The Variety of Rice

Rating:
Summary: Turn out delicious rice dishes without all the fuss.
Review: As a rice lover, porridge and cooked rice are the only two varieties of rice I make in my kitchen. I imagine everything else takes too long and are too complex to prepare. The Variety of Rice contains recipes of some of my favorite rice dishes that I never have the courage to try cooking them at home. But my salivary glands got hold the best of me. I tried the seemingly complex Special Minced Chicken that I usually order in restaurants. To my surprise, the final product is delicious and the steps are not as complex as I had imagined. They are actually quite simple. And everyone thought I had fussed. Best of all, all the ingredients are obtainable from a well-stocked local supermarket.

After my initial success, I ventured to try a few things I usually purchase from a Chinese bakery or order in a specialized restaurant: the Fast Baking Cake, the Traditional Sweet New Year Cake and Eight Treasure Rice, and they have all turned out to be easy and delicious. The notes the author strategically placed in some recipes actually are the secrets of success for making these special dishes.

Oh! The accolades I received from family and friends made me feel as if I was the most wonderful cook they had ever seen. But I know I owe it all to the clear and simple instructions in The Variety of Rice. And I think I will try more of the ninety-one recipes, as the colorful photos are enticing, indeed.