Here, the mashed bean curd is shaped into halved pear-shape pieces resembling the celebrated Chinese musical instrument the pi pa.

During the slow braising of this dish, the dark soy sauce, enriched by sugar, permeates the boiled gluten and dyes it red. The bamboo shoots give a contrasting texture to the spongy gluten and tender mushrooms. In keeping with the Buddhist tradition of vegetarian food, neither ginger, garlic, scallions, nor wine is used.

In Chinese, wheat gluten literally means the “sinewy essence” of wheat-flour dough. For Buddhist vegetarians in China, it is the substitute for meat and is thus an indispensable ingredient of their vegetarian dishes. Wheat gluten is sold in its cooked state in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, but as yet it is not available elsewhere; neither is it a satisfactory canned product. Fortunately, it is not difficult to make, so do try it.

A delicately flavored steamed dish much enjoyed by the Cantonese and Fukienese. The egg white lightens the pork, and the bamboo shoots or water chestnuts add just a bite to the otherwise smooth texture. The sauce glistens on the stuffing, giving a transparent effect.

In Fukien, this dish is made from fresh winter bamboo shoots, but in the West we have to be content with the canned product, which, fortunately, retains much of its characteristic crispness.

Tender yet still crisp pepper stuffed with pork that has a suggestion of the taste of shrimp. The black bean sauce, especially with chili, adds another dimension in taste.

This is a classic Eastern vegetarian dish with a play-on-words Chinese title, which, literally translated, is Dry-braised two tung. The two tungs of the pun are tung-sun (winter bamboo shoots) and tung-ku (dried Chinese mushrooms).

In Szechwan, many dishes emulate the fragrance of fish because the condiments used to flavor them are the same as those traditionally used to flavor fish. This flavor is achieved by blending Szechwan chili paste with garlic, ginger and scallions in oil and then allowing this sauce to impregnate the main ingredients cooked in it. The finishing touch is the addition of wine, sugar and vinegar, which enhance the tastes and aftertastes, the hallmark of Szechwanese cooking. This dish is delicious served hot or cold.

Eight is a significant number for the Chinese, for in Buddhism, which for many centuries exerted great influence in China, there are eight treasures in life: pearl, lozenge, stone chime, rhinoceros horn, coin, mirror, books and leaf. The symbolism of these eight treasures is not lost in Chinese food: any dish comprising eight or more main ingredients can term itself an “eight-treasure” dish.

As is so often the case in Chinese cooking, meat is used here to complement the vegetables. The Chinese broccoli in this dish, with its distinctive flavor, similar to asparagus, goes especially well with the velvety beef slices. If it is not available, use broccoli as a substitute.

In special Cantonese establishments, a whole pig is roasted to a rich red color in a specially built oven. A similar effect can be achieved at home by using a piece of pork from the middle section of the belly, with the skin or rind left on. Never score the skin and never use pork that has been frozen, because the skin will not get crisp enough to form the distinctive crackling of the dish.

A very down-to-earth dish, especially good during the autumn and winter. Ox tongue may be more readily available and cheaper but calf tongue has a more delicate flavor and texture, so by all means use 3 or 4 calves’ tongues if you prefer them.

Don’t be put off by the name of this dish: it is characteristic of the Szechwanese sense of humor to visualize minced pork over cellophane noodles as ants climbing up a tree, even though you may not wish to conjure the same image. Whatever the mental picture, the marinated pork cooked in a spicy sauce lends color and flavor to the otherwise bland cellophane noodles, which do, however, contribute an interesting texture to the overall effect.

True to form, this Hunan dish is spicy hot, savory and slightly sweet. As if the flavors are not complex enough, tangy tangerine peel is added to provide a further dimension in taste. The orange rind is not a traditional ingredient for this dish, but it is used here because it complements rather than detracts from the tangerine peel.

This Cantonese dish, with its mouth-watering combination of pungent, savory, sweet and sour tastes, comes from the area along the Eastern River in Kwangtung province.

Some Chinese dishes have a time-honored formula for the ingredients, and this Northern dish, consisting of golden needles, cloud ears, pork and egg, is one of them. Mu-shu is the Chinese name for golden needles, which, in this dish, rank in equal importance with the pork. Mu-shu is also said to refer to the egg pieces, because their yellow color reminds one of the tinge of the golden needles.

Since preserved Szechwan vegetable is a regional product and pork is the national Chinese meat, it is hardly surprising that a standard Szechwan dish combines the two. In fact, this simple stir-fried dish is popular family fare all over China, eaten as much in the South as in the North.

As a contribution to Chinese gastronomy, this dish is arguably as notable as Peking Duck, and it’s certainly easier to make. When roasted, this fragrant and succulent pork looks reddish brown with slightly burned edges, especially around the fat. Delicious hot or cold, it’s a versatile ingredient and can be stir-fried with vegetables, or mixed with fried rice and used as a topping on noodles.

It is a misconception to think that every Hunan dish is spicy hot. On the contrary, many are not, and this dish, that derives its name from the glutinous rice that shines like little pearls on the pork balls, is one of them.

The preserved vegetable, red-in-snow, lends a special fragrance to the pork in this dish. As in many other Shanghai or Eastern stir-fried dishes, neither garlic nor scallions are used.