The Chinese Way

Master the eight techniques that unlock modern Chinese cooking with this collection of inspired recipes from the award-winning author of My Shanghai.

Betty Liu cooks Chinese all the time—but this doesn’t mean she makes the same food her great-grandparents did. In her kitchen, the wok sits next to a Dutch oven, and the soy sauce in her pantry lives alongside tomato paste and harissa. 

The key to great Chinese cooking lies not in strict “authentic” recipes and ingredients, but in adaptable techniques. The Chinese Way teaches eight key methods that anyone can use to unlock their cooking: first, how to master heat (Steam, Fry, Boil, and Braise) and then, how to create irresistible flavor combinations (Sauce, Infuse, Pickle, and Wrap). In each chapter, Betty boils down the basics in classic dishes like Mapo Tofu and White-Cut Pork Belly. Then, she brings those techniques to the modern kitchen, with local produce and global flavors. The result? Dishes such as Scallion Oil Smashed Potatoes, Harissa Glazed Torn Tofu, Braised Cabbage and Chorizo, Dashi Steamed Mushrooms, and Tomato-Bacon Sticky Rice. 

One core technique at a time, Betty shows how to become a better cook—whether you’re stir-frying cauliflower or adding preserved lemon to broccoli for extra zing. 

Betty’s food is not traditional—but it is Chinese. And you can cook that way, too.

A New York Times Best Cookbook of the Year • A Bon Appétit Best Cookbook of the Year • A Washington Post Best Cookbook of the Year • A National Post Best Cookbook of the Year • A Saveur Best Cookbook of the Year • A Serious Eats Best Cookbook of the Year • Named One of the Best Books to Gift by TheStrategist