Hong Kong. Its very name conjures images of a vibrant, bustling city, and Tony Tan’s new book, Hong Kong Food City (Murdoch Books, October 2019), brings all of the vitality of that city right into your home. You’ll want to keep this book on your coffee table to read about the many aspects of Hong Kong, but you’ll also want it in your kitchen as you recreate its authentic recipes.
* Complimentary book received for review. This post may contain affiliate links.
Hong Kong Food City begins with a fascinating history of the city, especially in relation to food, which Tan describes as a “club of eight major cuisines.” The city encompasses both Eastern and Western cultures; Tan writes, “While it’s undeniable that Hong Kong is a quintessentially Chinese city with temples and noodle shops, it is also tempered by its British legacy and sensibilities.”
The recipes in Hong Kong Food City mainly reflect the city’s Chinese heritage. As Stephanie Alexander writes in her introduction (aptly entitled “What an Exciting Book!”), “The recipes in this book include the very modern along with the traditional. There has been no watering-down of technique to please a Western reader. Rather, Tony has included meticulous explanations of Chinese ingredients and methods.”
Indeed, there’s a whole chapter devoted to defining and explaining the ingredients used in Hong Kong’s foods. Fortunately, most modern American supermarkets carry many of these products, and many cities have Asian supermarkets where we can find the more obscure ingredients. So let’s roll up our sleeves and get cooking! Here are a few of the recipes you’ll find in Hong Kong Food City, by chapter:
• Starters, Soups and Cold Dishes: Bang bang chicken; Drunken abalone
• Meat: Sweet and sour pork; Stewed beef brisket
• Poultry: Kung pao chicken; Peking duck
• Seafood: Cantonese-style steamed fish; Deep-fried stuffed crab
• Vegetables: Vietnamese yellow curry; Braised wild mushrooms
• Rice and Noodles: Wonton noodle soup; Yangzhou fried rice
• Dim Sum: Scallop and chive dumplings; Steamed beef balls
• Desserts and Pastries: Green-tea ice cream; Dan tat (egg tarts)
• Basic Recipes: Chilli sauce; Pickled young ginger
At its heart, Hong Kong Food City is undeniably a cookbook, but beyond the recipes, it’s the story of a city with a unique culture. It’s also a wonderfully personal account of Tony Tan’s relationship with Hong Kong and its eclectic food scene.
And the photographs are gorgeous! I don’t know which photographs I like more, the pictures of the delectable food, or the pictures of the bustling city and its people. Either way, Hong Kong Food City is a lovely book, sure to be appreciated by any food lover or traveler on your gift list.
To learn more about this book and more, visit Murdoch Books (an imprint of the Quarto Group) online. While you’re web browsing, check out both Murdoch Books and Quarto on Facebook, too.
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Disclaimer: A. Bailey received a complimentary product for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ. Please read the blog’s terms of service policy before entering any giveaways. The Classy Chics are NOT responsible for prize fulfillment or shipping of any items won from this blog. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, we may or may not make a small commission which helps to support this website. Thank you!!!
I love that this book gives an accurate description of Hong Kong’s food and city life. I would love to try some of these recipes.