Guide to the Fundamental Techniques of Chinese Cooking

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1981. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. Ken Hom, whom readers may recognize from his 1984 TV series "Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery," or from any of his many culinary and lifetime achievement awards, cites the acclaim surrounding this book (including a New York Times profile) as the turning point in his career. Featuring 100 basic techniques and 100 recipes, the book is illustrated with over 1,000 black-and-white photographs providing visual instructions. Cooks looking for guidance on anything from roasting Sichuan peppercorns to shredding chicken breasts to cleaning whole fish will find this an invaluable manual. Once the techniques have been mastered, readers can then can put their new skills to use in Chinese recipes such as Fish Ball and Watercress Soup, Crisp Soy Squab, and Steamed Crab with Custard. Also features nine pages of color photographs depicting finished recipes.