The "Julia Child of Chinese cooking" (San Francisco Chronicle), Barbara Tropp is the chef/owner of one of San Francisco-s most popular restaurants, author of a ?magicalO (Barbara Kafka) first cookbook, and a gifted teacher. She is also the inventor of ?Chinese bistro,O a marriage of home-style Chinese tastes and techniques with Western ingredients and inspiration, an innovative cuisine that stuffs a wonton with crab and corn and flavors it with green chili sauce, that stir-fries chicken with black beans and basil, that tosses white rice into a salad with ginger-balsamic dressing.<P> Casual yet impeccable, and as balanced as yin and yang, these 275 recipes burst with unexpected flavors and combinations: Prawn Sandpot Casserole with Red Curry and Baby Corn; Spicy Tangerine Beef with Glass Noodles; Pizzetta with Chinese Eggplant, Wild Mushrooms, and Coriander Pesto; Chili-Orange Cold Noodles; Sweet Carrot Soup with Toasted Almonds; Wok-Seared New Potatoes; Crystallized Lemon Tart; and Fresh Ginger Ice Cream.<P> It-s East meets Westódazzlinglyóin ?A truly original culinary mindO (Kirkus) Winner of a 1992 IACP/Julia Child Cookbook Award. Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club-s HomeStyle Books. 146,000 copies in print.<P>