
April 27, 2009 is an important date for me this spring. It’s the publication date of my new cookbook, Helen's Asian Kitchen: Easy Chinese Stir- Fries, published by John Wiley & Sons. The book is just what I wanted – small (128 pages), relatively inexpensive (under $20) and chock full of easy, healthy, home-style recipes.
How times have changed in the book publishing world. When my first book was published in 1994 I was told in no uncertain terms by the publisher that there would not be any color photographs – too expensive. In fact, even line drawings were restricted to a certain number. Now with the cost of color printing being more affordable, very few cook books are published without color photographs.
Easy Chinese Stir-Fries exemplifies the type of cooking I like to do – simple, straightforward home-style dishes that are low in fat and healthy, but still taste delicious – dishes that Chinese home cooks make for their own families.
Stir frying is considered one of the healthiest cooking techniques. Many nutritionists and dietitians recommend stir frying as a way to incorporate healthier eating habits into our lives. It’s low in fat, uses heart-healthy oils like canola; fresh vegetables of all kinds and especially dark leafy greens like bok choy and mustard greens – mainstays in the Chinese kitchen; smaller quantities of lean meats that are just part of the dish, not the whole dish; and quick cooking techniques that maintain the color, texture, vitamins and minerals of the ingredients. All these attributes are part of every day stir frying.
We read and hear about healthy ingredients and healthy, low-fat recipes all the time, but few home cooks actually enjoy cooking that way. Maybe it’s the recipes, but the attitude seems to be that “healthy” food is boring, tasteless, and uninteresting. So we continue to pay lip service to healthy eating, but resist incorporating it into our daily meals.
Preparing healthy meals isn’t difficult. In the beginning it will take a little extra thought, effort and discipline. But once you get the hang of it you’ll be surprised at how automatic and enjoyable it can become. What a great feeling it is to know that you are cooking delicious meals using nutritious and healthy ingredients – with hardly any effort! What a gift to both yourself and to the ones you love.
When I look at lists of “healthy” foods I am not surprised to see that so many of them are part of Asian cuisine – vegetables, dark leafy greens, fruits, seafood, nuts and seeds, beans, whole grains, green tea –
Do take a look at my new book and discover for yourself how easy it can be to go from the “dark side” of cooking and eating to the “lighter” side of health and good nutrition – without compromising on or abandoning fabulous taste.
Advance sales of the book are taking place right now at Amazon.com, or visit your local gourmet store and reserve your copy there.
- Helen
Here's a sample recipe from HELEN'S ASIAN KITCHEN: EASY CHINESE STIR FRIES. It's a quick and easy recipe that's low in fat and delicious. If you like the ease and taste of this recipe, you'll love the other 59 recipes in my new book. Enjoy!
Shanghainese Shrimp with Peas
Peas go nicely with shrimp, complementing but not overpowering them, and their bright green color is pretty against the pink of cooked shrimp. This is a perennial favorite at Shanghai restaurants.
Serves 3 to 4
1/4 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or pale dry sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 scallion, bulb split and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons canola oil
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ginger, wine, cornstarch, and salt. Add the shrimp and mix well.
2. If using fresh peas, drop them in boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Drain immediately and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
3. In a wok or stir-fry pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until the oil is hot but not smoking. test by dipping a scallion piece into the oil; it should sizzle. Add the scallions and stir a few times. Add the peas and stir for 1 minute. Stir up the shrimp mixture and add it to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp turns opaque and pink, about 1 minute more. Transfer the shrimp and peas to a platter. Remove and discard the scallions, if desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe reprinted from Helen's Asian Kitchen: Easy Chinese Stir-Fries, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, 2009.
Recipe and text Copyright 2009 by Helen Chen. All rights reserved.
I wanted to buy a few cookbooks in order to improve my already delious stir fries but I wanted to try them out so I didn't wind up with useless books. One of the books I choose was Stir Fries and it is a revelation. It it organized beautifully and the photos are gorgeous. Not to overstate it but aside from the joy of cooking this is the best cookbook I have ever owed. Thank you for all the hardwork & inspiration.
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