Hey, so i am craving hulatang right now. My favorite chinese place closed and I don’t want to break the bank trying to find a good one right now. I am not (much of) a food snob, i just have understandable food anxieties and would prefer cooking myself.
Do any of y’all have a good, reliable cookbook or website you could recommend? I mean, primarily for hulatang but Chinese food in general. I have a couple back burner projects that could benefit as well from some expert guidance. I feel like I have gotten as far as my nose and tongue (which are damn good) can get me. I would prefer English language materials, but i can use translation tools on written stuff.
I’m about to head out so it might take me a bit to get back, but i’ll be around today.
Not a website, but if you’re interested in Chinese cooking (in English), you really should read Fuchsia Dunlop. Her specialty is Sichuanese cooking, but she has fantastic recipes and insight into other regions, such as the southeast of the country.
I’ve never had hulatang, but this looks like where I would start:
https://happyspicyhour.com/hulatang/
When I’m learning to make something, I like to read a handful of recipes, consider my tastes, and make something that isn’t any of the recipes exactly–especially when it comes to making soups or deciding seasoning amounts. When I was a newer cook, I would try a couple of recipes exactly and learn that way.
As for websites… I don’t know that I have a go-to, but I like, for example:
The Mala Market The Woks of Life Wok of Love Yi Reservation
I’m sure I’m forgetting many.
You might find that a good cookbook is actually worthwhile. And not skipping too much of the non-recipe parts because they can be interesting and very helpful. I could recommend a couple, but it would help to know if there is some area you would like it to focus on because Chinese cooking is a vast subject.
+1 for the woks of life
I’ll have to check out the rest of your recommendations :)
You described my method of recipe research, but I am so out of my depth here I needed to ask me internet peeps for help. Thanks for the recommendations on Fuchsia Dunlop! I’m going to start there probably (I’m devouring everything everyone is saying I’m so excited to cook this) but it’s going to take at least one insomnia to get through it.
I hear exactly what you say about the non recipe parts. The theory is the best part of the cookbook. Off topic but Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz is just like that (it is my ice cream enchiridion) and it’s why I love reading serious eats. That website taught me to cook 25ish years ago.