Easy Chinese Food Anyone Can Make, written by Emma Chung, features a delicious collection of homestyle recipes for every occasion from Hong Kong to Shanghai. A few highlights include Crispy Chicken Noodles with Gravy, Salt and Pepper Tofu, Baked Tomato Pork Chop with Fried Rice, Shrimp Wontons, and Braised Chinese Cabbage with Smoked Bacon. I will also be sharing her recipe for Peanut and Condensed Milk Pancakes following the review.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book from Interlink Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Easy Chinese Food Anyone Can Make is set to release in the United States on August 12th, 2025 and is currently available for preorder.
Emma Chung
Emma Chung is a food content creator who cooks and shares stories online.
She was born in Sydney, grew up in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and has also spent time living in the United States and United Kingdom. She is currently based in Hong Kong to be closer to family.
This is Emma’s debut cookbook.
Easy Chinese Food Anyone Can Make
Emma begins Easy Chinese Food Anyone Can Make with an introduction and her inspiration behind the book. Across the pages, you will find memorable recipes she craved when living abroad and homesick.
She states, “this book is a collection of recipes that are easy, approachable and adaptable. Recipes that ANYONE, even those with limited time, space, budget or even cooking skills, can make at home.”
Along with the recipes, she has put together a guide to basic and specialty pantry ingredients. I especially love the accompanying illustrations with the labels in Chinese to more easily spot in the store. There are also notes on how to perfectly cook rice and even dining etiquette when eating in restaurants.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Introduction, Whip Up on a Weeknight, Fried Rice 5 Ways, Takeout at Home, Noodles 5 Ways, Easy Weekend Winners, Dumplings + Wontons, Sides + Snacks to Share, Sauces + Condiments, and Desserts.
The photography is provided by Ola O. Smit. Many of the recipes are paired with a full-page photo of the finished dish. There are also a few location photos.
Measurements are listed in ounces/grams and cups/milliliters. Conversion tables can also be found towards the back of the book. Titles are written in English with Hànzì (Chinese script) across the top. There are also abbreviations next to the title to note if the dish is vegan, vegetarian, or pescatarian. Most of the recipes have a headnote with background information, personal memories, yield, helpful tips, and ingredient notes.
Peanut and Condensed Milk Pancakes
To pair with this post, I made Emma’s recipe for Peanut and Condensed Milk Pancakes (Hong Kong Style Pancakes, 港式班戟)!
I have long been a fan of Hong Kong Style Egg Waffles (even have the pan), but this was my first time enjoying them in pancake form.
Emma states, “years ago, some of the street stalls sold a pancake version made with the same batter, but nowadays these old-school stalls are difficult to find.” I am so happy to be able to make this delicious treat at home now.
The pancake base is cooked in dollops in a nonstick pan until golden on each side, then covered in a thin layer of peanut butter and a drizzle of condensed milk.
To finish, they are folded in half and are especially delicious enjoyed while still warm.
Notable Ingredients
Custard powder is a thickener with a combination of cornstarch, salt, flavoring, and sometimes color. Mine had annatto which added a light orange/yellow color to the powder.
For those in Northern Virginia, I was able to locate custard powder in the European section at Wegmans in Chantilly.
A Few Peanut and Condensed Milk Pancake Tips
Allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes before cooking. This will give the gluten a chance to develop and achieve that notable light and fluffy texture.
Use a nonstick pan without oil to cook the pancakes.
When adding the batter to the pan, do not spread it out. Let the batter naturally spread so it stays more thick. Same goes for flipping the pancake. Do not press down with the spatula.
Adjust the heat as needed between medium and low. Too hot and the edges will darken before the center gets a chance to cook through.
Other Dishes
I also made Scallion Oil Noodles, Steamed Egg, Beef Chow Fun, and Smacked Cucumber Salad.
The Scallion Oil Noodles (葱油拌面) recipe is the very first one in the book. Emma says this is the first dish that comes to her mind when thinking of Shanghainese cuisine. Julienned scallions are slowly infused in oil before mixing with a seasoned soy sauce and dividing among noodles.
I made the Steamed Egg (蒸水蛋) for lunch when I was trying to push a couple of extra days before grocery shopping and happened to have all the ingredients on hand. It was so easy and came out perfectly! Eggs are whisked with water, then seasoned and steamed in a bowl until slightly jiggly with a custard-like texture.
The recipe for Beef Chow Fun (干炒牛河) is one of Emma’s favorite Hong Kong noodle dishes. I can definitely see why! Wide rice noodles are stir-fried in a seasoned soy sauce with marinated thin slices of beef, beansprouts, chives, and scallions.
The Smacked Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜) was a wonderful and refreshing way to use up some leftover cucumbers. After bashing the cucumbers with a knife and chopping, they are tossed in a soy vinegar dressing with scallions, garlic, cilantro, and a drizzle of chile oil to finish.
Easy Chinese Food Anyone Can Make is a great pick for those interested in Chinese homestyle cooking (家常菜) with a focus on Hong Kong and Shanghainese cuisines. Every single recipe I have tried so far has come together within an hour with only minutes of prep. There is something for every occasion from quick and easy weeknight meals to family style dishes for larger gatherings.
Many of the ingredients are becoming more readily available in larger American grocery stores. Having a Chinese market nearby will be helpful in locating items such as dark soy sauce, black rice vinegar, dried shiitake mushrooms, Chinese sausage, Chinese chives, chile bean paste, woodear mushrooms, Sichuan peppercorns, and glutinous rice. Substitutions are provided when possible.
Peanut and Condensed Milk Pancakes Recipe
Excerpt from Easy Chinese Food Anyone Can Make
Peanut and Condensed Milk Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (185 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons custard powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
- 1 cup (about, 220-240 milliliters) milk
- 2 3/4 tablespoons salted butter melted
For the Filling (per pancake):
- 1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter around 1 cup total
- 2 teaspoons condensed milk around 2/3 cup total
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, custard powder, baking powder and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk and melted butter.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until smooth.
- Leave to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat (no need to add any oil).
- Ladle 4-5 tablespoons of batter in the center of the pan (do not spread the batter with the spoon, let it naturally spread into a round pancake shape).
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until bubbles appear all over the top of the pancake.
- Flip and cook for a further 1-2 minutes (do not press the pancake down with the spatula, as this will flatten the pancake).
- Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Spread each pancake with peanut butter and condensed milk, then fold in half.
- Serve immediately.
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