Cook Like a King: Recipes from My California Chinese Kitchen by Chef Melissa King

  • Smoky tea eggs (page 23)

    from Cook Like a King: Recipes from My California Chinese Kitchen Cook Like a King by Chef Melissa King

    • Categories: Egg dishes; Snacks; Cooking ahead; Chinese; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: light soy sauce; Chinese rock sugar; dark soy sauce; rice vinegar; Lapsang Souchong tea; fresh ginger; whole star anise; bay leaves; cinnamon sticks; white pepper; Sichuan peppercorns; eggs
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Notes about this book

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Hong Kong milk tea tiramisu

    • stevensolarz on December 28, 2025

      Creamy, perfect flavour. Dusted with cinnamon. Everyone went back for seconds.

    • Nrnarayan on March 28, 2026

      HEAVENLY, I can see how she won top check with this

    • kris.mundt on April 26, 2026

      Used Hong Kong milk tea powder for the custard and a mix of HK and milk tea Earl Grey for the ladyfinger soak

    • kris.mundt on May 10, 2026

      I made this again with an added layer of rhubarb jam! Earl grey tea instead of Hong Kong milk tea, Cointreau instead of Marsala, and split the difference of granulated sugar with yuzu citrus sugar.

  • Dan dan mein

    • craftycarmen on December 04, 2025

      If you’ve ordered dan dan noodles from restaurants, you’d know that there are different takes of the dish. This one is definitely more sesame based, as opposed to Sichuan chili oil based. Once I’ve put that into perspective, I liked the dish more (I’m more of a fan of the chili oil based version.) I halved the recipe and followed it to a T, including the same brand of preserved mustard Melissa mentioned. I definitely recommend trying the mustard first before mixing it in to see how you like it. I didn’t do this at first, and I feel like it gave the whole dish a sour note I didn’t particularly expect. I tried it again with the mustard, and preferred it more without. Also, unless you do like dishes more on the spicy side, I recommend adding a little bit of the chili oil first, taste, and add more as needed. I found 1 tbsp as listed becoming a bit too spicy, especially as you continue to eat it.

    • jessica_iia7a3 on February 25, 2026

      Did a mix of preserved mustard greens with fermented ramp leaves.

  • Al pastor bao

    • craftycarmen on January 01, 2026

      Loved this one. I used pork butt since it was more accessible and it came out great.

    • anya_sf on May 28, 2026

      Really delicious. My pork actually marinated overnight (18 hrs) with no problem. I probably should have lowered the heat on the grill as the pork charred a little too much. The bao were delicious and relatively easy to pick up and eat. They could have used a sauce, so next time I will make guacamole, as suggested.

  • Smoky tea eggs

    • Nrnarayan on March 28, 2026

      it's a lot of soy sauce to recommend the minimum marination time. Check on it to make sure its to your preference! Wish you got more of the tea notes

  • Yellowtail crudo in ginger-citrus broth

    • Katie on May 04, 2026

      Added some Serrano and loved that.

  • Pork lettuce wraps

    • bwhip on May 08, 2026

      These were great! Lots of flavor, good texture, easy for a weeknight. A little salty, but not bad. I couldn’t find jicama, so used kohlrabi instead, which worked quite well.

  • Hot honey-cured egg yolks on garlic toast

    • Nrnarayan on March 28, 2026

      Interesting texture. You don't need nearly this much honey to make these so I suggest cutting the curing liquid in half. Overall too fussy, doubt I'd make again

  • Classic wedge with shiso ranch

    • craftycarmen on March 13, 2026

      Loved this one. You don’t need to make the full shiso ranch recipe. My lettuce was about 1lb as Melissa suggested, but I don’t think you need a full 1/2 cup of dressing on each serving. I recommend just halving it. Also, take the time to make the lap cheong crumble! Totally worth it.

  • Spiced charred peaches with olives, feta, and orange zest

    • EmilyR on October 07, 2025

      This is flavorful and a nice salty and sweet salad. It’s a bit late in the season so the white peaches aren’t as great and frankly didn’t look as nice when roasted up, so stick with the yellow peaches.

  • Jicama with avocado, macadamia nuts, and sesame-lime vinaigrette

    • anya_sf on May 28, 2026

      I riffed on this, substituting a bag of coleslaw mix for the jicama, red cabbage, radishes, and sprouts. Half the vinaigrette recipe seemed like the right amount. Used (storebought) fried shallots instead of macadamias, as suggested. Omitted the mint. Did not need the extra salt. The salad was really good.

  • Milk buns

    • stevensolarz on January 02, 2026

      The times seem off, and the punch down to balls could be more clear. Very soft rolls, I made mine extra garlicky.

    • sarah_uc5tr5 on May 27, 2026

      I did not make the garlic butter, but the rolls themselves were excellent!! Will definitely be making again!

  • Cheesy scallion pancakes

    • Nrnarayan on March 28, 2026

      These are great but so heavy with the cheese, doubt I'll make again

  • Garlic soy sauce noodles

    • EmilyR on September 24, 2025

      Initially I didn’t trust the noodle quantity to be sufficient but I stand corrected. We added chicken to round this out to feel more like a meal and to add some protein.

  • Roasted kabocha with five spice and hot honey

    • EmilyR on October 08, 2025

      This is quite simple and good to prepare in advance and leftovers roast up well. I used honeynut squash.

  • Lemongrass beef stew

    • kris.mundt on April 22, 2026

      I used a venison roast for this! Cooking time was reduced by about an hour.

    • jessica_iia7a3 on May 14, 2026

      Not as brothy as I expected, so added extra stock. Also added some shitake mushrooms.

  • Black vinegar ribs

    • jessica_iia7a3 on January 20, 2026

      So good. Served with white rice, roasted baby bok choy/broccoli and gojuchang mushrooms.

  • Almond madeleines with citrus marmalade

    • rita_uj484e on March 28, 2026

      One bowl & one pot, all done by hand. Batter comes together super quickly & easily. 1 hour minimum rest time.

  • Salted egg yolk Basque cheesecake

    • stevensolarz on January 11, 2026

      I did not make with salted yolks, so substituted a bit more salt and crumb. Recipe turned out very well.

  • Chocolate chunk cookies

    • EmilyR on October 07, 2025

      These are all in on the chocolate chip cookies… the only small difference I made was using dark brown sugar. The cookies are good, but not my idea of the best or something extra special.

  • Quick pickled red onion

    • anya_sf on May 28, 2026

      Half the brine was enough for one smallish red onion. I don't always love pickled onions, but really enjoyed this on the al pastor bao; the hint of star anise complemented the other flavors nicely.

    • sarah_uc5tr5 on June 07, 2026

      Easy and delicious!

  • Sesame-lime vinaigrette

    • craftycarmen on January 01, 2026

      Super simple and delicious. It has become my go-to for vinaigrette.

    • anya_sf on May 28, 2026

      Very good, nice on slaw.

  • Steamed bao

    • anya_sf on May 28, 2026

      I'd never made steamed bao before, but these turned out perfectly. Due to my schedule, the dough rose initially for a few hours in the fridge. This may have made the dough even easier to work with. I stacked 2 steamer baskets (4 bao in each) so just needed to steam 2 batches. 12 min was just right.

    • sarah_uc5tr5 on June 07, 2026

      This was much easier than I expected it to be, and my bao came out perfectly!! Will definitely be making big batches of them in the future!

  • King's chili crisp

    • craftycarmen on October 20, 2025

      Quick and easy compared to another recipe I’ve used before. I did have to make this twice, as the first batch turned out dark and burnt. Based on my previous experience, I redid it and made these changes to the instructions: place the flakes, sesame seeds, and salt in a heatproof bowl. Once the garlic turns golden brown, pour the oil through a strainer into the bowl, and stir.

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  • ISBN 10 1984861921
  • ISBN 13 9781984861924
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published Sep 23 2025
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 272
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Ten Speed Press

Publishers Text

In her debut cookbook, Top Chef All-Stars champion and award-winning chef Melissa King shares 120 of her favorite dishes, blending her California sensibility with the Chinese cuisine of her childhood.

From the moment she could see over the kitchen counter, King would spend hours in the kitchen with her mom. For King, the kitchen was a place to play with fire and knives. Now, it's a space where King can express herself, melding the Cantonese flavors with which she grew up and the French, Italian, and Californian ones of the Michelin-starred restaurants in which she trained.

Cook Like a King features 120 unforgettable dishes that showcase King's effortless blending of these cuisines, like in her Lemongrass Cioppino and Miso Caesar with Gai Lan and Chrysanthemum Greens. She includes nostalgic, homestyle dishes like her grandmother’s Shanghainese Lion's Head Meatballs and her mother’s Black Vinegar Ribs, and, of course, her famous Hong Kong Milk Tea Tiramisu, which made renowned Italian butcher and Top Chef guest judge Dario Cecchini shed tears of joy.

King keeps the needs of the home cook in mind, making recipes accessible while inspiring readers to experiment with food, culture, and flavor. Her recipes, crafted from a lifetime spent cooking for her Chinese family, in restaurants, and on television, show how simple techniques, attention, and graceful application of the Asian pantry can elevate familiar dishes and create new, thrilling classics. With stunning photography, personal stories, and expert guidance, Cook Like a King is a thoughtful, playful examination of the flavors that shape our lives.

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