Every Grain of Rice

If The Food of Sichuan feels like enrolling in culinary school, Every Grain of Rice is like learning to cook from a patient friend. This book covers everyday Chinese home cooking with an emphasis on simple, vegetable-forward dishes that work on a weeknight.

Why Start Here

Dunlop wrote this book for people who want to eat well at home without spending hours in the kitchen. The recipes are drawn from across southern China, with plenty of Sichuan dishes included, but the focus is on accessibility. Most recipes use a handful of ingredients and straightforward techniques. It won the James Beard Foundation International Award for good reason: it makes Chinese home cooking feel achievable for anyone.

The book is organized practically, with chapters on cold dishes, tofu, vegetables, meat, fish, rice, and noodles. Dunlop’s ingredient introductions are concise but thorough, and she’s careful to note what you can find in a regular supermarket versus what requires a trip to an Asian grocery store.

What to Expect

A warm, inviting book with a focus on vegetables and lighter dishes. The recipes are shorter and less involved than those in The Food of Sichuan, making this a better choice if you’re new to Chinese cooking altogether. You’ll learn to make dishes like fish-fragrant eggplant, smacked cucumber salad, and simple stir-fried greens that will quickly become weeknight staples. The photography is beautiful and the tone is encouraging throughout.