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:
I tried your egg drop soup, it tastes great! I didn’t have the dried shrimp so I replaced it with dried anchovies instead. It came out fine too. Thanks and greetings from Singapore!
Yes, dried anchovies provide umami taste too. Glad you liked it!
Amazing blog! I will come back to read more.
Thanks for popping by Dilys! Hope you’ll find some inspiration on my blog.
Hi my name Jackie I’m from Springfield GA. Thanks for sharing your recipes with me.
You’re welcome Jackie! Happy to have you in our Red House Spice Chinese cooking community.
I am from Malaysia, just discovered your blog on the topic how to grow garlic sprouts.
Will try out your recipes
Welcome to RHS Chinese cooking community Adrienne! Hope you’ll find my recipes inspirational.
I for one, come from Italian roots. The man I am dating is 1/2 Chinese. As we were talking he mentioned how he missed his grandmother’s cooking. There are no cook books or written recipes.
I would love to help him find the tastes he remembers as a child growing up with his grandmother.
I don’t know what it would take from me but I sure am willing to try. Organic and real is what he is looking for.
I am a real good cook … but don’t know my way around a Chinese kitchen.
Lovely to hear you story Lee! Hope my blog will help you to make some Authentic Chinese food for your boyfriend. Happy cooking!
I’m sooooo happy to have found your blog. I’m excited and can’t wait to try your recipes. Everything looks delicious!
Welcome to Red House Spice community! Happy cooking!
I’mso happy to find your blog n would like to try some of your recipies. Thank you so much
You’re welcome Angela! Happy cooking!
Thank you Wei.
I love Chinese cuisine and I’m looking forward to a new adventure with you. I’ve just made Tomato Egg Drop Soup for my breakfast. Delicious !!!!
I’m Australian 🌞
My pleasure to share Penny! Tomato egg drop soup is very comforting as breakfast. Glad you’ve enjoyed!
Hello, canit wait to learn and cook your recipes in Chinese cuisine.
Welcome to the Red House Spice Chinese cooking community Vivian! Hope you find some inspirations here.
Hi! I just subscribed! I lived in Beijing 2006-2013. Also spent 2 months in Chengdu in 1983.
(Yes. I am ancient!)
Really enjoy your writing!!!
Welcome MaoZhou! Hope my recipes bring back your memories of life in China.
I am happy to find this blog! After so many years of being drawn to Chinese culture even preferring this cuisine though I’m Hispanic finally made sense to me this month! I just found out that my Great Great Grandfather was a Chinese immigrant who ran a restaurant in Mexico! My heart leapt and broke at the same time because everything that makes me who I am is from him, yet he was hidden, no traditions were passed down. I know where my love of cooking came from, now I’m on a mission to honor him by learning to cook recipes I can only imagine he would have made! Thank you for sharing your treasured recipes!!
Thank YOU Jazz for sharing this touching story! Your great great grandfather would be proud of you learning to cook Chinese food.
What an awesome story!
Hi – found your site looking for a xiaolongbao recipe. Had them in Macau and Hong Kong and we all loved them. Yours are absolutely the best instructions. I have a bamboo steamer but I haven’t used it yet as I’m not sure how to prepare it before first use. Could you please reply with instructions how to prepare the steamer
Thanks!!
Hi Judi! Before first use, simply rinse your bamboo steamer under warm water then leave to air fry naturally. Happy cooking!
Hi Wei
I would like to make chinese meat filled deep fried dumplings (called gai loong in cantonese) using glutinous rice flour, for a gathering. Would like to know if possible to make ahead and deep fried at the gathering. Can I fill and assemble and necessary to freeze. If so, need to defrost, and how long to deep fry. Thank you for your help.
elaine
Hi Elaine! I believe you’re talking about Ham Siu Gok/咸水角. I haven’t published a recipe for this dish. Food blogger Jeannette has a recipe. Go check it out!
I am vegetarian so I have eaten little Chinese food (little amounts of protein in almost everything means I can’t eat most of it!). So finding your exquisite recipes laid out so clearly has opened up the traditions an techniques of Sichuan food for me – not to mention the amazing flavours. I am very grateful.
Thanks for visiting my blog Ann! So happy to know you find my recipes helpful. Happy cooking!
Nice
Please write book; your insight is invaluable! I have gone through each and every one of your recipes; and just adore your approach and technique.
I like how you inform why I’m doing certain processes and why xxx
Truly best Asian recipe index I’ve come across.
With that I say; many thanks for the joy you have given me xxx
Anna.
Hi Anna! You kind message motivates me to work harder on my blog. Maybe one day I’ll be able to publish a cookbook. Thanks for your encouragement!
thank you for taking the time to tranform your cooking into recipes!
i came across your recipes looking for a moo shu pork recipe and found your scallion pancake recipe. its quite close to the dozens of others ive tried but yours is perfection❤ looking 4ward to next weekend when i can make a feast to bring & share w/ my co-workers on monday!
thank you again!
You’re welcome Malisa! Wish you a wonderful time cooking and sharing with your co-workers!
I am new and learning to cook Chinese dishes. I just watched your video beef broccoli. I love this vegetable so much. I just stumbled across your site and I like everything about it. My Chinese friends have their own touch on the way they cook and I want my own touch to share with them. Thank. you Wei
My pleasure Robert! Very happy to connect with you on my blog. Happy cooking!