1. Project Overview
HowToCook is an open-source recipe collection created to remove the friction programmers face when cooking at home. Existing online recipes often have ingredients that "suddenly appear out of nowhere mid-recipe" or carry unclear instructions, which can feel frustratingly unfriendly to people accustomed to writing code.
"These recipes are like a function that suddenly references a variable you never imported."
So the project compiles recipes in a clear, consistent format from a programmer's perspective, and runs as a community-driven open-source project where anyone can easily contribute.
"We hope more people will join in and help build a fun repository together!"
2. How to Use and Contribute
2.1. Running the Web Service Locally
- Install Docker, then spin up the web service with the commands below.
docker pull ghcr.io/anduin2017/how-to-cook:latest
docker run -d -p 5000:5000 ghcr.io/anduin2017/how-to-cook:latest
- If you need a PDF version, open document.pdf in your browser.
2.2. How to Contribute
- If you spot a problem, fix it yourself and submit a Pull Request.
- When adding a new recipe, copy the existing template and fill it in.
"Open source built together — your participation is welcome!"
3. Basic Setup
3.1. Kitchen Preparation and Foundational Knowledge
- Kitchen setup
- How to decide what to eat today
- How to use a pressure cooker
- How to use an air fryer
- How to remove fishy odors
- Food safety
- How to use a microwave
- Learning to blanch
- Learning to stir-fry and pan-fry
- Learning to make cold-dressed dishes
- Learning to marinate
- Learning to steam
- Learning to simmer/boil
"Cooking starts with having the right tools and environment ready!"
4. Recipe Categories
4.1. Recipes by Difficulty
- Organized from 1 star to 5 stars, so beginners and seasoned cooks alike can find something to tackle.
4.2. Recipes by Category
🥬 Vegetable Dishes
- Examples: stir-fried shredded potato, spinach and egg stir-fry, eggplant stir-fry, tofu dishes, cucumber salad, tomato and egg stir-fry, and more
🍖 Meat Dishes
- Examples: red-braised pork belly, mapo tofu, baked chicken wings, beef stir-fry, twice-cooked pork, sweet and sour pork, braised spicy chicken, and more
🐟 Seafood Dishes
- Examples: blanched shrimp, braised fish, steamed fish, stir-fried crab, stir-fried squid, clam soup, and more
🍚 Staples (Rice / Noodles / Bread)
- Examples: fried rice, omurice, bibimbap, noodles, dumplings, bread, pizza dough, and more
🍳 Breakfast
- Examples: steamed egg, sandwiches, oatmeal, toast, poached egg, fried egg, congee, dumplings, and more
🥣 Soups and Congee
- Examples: tomato and egg soup, seaweed soup, beef radish soup, congee, abalone congee, century-egg congee, and more
🥤 Beverages
- Examples: milk tea, fruit tea, coffee, cocktails, smoothies, iced tea, and more
🍯 Sauces and Other Ingredients
- Examples: strawberry jam, scallion oil, garlic soy sauce, sweet-and-sour sauce, chili oil, dipping sauce for fried food, and more
🍰 Desserts
- Examples: Oreo ice cream, strawberry ice cream, cheesecake, tiramisu, scones, egg tarts, fried milk, and more
"Find exactly the dish you want, organized by category!"
5. Semi-Prepared and Processed Foods
- Frozen dumplings, frozen tangyuan, semi-prepared pasta, air-fryer chicken wings, french fries, and more — even convenient semi-prepared foods come with precise cooking instructions.
6. Advanced Cooking Knowledge
Once you're comfortable with the basics, you can dive into more in-depth techniques!
"Cooking is like coding — once you've built the fundamentals, leveling up to advanced techniques is genuinely fun!"
7. Closing Notes
- HowToCook is an open space where not just programmers, but anyone can easily learn to cook and contribute.
- Clear recipes, systematic categorization, and community focus are the project's greatest strengths.
"Programmers and cooking novices alike — everyone can enjoy the pleasure of a home-cooked meal!"
Key Highlights
- Open source
- Programmer-friendly
- Clear, unambiguous recipes
- Organized by difficulty and category
- Contributions welcome
- Beginner to advanced
- Semi-prepared food guidance
- Practical, everyday cooking guide
Start your home-cooking journey with HowToCook today! 🍳🍚🥗