The Shun Lee Cookbook: Recipes from a Chinese Restaurant Dynasty

More than forty years ago, Michael Tong and his Shun Lee restaurant chefs introduced the spicy regional foods of Sichuan and Hunan, along with the red-cooked dishes of Shanghai, to New York and eventually across the United States. Dishes like Crispy Orange Beef, Lake Tung Ting Prawns, Crispy Sea Bass, Dry Sautéed String Beans, and Scallion Pancakes originated at Shun Lee and are now found on Chinese restaurant menus throughout North America. In his first cookbook, Tong shares popular recipes from the Hunan, Sichuan, and Shanghai regions. All recipes have been tested and adapted for home kitchens, using ingredients available in supermarkets. The collection includes both classic favorites—Hot and Sour Soup, Sichuan Boiled Dumplings, Dry Sautéed Green Beans, and Kung Pao Shrimp—and newer dishes such as Peppery Dungeness Crab, Singapore-Style Rice Noodles with Curry, Red-Cooked Beef Short Ribs, and Hunan Lamb with Scallions. The cookbook also provides guidance on stocking a home pantry with Chinese staples and features more than fifty color photographs of finished dishes.