Demystify the secrets of Chinatown. In many large cities you will find a Chinatown: a hyper-dynamic, buzzing, exciting enclave alive with exotic colors, sounds, smells, flavors and ingredients. To many of us these ingredients will look, smell and sound mysterious: Szechuan peppercorns, dried tangerine peel, lotus flowers, liquorice root, cinnamon bark, yellow rock sugar, five-spice, star anise, to name only a few. Chinatown explores some of these magical and exotic ingredients, combining them with fresh produce to create a simple but intensely flavored cuisine. The four chapters cover sweet, sour, spicy and salty recipes that include: Duck Spring Rolls with Orange-Anise Dip Lychee Delight Steamed Eggplant with Cumin and Black Bean Shredded Chicken, Celery Leaf and Three-Nut Salad Salt and Pepper Trout with Cress and Lemon Spicy Yellow Rice Ginger and Almond Cake with Jasmine Tea Ice Cream

Sydney-based food writer and stylist Ross Dobson is in regular demand by magazines. This is his second book for Ryland Peters & Small. His first, Kitchen Seasons, was Olive magazine’s ‘Book of the Month’ and Ross appeared on UKTV Food’s Market Kitchen.

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