-
Velvet Chicken with Snap Peas and Lemon-Ginger Sauce
Thoughts on cooking Velvet Chicken with Snap Peas and Lemon-Ginger Sauce from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s The Wok cookbook.
-
Pico’s Not-So-Bland Chicken
Thoughts on cooking Pico’s Not-So-Bland Chicken from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s The Wok cookbook.
-
Gong Bao Ji Ding (Sichuan Chicken with Peanuts)
Thoughts on cooking Gong Bao Ji Ding (Sichuan Chicken with Peanuts) from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s The Wok cookbook.
-
Chicken with Basil, Chiles, and Fish Sauce
Thoughts on cooking Chicken with Basil, Chiles, and Fish Sauce from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s The Wok cookbook.
-
Shredded Chicken with Pickled Chiles and Carrots
Thoughts on cooking Shredded Chicken with Pickled Chiles and Carrots from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s The Wok cookbook.
-
Sliced Pork with Chives
Thoughts on cooking Sliced Pork with Chives from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Stir-Fried Kimchi Pork
Thoughts on cooking Stir-Fried Kimchi Pork from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Better-Than-My-Mom’s Chungking Pork
Thoughts on cooking Better-Than-My-Mom’s Chungking Pork from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Sichuan Double-Cooked Pork Belly
Thoughts on cooking Sichuan Double-Cooked Pork Belly from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Sliced Pork and Cucumber
Thoughts on cooking Sliced Pork and Cucumber from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Moo Shu (Moo Shi) Mushrooms and Mandarin Pancakes
Thoughts on cooking Moo Shu (Moo Shi) Mushrooms and Mandarin Pancakes from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Thai-Style Stir-Fried Ground Pork with Basil (Pad Bai Horapa or Pad Ka-Prao)
Thoughts on cooking Thai-Style Stir-Fried Ground Pork with Basil (Pad Bai Horapa or Pad Ka-Prao) from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Extra-Crispy Fried Eggs
Thoughts on cooking Extra-Crispy Fried Eggs from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Nam Pla Prik
Thoughts on making Nam Pla Prik from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Beef with Broccoli
Thoughts on cooking Beef with Broccoli from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Ginger Beef (with or without Snow Peas)
Thoughts on cooking Ginger Beef (with or without Snow Peas) from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Shredded Beef with Hot Peppers and Chiles
Thoughts on cooking Shredded Beef with Hot Peppers and Chiles from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Spoiler: it’s delicious!
-
Thai-Style Beef with Basil and Fish Sauce
Thoughts on cooking Thai-Style Beef with Basil and Fish Sauce from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 4 stars!
-
Fried Shallots
Thoughts on cooking Fried Shallots from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 5 stars!
-
Pepper Steak
Nothing new with Lopez-Alt’s Pepper Steak from _The Wok_. It was good, though; 3 stars.
-
Cumin Lamb
Thoughts on cooking Cumin Lamb from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Not our favorite; 2 stars.
-
Stir-Fried Fish with Wood Ear, Celery, and Oyster Sauce
Thoughts on cooking Stir-Fried Fish with Wood Ear, Celery, and Oyster Sauce from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 3 stars.
-
Stir-Fried Fish with Ginger and Scallions
Thoughts on cooking Stir-Fried Fish with Ginger and Scallions from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 3 stars.
-
Peel-and-Eat Shrimp with Garlic, Scallions, and Chiles
Thoughts on cooking Peel-and-Eat Shrimp with Garlic, Scallions, and Chiles from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 3 stars.
-
Soy and Fragrant Oil Dipping Sauce
Thoughts on cooking Soy and Fragrant Oil Dipping Sauce from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 5 stars.
-
Kung Pao Shrimp
Thoughts on cooking Kung Pao Shrimp from Lopez-Alt’s The Wok cookbook. Delicious! 4 stars!
-
Shrimp- or Fish-Stuffed Chiles in Black Bean Sauce
Thoughts on cooking Shrimp- or Fish-Stuffed Chiles in Black Bean Sauce from Lopez-Alt’s The Wok cookbook. I thought they were great; 4 stars!
-
Slippery Egg with Mushrooms
Thoughts on cooking Slippery Egg with Mushrooms from Lopez-Alt’s The Wok cookbook. Not appetizing to look at, mixed reviews on the taste: 3.5 stars.
-
Cook the Book: Season
I’m cooking my way through Nik Sharma’s _Season_ cookbook.
-
Shrimp with Lobster Sauce
Thoughts on cooking Shrimp with Lobster Sauce from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Everyone liked it, 4 stars!
-
Creamy Layered Scrambled Eggs (Whampoa Eggs)
Thoughts on cooking Creamy Layered Scrambled Eggs (Whampoa Eggs) from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. “Better than regular scrambled eggs:” 4 stars!
-
Home-Style Tomato and Scrambled Eggs
Thoughts on cooking Home-Style Tomato and Scrambled Eggs from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook: mixed reviews 🤷♂️
-
Stir-Fried Corn and Mushrooms with Hot Peppers and Soy Butter
Thoughts on cooking Stir-Fried Corn and Mushrooms with Hot Peppers and Soy Butter from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook: 4 stars!
-
Khai Jiao (Thai-Style Omelet)
Thoughts on cooking Khai Jiao (Thai-Style Omelet) from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook: 3 stars. Also, beware the quantity of eggs listed; I’m pretty sure 8 eggs per omelet is a typo.
-
Tiger-Skin Peppers
Thoughts on cooking Tiger-Skin Peppers from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook: I should’ve used milder chilies 🔥🥵
-
Sichuan-Style Blistered Green Beans
Thoughts on cooking Sichuan-Style Blistered Green Beans from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. At least 4 stars (some say 5!)
-
Soy-Glazed Mushrooms
Thoughts on cooking Soy-Glazed Mushrooms from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 5 star mushrooms!
-
Hot and Numbing Spice Blend
I made Hot and Numbing Spice Blend for Lopez-Alt’s Stir-Fried Potatoes with Hot and Numbing Spices. Here’s how it went.
-
Stir-Fried New Potatoes with Hot and Numbing Spices
I wrote some thoughts on cooking Stir-Fried New Potatoes with Hot and Numbing Spices from Lopez-Alt’s The Wok cookbook. 4 (maybe 5???) stars! ★★★★☆
-
Korean Stir-Fried Shredded Potatoes (Gamjachae Bokkeum)
Some thoughts on cooking Korean Stir-Fried Shredded Potatoes (Gamjachae Bokkeum) from Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 3 stars ★★★☆☆. Turns out it’s really hard to beat french fries.
-
Sichuan-Style Hot and Sour Stir-Fried Shredded Potatoes
Thoughts on making Sichuan-Style Hot and Sour Stir-Fried Shredded Potatoes from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. A rare miss: 2 stars ★★☆☆☆
-
Cantonese-Style Clams in Black Bean Sauce
Thoughts on making Cantonese-Style Clams in Black Bean Sauce from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Good, but left us hungry: 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Sichuan-Style Fish-Fragrant Eggplant
Thoughts on making Sichuan-Style Fish-Fragrant Eggplant from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. The best eggplant I’ve ever had! 5 stars! ★★★★★
-
Stir-Fried Eggplant with Sake and Miso
Thoughts on making Stir-Fried Eggplant with Sake and Miso from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Not as good as last week’s, but still good eggplant. 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
Slippery Egg with Beef
Thoughts on making Slippery Egg with Beef from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Better than Slippery Egg with Mushrooms, but still mixed ratings: 3–4 stars
-
Clams with Garlic, Sake, and Butter
Thoughts on making Clams with Garlic, Sake, and Butter from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. As is usual with clam dishes, it was good but we were still hungry: 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Stir-Fried Kabocha Squash with Sake and Miso
Thoughts on making Stir-Fried Kabocha Squash with Sake and Miso from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. It wasn’t good; 1 star ★☆☆☆☆ But maybe it was the kabocha squash???
-
Smoky Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce
Thoughts on making Smoky Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Good! 4 stars! ★★★★☆
-
Stir-Fried Napa Cabbage with Vinegar and Chiles
Thoughts on making Stir-Fried Napa Cabbage with Vinegar and Chiles from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. “Better than regular cabbage;” 4 stars! ★★★★☆
-
The Wok Errata
I’ve come across a couple of errors in _The Wok_. I found a comment from Kenji confirming these on reddit, but no official errata page from the publisher.
-
Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
Thoughts on making Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Mixed reviews: ★★★☆☆
-
Pad Khana Bacon Krop (Thai-Style Stir-Fried Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce and Bacon)
Thoughts on making Pad Khana Bacon Krop (Thai-Style Stir-Fried Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce and Bacon) from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Again, mixed reviews, but better than the previous Chinese broccoli dish: ★★★★☆
-
Snow Pea Shoots with Lobster Sauce (with or without Crabmeat)
In which we discover my wife _does not like cooked greens_. Thoughts on making Snow Pea Shoots with Lobster Sauce (with or without Crabmeat) from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Reviews. are. mixed. 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
San Choi Bao
Thoughts on making San Choi Bao from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. It was good, not amazing. 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
An Audit of My Ground Chili Spices
I feel like I have too many ground chilies. Here’s what I have in my pantry right now, and how I plan to move forward.
-
Gireum Tteobokki (Stir-Fried Korean Rice Cakes and Korean Chile Paste)
Thoughts on making Gireum Tteobokki (Stir-Fried Korean Rice Cakes and Korean Chile Paste) from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Mixed reviews, 3 to 4 stars: ★★★☆☆/★★★★☆
-
Rice Cakes with Pork, Shrimp, Pine Nuts, and Vegetables
Thoughts on making Rice Cakes with Pork, Shrimp, Pine Nuts, and Vegetables from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
Tamago-Kake Gohan
Thoughts on making Tamago-Kake Gohan from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. It did not go over well with the family; 2 stars ★★☆☆☆
-
Oyakodon
Thoughts on making Oyakodon from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Mixed reviews; 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Basic Dashi
Thoughts on making Basic Dashi from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. I’m not quite sure how to rate dashi, so 4 stars? ★★★★☆ 🤷
-
Homemade Furikake from Spent Katsuobushi
Thoughts on making Homemade Furikake from Spent Katsuobushi from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Tasty, 4 stars! ★★★★☆
-
Gyudon
Thoughts on making Gyudon from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Mixed reviews; 3–4 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Japanese Katsu
Thoughts on making Japanese Katsu from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Five stars! ★★★★★
-
Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce
As part of the Japanese Katsu recipe, I also made J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce from _The Wok._
-
Katsudon
Thoughts on making Katsudon from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Mixed reviews, 3–4 stars ★★★☆☆ Maybe I’ll make this again for myself with leftover katsu, but probably not for a family dinner.
-
Sanshoku Don
Thoughts on making Sanshoku Don from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Mixed reviews, 3–4 stars ★★★☆☆ I think my wife is just not a fan of these Japanese egg and protein rice bowls.
-
Miso-Glazed Broiled Black Cod or Salmon
Thoughts on making Miso-Glazed Broiled Salmon from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 4 stars! ★★★★☆ We don’t often buy salmon, but this will be a nice option for when we do.
-
Nasu Dengaku (Broiled Miso Eggplant)
Thoughts on making Nasu Dengaku (Broiled Miso Eggplant) from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 4 stars! ★★★★☆ In my opinion, a top-tier eggplant dish!
-
Bibimbap
Thoughts on making Bibimbap from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Mixed reviews, 3–4 stars ★★★☆☆ I thought it was good, Megan not so much. I’m wondering if maybe she doesn’t like Korean food??
-
Bibimbap Sauce
I made J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Bibimbap Sauce to go with his Bibimbap recipe.
-
Basic Congee (with “The Mix”)
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Basic Congee recipe from _The Wok_. The description and visual did not excite the family, but maybe they liked it anyways? I’m going with a confused 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Thai-Style Jok with Pork Meatballs
Thoughts on cooking J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Thai-Style Jok with Pork Meatballs. It was fine, 3 stars ★★★☆☆ We were _not_ fans of the egg surprise!
-
Prik Nam Som
I made J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Prik Nam Som recipe to go with the Thai-Style Jok. I liked it better than how I had made it previously!
-
Cheesy Congee with Bacon, Charred Corn, Scallions, and Cilantro
I made J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Cheesy Congee with Bacon, Charred Corn, Scallions, and Cilantro recipe from _The Wok_. Congee remains to see a lackluster reception from the family. 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Congee with Wilted Lettuce and Mushrooms
Thoughts on J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Congee with Wilted Lettuce and Mushrooms recipe from _The Wok_. Congee is still just ok. 3 stars ★★★☆☆ ALSO Megan ranks the congees we’ve tried so far!
-
Dakjuk (Korean-Style Congee with Chicken and Vegetables)
Thoughts on making Dakjuk (Korean-Style Congee with Chicken and Vegetables) from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Still just ok, 3 stars ★★★☆☆ Megan says “tastes like Thanksgiving,” but her tone is not praise.
-
Congee with Pumpkin and Pine Nuts
Thoughts on making Congee with Pumpkin and Pine Nuts from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Mushroom and Spring Vegetable Congee
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Mushroom and Spring Vegetable Congee recipe from _The Wok_. Congees remain undefeated in their 3-star ratings ★★★☆☆
-
Congee with Shrimp, Saffron, and Spanish Chorizo
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Congee with Shrimp, Saffron, and Spanish Chorizo from _The Wok_. As written, this paella-inspired congee is 🌶️🔥. I had high hopes for this one, but may need to tone down the heat to give it its best …
-
Basic Vegetable and Egg Fried Rice
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Basic Vegetable and Egg Fried Rice from his _The Wok_ cookbook. As excited as we were to be done with congee, this fried rice was only okay. 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Bacon and Egg Fried Rice
Thoughts on making Bacon and Egg Fried Rice from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. Megan described it as “interesting” and “would not request again,” 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Egg Fried Rice with “The Mix”
Thoughts on making the Egg Fried Rice with “The Mix” from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. It’s been a while, but it’s another well received dish! 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
Blistered Green Bean Fried Rice
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Blistered Green Bean Fried Rice recipe from his _The Wok_ cookbook. We enjoyed it! 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
Easy Pork Fried Rice with Corn and Shishito Peppers
Thoughts on making the Easy Pork Fried Rice with Corn and Shishito Peppers from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. We liked the volume of ingredients, but found the flavors lacking. 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Crab Fried Rice
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Crab Fried Rice recipe from _The Wok_. It was tasty! But the cost of crab is going to limit how often I make this dish. 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
Sweet and Sour Chicken or Pork
Thoughts on making the Sweet and Sour Chicken or Pork recipe from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. It was good! 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
Spring Vegetables with Olives and Sichuan Peppercorns
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Spring Vegetables with Olives and Sichuan Peppercorns recipe from _The Wok_ cookbook. A tasty veggie dish! 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
Kimchi and Spam Fried Rice
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Kimchi and Spam Fried Rice recipe from _The Wok_ cookbook. Good!!! 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
Homemade Kecap Manis
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Homemade Kecap Manis recipe from _The Wok_ cookbook.
-
Nasi Goreng: The Funkiest of Fried Rices
Thoughts on making Nasi Goreng: The Funkiest of Fried Rices from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_ cookbook. We thought it was really good! And didn’t notice any funk! 5 stars ★★★★★
-
Umami Oil (“XO Pepperoni Sauce”)
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Umami Oil (“XO Pepperoni Sauce”) from his _The Wok_ cookbook. This is a long one. The recipe is mostly for the sauce with a note for making noodles with it. 4 stars ★★★★☆ for the sauce, mixed reviews…
-
Burnt Garlic Sesame and Chile Oil
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Burnt Garlic Sesame and Chile Oil from his _The Wok_ cookbook. We didn’t care for the sauce or the noodles. 1 star ★☆☆☆☆
-
Shanghai-Style Scallion Oil
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Shanghai-Style Scallion Oil from _The Wok_ cookbook. The oil was good! The noodles may have been oversauced… 4 stars for the oil ★★★★☆
-
Fried Peanuts
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Fried Peanuts recipe from _The Wok_. Good? Fine? They are what they say they are: fried peanuts, they’re as good as that, 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Homemade Sesame Paste
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Homemade Sesame Paste recipe from _The Wok_. It was fine, but I don’t think I’ll make again. 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Sichuan Málà (Hot and Numbing) Chile Oil
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Sichuan Málà (Hot and Numbing) Chile Oil recipe from _The Wok_. Good (what chile oil isn't??), but more work than I like. 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
Dan Dan Noodles
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Dan Dan Noodles from _The Wok_. Good! 4 stars ★★★★☆
-
Shanghai-Style Sesame Noodles (Ma Jiang Miàn)
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Shanghai-Style Sesame Noodles (Ma Jiang Miàn) from _The Wok_. Too spicy for us! 2 stars ★★☆☆☆
-
Noodles with Thai Basil and Peanut Pesto
Thoughts on making J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s Noodles with Thai Basil and Peanut Pesto from _The Wok_. I had high hopes for this one because we like both pesto and Thai flavors, but we couldn’t tell the difference between this and a regular pest…
-
Zhajiang Miàn (Beijing “Fried Sauce” Noodles)
Thoughts on making Zhajiang Miàn (Beijing “Fried Sauce” Noodles) from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s _The Wok_. It was fine, 3 stars ★★★☆☆
-
Naan
Thoughts on making Nik Sharma’s Naan recipe from _Season_. I had paused my attempt to work through a second cookbook at the same time as _The Wok_, but had an opportunity to fit this one in. Perhaps my best naan ever, 5 stars ★★★★★