BETTY LIU’S VISION FOR HOME COOKING IN THE CHINESE WAY
Oct 12, 2024
FOOD & CULTURE • Q + A
Many authors today navigate the complexities of multiple careers, and Betty Liu exemplifies this delicate balancing act, managing a rigorous surgical residency alongside her passion for culinary storytelling. Following the acclaimed My Shanghai, Liu returns with The Chinese Way, a thoughtful exploration of contemporary Chinese home cooking. In our conversation, she reflects on the book’s inception, the challenges of balancing two demanding worlds, and her embrace of both tradition and innovation.
You’ve been honest about the preparation, work, and promotion necessary to launch a successful cookbook. What inspired you to take on the challenges of The Chinese Way?
I felt like I had a story to tell – a concept to write about that I felt was important in the dialogue of Chinese food. After My Shanghai, I actually was very against writing another book, not because I regretted doing it, but because of the mental and physical time and energy the book took. However, once I had this idea, I felt the need to write. So much discourse on Chinese food is still about traditional Chinese food, and it’s just not reflective of what real Chinese home cooking is. I knew that I wouldn’t have a splashy release – I don’t have a viral platform that so many authors have these days, but I believed in the book enough (and am grateful Voracious did as well!) that I wanted to write this.
How do you manage to balance your professional career and the time-intensive process of cookbook writing and recipe development?
My day job is a surgery resident – I’m often working 60-80 hours a week. To do this, I took two years out of my clinical duties and transitioned to do scientific research in a lab. Don’t get me wrong, that was still a full-time job, but one with more regular hours that allowed me the flexibility and time to dive into making The Chinese Way. It also helps that this is truly how I cook – so recipe development was almost like just making food for myself and my family (but with many iterations, notes, and working with a professional recipe tester).
In My Shanghai, you were very hands-on with the visual representation of food and culture. Has your approach to photography and visual design changed in The Chinese Way?
I think so. With My Shanghai, I wanted the visuals to be transportive. I traveled to Shanghai to capture every season, since that was how my book was structured, and I wanted to showcase the gorgeousness of the Jiang Nan region. With The Chinese Way, I wanted it to be more fun and whimsical, to somehow capture techniques along with final recipe photos. Thus, I turned to illustrations, which can better demonstrate concepts. Justine Wong did a fantastic job! For the food photography, I tried to incorporate more vibrant colors and honestly, minimized excessive propping to keep the focus on the food.
Both of your books showcase a cuisine that is often misunderstood or oversimplified. What role does presentation play in combating those misrepresentations?
I spent a lot of time thinking about this, for both books. I was very deliberate in my prop styling and used the dishes I use regularly at home. So all the serving dishes, bowls, chopsticks, pans in both books are in my cupboards! I stayed away from using takeout boxes or the pink patterned longevity plates that are often seen in Chinese restaurants. I wanted the visuals to be very clear: this isn’t Chinese takeout food or restaurant food. This is the food you cook at home.
How does the process change your relationship with food, if at all?
I consider presentation, and that does lead me to think about, what dishes would photograph well, or what garnish can I use to add some color? Sometimes, I am resigned that the food will just be beige – like my miso-braised eggs with shallots. It’s a beige, tan dish, and that’s just how it is!
In My Shanghai, you highlighted Shanghainese street food and everyday meals. Does The Chinese Way take a similar approach, or are there different culinary traditions or themes you focused on this time?
We’re still focusing on everyday meals, but in this second book, we’re going full non-traditional. I imagine some of the dishes will be shocking to traditionalists, but this is my point: second-generation Chinese Americans such as myself are rarely cooking traditional food every day. Food is constantly evolving, and the idea that Chinese food has to reflect the flavor profiles from a decade ago, today, is a backwards idea. Food is a product of context, which includes time, place, and available resources. The way I cook even a traditional dish like Dong Po Rou will be different from how my mom cooked it, or her mother before her. Instead, for this book, I focus on the approach to cooking: classic Chinese cooking techniques, such as STEAM, or FRY, or PICKLE. This is how I learned to cook, and how I cook today: if you master the technique and understand the concept behind a technique, you can use it with your own pantry.
You’ve previously discussed the challenges of translating “intuitive” cooking methods into precise recipes. Did you encounter similar difficulties when developing the recipes for The Chinese Way?
Yes – and I was a bit more wary this time, because this reflects how I cook more closely. I found myself devolving into intuitive cooking at the time of recipe development. I had to remind myself to take notes and document what I did. This is why I hired a professional recipe tester to test every recipe in the book!
Did you encounter any emotional or cultural challenges while writing The Chinese Way that differed from your first book?
My Shanghai is the love letter to my roots, the food I ate growing up. When I want to evoke the taste of home, I cook Shanghainese recipes. The Chinese Way is how I cook now. In some ways, it feels even more personal, because it’s a true reflection of how I cook today. I’m a bit nervous about reception – sometimes, gatekeepers to Chinese food are Chinese people, and the food I’m putting out is certainly non-traditional, but still Chinese at heart. I’m hoping I will inspire readers to try cooking Chinese, even if they don’t have the perfect “Chinese pantry” at home.
You emphasized the importance of preserving family recipes throughout your work. How did your approach evolve with The Chinese Way, and did you find similar motivations driving you?
Yes. My Shanghai was always the book I needed to write first, the one preserving tradition and recipes. The Chinese Way is a natural follow-up – a way of saying, now that we’ve learned the traditional way, what are we doing now? In fact, my parents rarely cook traditionally anymore. My dad is always experimenting with new ingredients and new foods – he pureed some sweet peas and braised soft tofu in that (a la mapo tofu), and it was actually phenomenal!
How do you see your role evolving in the culinary world, and what do you hope readers will take away from your work?
I’m very happy to quietly share the food I cook with my community. I hope readers will see My Shanghai and The Chinese Way, and be inspired to cook Chinese with what they have on hand. I hope to dispel the notion of Chinese food as a rigid, set of dishes and flavor profiles, and encourage creativity, exploration, and curiosity.
