Lessons in Chinese Cooking

A few months ago (hence why everyone is wearing sweaters in these photos), I took a private cooking class with some of my friends at the Chinese Cooking Workshop in Shanghai. Since then, I've come back for a group class and really enjoyed myself. The classes are reasonably priced at 150 rmb (~$24) and include all the ingredients for your meal. Plus, I have yet to go to a class where I don't also bring home takeout containers stuffed full of food. Score.

The class included three dishes, two of which we cooked and one dish which was demonstrated by the chef (though we did get to eat it). For our class, we made mapo doufu (spicy tofu), yu xiang qie zi (fish fragrant eggplant), and gon bao ji (kung pao chicken).

You chop and prep your ingredients, then watch as the instructor goes over how to make each dish. Then it's your turn to give it a try.

Overall, it was a fun way to spend an afternoon with friends. And I learned how to cook some of my favorite Chinese dishes. If only I could learn how to properly chop without getting my fingers in the way.