Chinese food, with its classic stir-fry is not limited to sliced onion, green and red bell peppers, carrots, and pea pods. You might find a potato or an Oriental eggplant in the mix.

Neither vegetable seems common to the Chinese table. But Ying’s native Harbin, a city in northern China, both are common vegetables. Ying demonstrates just how versatile stir-fries can be at her classes. In the last few years, she taught at different colleges and cooking schools in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. She currently teaches cooking classes at College of Lake County and Whole Foods Markets, She also conducts cooking demos and book signings at several libraries in Illinois. She is planning to hold some cooking classes at her home.

In the two-hour session, she gives a cooking lesson as well as a little history and geography. "Harbin is one of the biggest cities in China," she says. "It's a music city with concerts. It's also an ice city. It's very cold. They build a park of ice sculptures in the winter and it's like a crystal city."

She also notes the regional styles of cooking. "In the north, we grow a lot of wheat and soybeans. In the south, they eat rice every meal. We don't. We have steamed buns and bread, but we don't have ovens in Chinese homes."

Thus the steamed bread cooked on the stove top. Steamed buns are filled with vegetables and meat. Also popular are dumplings, lo mein (a Chinese dish of noodles), and tofu, which may be frozen, fresh, or made into noodles. "There are many health benefits to tofu, but for those who don't like the texture, you can use soy bean noodles," she said.

In China, there are four major cooking styles: North, South,
East and West. Ying teaches all different cooking styles, from steamed bread to dim sum, from Szechuan and Hunan (spicy) to light flavored seafood.

MalaTofu	Dumplings in Spicy Sauce
Potato Stir-Fry	Ribs with Potato & Green Beens
Egg Wrap Dish	Icecream Dessertin

“I can’t believe you make it look so easy!” “This is the best eggroll I have ever had!” “The tips and tricks you taught made a world difference!” These are just a few of the comments from her students.

Come and join Ying in her COOKING CLASS, which is not only informational but also lots of fun.