Hello & Welcome! I’m Wei Guo, the do-it-all creator behind the blog Red House Spice, a free digital cookbook sharing authentic, accessible Chinese recipes since 2017. I couldn’t be happier to have you here!
I firmly believe that —
Anyone can cook delicious Chinese food at home!
Are you someone who —
- Has experienced Chinese food while traveling, working, or studying in China
- Enjoys dishes from local Chinese restaurants or takeout
- Grew up eating Chinese food cooked by loved ones
- Has Chinese friends/relatives and often eat their homemade dishes
- Holds a curiosity for cuisines from around the world
- Looks for new ways to cook their favorite ingredients
If you’re nodding at one of those descriptions, you’ve come to the right place to learn!
My background
I was born and raised in Gansu/甘肃 province, China, where noodles, dumplings, and bao (all accompanied by a dash of chili oil) hold a special place in the hearts and meals of families.
Currently, I live in England, in a 100-year-old red brick house that inspired the name of the blog Red House Spice. Here, I spend my days with my husband and our two bundles of joy (aka the official RHS taste testers).
Having a professional background in journalism, I gained my recipe-development skills through countless made-from-scratch meals prepared for my family and friends over the years.
My food story
I don’t have a “learned cooking from my mama/grandma when I was young” type of story. But my parents, who are both fantastic home cooks, always involved me around food. They allowed me to play in our tiny kitchen, let me savor the first bite, asked for my opinion on the taste, and encouraged me to participate in fun cooking activities like pleating dumplings, pulling noodles, wrapping Zongzi, and more.
While working as a journalist in Beijing, I didn’t cook much but I was a keen restaurant hunter. I spent most of my spare time tasting new dishes in the capital city where all Chinese regional cuisines meet (with Sichuan cuisine holding a special place in my heart).
Drawing from the immersive experiences in my childhood kitchen and countless dining adventures, I quickly developed a natural flair for cooking since I started living abroad where good Chinese food is hard to find.
About the blog
After taking a career break and spending a decade enthusiastically cooking at home, I found myself yearning to work in the food industry. Yet, I was unsure of the path that would lead me to fulfill this dream. Then a spontaneous idea struck me: Why not start a food blog?
Thus Red House Spice was born, becoming a platform where I could document the recipes that I had been cooking while embarking on a journey of learning new ones.
My sole and unwavering focus was on Chinese Cuisine right from the start, even though I enjoy cooking all types of food and I have a fondness for baking.
Why? Firstly, it’s the cuisine where my expertise truly shines. Secondly, I’m deeply passionate about demystifying the misconception that Chinese cooking is overly complicated because, truth be told, it’s surprisingly approachable and delightful to explore.
Testimonial
“Your insight is invaluable! I have gone through each and every one of your recipes, and just adore your approach and technique.” — Anna
“I’m so glad I found you! Your recipes are detailed, informative, and not overwhelming.” — Jessica
While the majority of my recipes center on classic and traditional Chinese dishes deeply rooted in Chinese culinary culture, like the beloved Red-Braised Pork Belly, I also feature recipes developed by Chinese chefs living outside China, including the iconic Fortune Cookies. In an interview with SAVEUR, I expressed my belief in celebrating American Chinese food as a unique regional cuisine deserving recognition.
Over the years, Red House Spice has blossomed into something truly remarkable. It has become a hub where I’ve connected with like-minded individuals from all corners of the globe. Their appreciation and support have fueled my passion and brought boundless inspiration. I’m deeply grateful for the wonderful community that has formed around my blog.
What to find at Red House Spice
- Delicious Chinese dishes made for modern home cooking
- Simplified cooking methods for classic recipes without sacrificing flavor
- Recipes with precise measurements instead of “some of this”, “a little of that”
- Introduction to special condiments and their substitutes
- Tutorial videos and process shots to guide you through each step
- Recipe reviews for learning from fellow home cooks and asking me questions
RHS has been featured in
How to use this blog
- Follow the recipe carefully when trying a dish for the 1st time. Then modify and twist as you wish.
- Click the magnifying glass at the top right to search for a particular dish.
- Visit my recipe archive for more inspirations.
- Press the “PRINT” button (located above the ingredient list in the recipe card) to produce your own hard-copy cookbook.
- Bookmark recipes by tapping the heart icon on the pages. For a better experience, create an account to synchronize all your favorite recipes across all your devices.
- Don’t forget to subscribe to my free weekly recipe newsletter, which includes an email cooking course to get you started.
Other fun facts
— I’m obsessed with spicy food, hence “Spice” in the blog name. You can find plenty of hot recipes like Bang Bang Chicken, Chili Oil Wonton, and Dan Dan Noodles.
— I’m a free-spirited cook who eyeballs ingredient quantities and loves to experiment with flavors. But when it comes to those “no-room-for-error” occasions, I follow my own recipes to the letter, like with my foolproof Peking Duck.
— It frustrates me when people say things like “Tofu is boring” or “Tofu is only for vegan dieters”, etc. I like being a “tofu defender” by sharing mouthwatering recipes like Authentic Mapo Tofu, Scallion Silken Tofu, and many more!
— My two bundles of joy help my blogs in different ways. My son is a born gourmet who can detect the subtlest taste changes so I always treasure his opinion (BTW, he started his spicy food journey at 6 with a bowl of Sichuan Cold Noodles). While my daughter loves cooking with me. You can spot her cute little hands rolling Dumpling Wrappers in my tutorial video.
— I’m particular about the vessels that hold my food. So I dream of hand-making all the ceramic props for my food photography. You can take a peek at my pottery journey @clay.by.wei.
FAQs
A: My post on 10 Essential Chinese Condiments will help you to achieve that.
A: Try these three: Tomato and Egg Stir-fry, Smashed Cucumber, and Ginger Chicken
A: There are so many! If I have to pick the top 5, they are:
Biang Biang Noodles
Pork & Cabbage Dumplings
Steamed Eggs
Hot & Sour Napa Cabbage
One-Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice
A: I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly recipe newsletter. As a subscriber, you’ll have direct access to me and can ask questions, suggest recipes, etc. Alternatively, use the contact form to leave a message.
A: In the past, I’ve done a few private cooking classes, a fund-raising supper club, and several Culinary Tours of China. However, at the moment I’m solely focusing on creating great content for this blog to satisfy the needs of the rapidly growing reader community. If I ever decide to jump into offline events again, I’ll make sure to spread the news through my newsletter and social channels (Instagram, Facebook).
Where to go next?
Thank you for taking the time to learn about me and my blog! Now, would you like to explore some recipes? Here are a few of the most popular categories:
Anna Rains says
I’m so happy to have found your site! Many of these dishes are ones that I remember from my childhood (chinese mother, swiss father). The recipes are so much easier to follow than my mom’s “little of this, some of that” instructions. Haha. My son has a keen interest in his Chinese heritage and a love for culinary arts. Your site has helped me share with him the dishes of my youth, but has also brought us closer through sunday’s spent in the kitchen together. Thank you for all your effort…your dishes make more than food..they make family.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
My great pleasure! Cooking is definitely one of the best ways to bond with family. Enjoy you kitchen time with you son Anna!
alan frankel says
Hi Wei,I’ve just subscribed
Please tell me what oil do you use for making chili oil
and what oils do you use for cooking?
Wei Guo says
Hi Alan! Chinese cooking calls for neutral cooking oil that doesn’t have a strong taste but a high smoking point, for example: peanut oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, vegetable oil, rapeseed oil, canola oil, etc. You can use any of the above to make chili oil. Happy cooking!
Jessica says
Hi Wei,
I found your website last night as I was searching how to make hand-pulled noodles. I’m so glad I found you! Your recipes are detailed, informative and not overwhelming. Also, I have to say that I really enjoy your writing style.
I look forward to delving deeper into your website and actually trying out some of your recipes – I think I will try dumplings soon as my “fans” like those very much!
Take care and stay safe!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Very happy to read your warm message Jessica! Wish you happy and fun time cooking for your “fans”!
Laine says
你好 Wei! I came across your site looking for pork ideas online and decided to make your 鱼香肉丝 dish. I was thinking of a sliced pork with bean curd dish when I saw it, so thought it looked good. I know it wasn’t the same dish, but wanted to try it anyway. My husband and I enjoyed it! I then looked through your other recipes and can’t wait to try more! Thanks so much for sharing and keep up your love of cooking and sharing!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
You’re welcome Laine! Very happy that you’ve enjoyed this dish. Happy cooking!
BK says
So, I shared the Snow Skin Mooncake recipe with my 17 yr old son. He was excited to try it. Bought the molds and ingredients, and set him loose. What he achieved was awesome; he did some green (matcha), some purple (yam), some with both. Wish I could figure out how to send a picture.
I’m a chef, and I enjoy receiving your recipes and tips. I like to explore different cuisines at home (and for family-meal at work when I get the chance), your blog has given new found knowledge and lent inspiration to that end. Thanks!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
So happy to know my recipes work well for you. It’s my great pleasure to share my passion and knowledge.
Wendy Jang says
Wei, I am loving your blog and your recipes. I am inspired to cook some of your recipes, especially the traditional sauces! I need your help!! I stumbled on your blog while trying to find a recipe for a sweet cucumber pickle that I recall from my childhood in Toronto, Canada. I am a third generation Canadian whose family came in the late 1800’s from Toi Shan region in Guong Zhou province. In other words, our family is rural Cantonese. When I was a child, we used to shop several times a year in Chinatown and bought pickles that we would eat with Congee. The pickles were skinny brownish shriveled cucumbers in sweet syrup and came in a square tin with a simple paper label in Chinese writing (I do not speak or write Chinese.) Later in life, popular Chinese food became available in local grocery stores but these specialty items are not featured. I have found similar looking cucumber pickles in glass jars but they are cooked with soy sauce and are salty, not sweet. We called them “Cha Gua” in our dialect but I suspect that just means pickled melon. Are you familiar with this sweet syrupy pickle? It is similar to Canton Ginger but not gingery. Could you suggest a source for a recipe? Haven’t had these for over 40 years and can’t find them anywhere.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Thank you very much Wendy for trying out my recipes! Pickled cucumber is very popular in many regions of China. Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with the one you’ve mentioned. I’ve just googled it in Chinese but didn’t find anything that fits what you are looking for.
Wendy Jang says
Thank you for your quick response. Disappointed that the sweet pickle is unknown to you; it is very good with congee. We always make congee with the leftover turkey carcass at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the pickle was a common condiment. I experimented this week, using a recipe similar to Canton Ginger but it was a failure. The results are like cucumber jam!! Taste is similar but texture is terrible. If I am successful in my quest, I will share it with you.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi Wendy! I’ve just received an email from a blog reader who has the answer to your question. I will email you the information on Cha Gua/茶瓜.
Wendy Jang says
Wei, thank you for following up with my request and many thanks also to your blog reader who is sharing his recipe for Cha Gua. I am looking forward to trying the recipe and if successful, with sharing the pickle with my extended family. I appreciate your generosity in sharing your contacts and resources with the public. I will let you know how the pickles turn out. Blessings on both of you for your help. Sincerely, Wendy
Lacreesha says
Dear Wei,
I love your blog & your recipes! I was wondering if you have or could make a recipe for 麻辣牛肉汤面. I recently had this at a restaurant & I absolutely loved it.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi Lacreesha! I have a recipe for Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. You may try it and add some freshly ground Sichuan pepper when assembling the dish. Check out my post on “How to grind Sichuan pepper” if you’re interested.
Jeffrey says
Dear Wei,
Happy to discover your blog. I am living and working in Ningxia.
Making dumplings for the first time today with my Chinese girlfriend. Trying your recipes and directions.
Look forward to discovering all your recipes and surprising her with some in the future
Best,
Jeffrey
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi Jeffrey! I’ve been to Ningxia quite a few times. Lovely people and great food. Enjoy your exploration of Chinese cooking!
Dana says
Dear Wei,
I love your blog and your recipes!!!
I’ve been travelling in China various times and areas and I love Chinese food. Since my first trip there I don’t like “Chinese” food in German restaurants anymore – it’s always the same and has nothing to do with the “real” taste…..I will try the Sheng Jian Bao because I have a special relationship with Shanghai and the typical food there. Keep on rocking, I cannot wait to explore more and more recipes 🙂
Love
Dana
Wei @ Red House Spice says
I totally understand your feeling Dana. It is quite difficult to find good Chinese food with the “real” taste outside China. Fortunately, we can recreate many dishes in our own kitchen which taste much better (and healthier too). Enjoy!
李美珍 says
Hi Wei,
I came across your website while searching for a recipe for 葱油拌面 which I miss so much after living in China for 5 years. My husband wanted to recreate this simple Shanghai noodle dish and will use your recipe. I am thrilled that I found your website which has a wealth of information and recipes for so many more dishes that I remember eating when we lived in Shanghai and traveled throughout China! Thank you for being such an amazing resource!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Hi 美珍! Delighted to know you like my recipes. I can relate to your feeling. It’s always a great pleasure to recreate the dishes that you miss. Happy cooking!
JR says
This is an absolutely fantastic food blog. Have been cooking your recipes in a small cabin during covid (don’t always have all the ingredients!) and very impressed by the level of detail, authenticity, and flavor. Thank you so much and looking forward to going on one of your tours one day!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
My great pleasure to share! Your kind words are much appreciated. Wish you a great time exploring Chinese food.