No comments about Nyonya Specialties (Best of Singapore's Recipes).

2 comments about The Essential Thai Cookbook.

1. if there were a minus 10 , i would pick i



2. I wish this title were not out of print as I am currently seeking two additional copies for gifts to friends who not only love to cook but also want to know about the people and the traditions surrounding the food. This book is a beautiful volume, an informative guide to recipes as well as a great book to just sit down and read.

No comments about The Festive Food of India and Pakistan.

No comments about Better Homes and Gardens Easy Stir-Fry Recipes.

2 comments about Heartsmart Flavours of India.

1. Has some great recipes. Helped my dad who had a heart attack with his cravings for Indian food. A must-have for Indian food lovers.



2. I've used this cookbook so many times and each time the food has turned out really tasty with so much flavour... Her meat masala can be used in so many different ways, the best part is different dishes taste different even after using the same masala... Her recipes are easy to follow and most importantly - Good for the Heart!! Highly Recommended

4 comments about Indian Light Cooking: Delicious and Healthy Foods from One of the World's Great Cuisines.

1. Ruth Law's "Indian Light Cooking" is my favorite cookbook. Ease of preparation, healthy recipe design, and a sincere respect for the cuisine are combined to produce a remarkable (and usable) resource. Highly recommended.



2. The recipes I've tried so far have been easy to follow and fantastic. For example, her Baingan Bharta was the best I have ever had. Madhur Jaffrey's book used to be my bible, but so far this is every bit as tasty but nowhere near as fatty.

   She lists a lot of nutritional information for each dish too - including calories, fat, carbs (but not fiber -- you WW people will have to make an educated guess).




3. Whether or not people like this book depends in large part on their attitudes about 'extreme low fat cooking'. I've lived for years on both sides of that particular culinary philosophical fence, and these days my attitudes are decidedly more Ben Franklinesque (re: "Moderation in all things, including moderation").
   
   I consider myself to be firmly in the camp that believes it's perfectly fine to take reasonable steps to reduce unnecessary fats that are present to excess, provided that (a) your definition of what constitutes 'reasonable' is, in fact, reasonable; and (b) your culinary skills and wisdom are adequate, and balanced enough, to make reasonable {gee, there's that word again} adjustments to the recipes at hand so that the resulting dish(s) won't suffer excessively.
   
   Ruth Law, in her somewhat overzealous pursuit of ultra-low-fat cooking, falls a bit short on both counts, and I'll try to briefly overview why:
   
   Reasonable Lowfat Techniques:
   ----------------------------
   
   * SKINLESS POULTRY: This is perfectly fine, and with the sole exception of doing whole roast chicken, I cook this way myself. There are a plethora of techniques one can use to mitigate the tendency of chicken to dry out, such as light brining (for moisture retention), marinating in yogurt or buttermilk (tenderizing of proteins), gashing/butterflying in order to speed cooking times (less time for moisture loss), braising, etc. The authoress uses some, but not all, of those techniques, with varying success.
   
   * TRIMMING EXCESS FAT: This too is perfectly reasonable (esp for stewing & braising), providing you don't do it to excess ... particularly for cuts that you intend to grind, grill or roast. Anyone who's ever gotten carried away removing too much fat from, say, pork & chicken destined for sausage making, or a deboned and butterflied lamb destined for stuffing, will immediately conceed that it's all too easy to get carried away, to the detriment of the finished dish.
   
   * REDUCING OIL/GHEE/CREAM: This too, is fine, provided it's done within reason.
   
   Unreasonable Ultra-lowfat Techniques:
   ------------------------------------
   
   * ELIMINATING ALL OIL: Sorry, but like it or not, nearly all dry spices have the flavors they do due to the presence of `volatile oils' and other flavenoids that rapidly dissipate or become rancid with prolonged exposure to air. Because they're naturally oil-based, they're OIL SOLUABLE, rather than water soluable, by definition. In laymans terms, that means in order to adequately release their flavor, you need to lightly toast (enough to make them brittle, but not enough to drive off the essential oils), grind (i.e., increase their surface area), and then briefly saute them in a little oil, in order to extract the essential oils from the spices so that they can, in turn, permeate the dish effectively. It's one thing to reduce the amount of oil you use in the process, but it's a different matter to eliminate the oil entirely and replace it with faux cooking spray or liquid. Sorry, but it jest doesn't work well - as anyone who's ever tried to make a good 4-alarm fat-free chili will reluctantly agree. Like it or not, your still need that minimum 1-2 tbs of oil (or however much is needed to just cover the spices when the pan is tilted), and cooking spray doesnt cut. Oil is only 100 cals per TBS, so 100-200 calories of oil for an ENTIRE dish serving 3-6 people is NOT asking too much. Additionally, not all the oil you add during the initial saute stage survives into the finished dish ... depending on how long you saute things like onions, ginger & garlic (key components of making many 'curry bases'), as much as half of the oil or ghee you add will atomize and dissipate into the air ... so even adding a generous 1/4 cup in a recipe that calls for spending 10-20 mins on the initial saute (i.e., browning onions and sweating the curry spices, chilies and garlic/ginger) will probably only have 2 tbs survive into the finished dish (or curry base, if you stop at that point).
   
   * ELIMINATING ALL DAIRY FAT & COCONUT MILK: It is an inescapable fact that the less milk fat present, the more likely it is that your dairy based sauce will break when exposed to heat. Trying to substitute fat free yogurt in such circumstances will usually result in either an ugly broken sauce, or a soulless dish stripped of texture and culinary joy and the essential characteristic that're supposed to define it as what it is. If you don't want to have (or serve) a yogurt & sourcream based mint-cucumber sauce with your curried lamb kebabs, that's fine ... but trying to substitute fat-free yogurt into a curried fish dish (either Southern Indian or Thai) that's supposed to be finished with a modest amount of whole milk yogurt, cream, and/or coconut milk, just doesnt work. Ditto for things like shrimp scampi (Italian) - trying to substitute spray oil is silly. Rather than commiting a culinary crime, it'd be better to find something else to make, because fat reductions beyond a reasonable minimum quicky exceed the point of diminishing returns and eventually undermine the dish. I'd rather have a small amount of something delicious than a large amount of something inept, unsatisfying, and more than likely, both.
   
   CONCLUSION: Reducing oil and fat in recipes is fine, provided it's within reason, done knowledgeably and skillfully, and without badly degrading the resulting dish. People who try to go beyond that are, IMNSHO, letting their anti-fat obsession brainwash them into groping for minscule dietary scapegoats instead of looking realistically at their REAL issues with portion control and exercise habits. Ruth Law means well, but she frequently go more than a little too far, and many of her dishes suffer to varying degrees as a result.
   
   Speaking personally, "Give me Rogan Josh, or Give Me Death !" ;-)
   
   Addendum: Ok, all that having been said, I will concede that the authoress DOES have a few low-fat recipes which ARE tasty - primarily because they're inherently lowfat (rather than being stripped down versions of better recipes having modest amounts of fat) ... like her curried apple-chicken broth.
   
   Quirky, but recommended ... with reservations.



4. I have been really pleased which the recipes I have tried from Indian Light Cooking and I don't find the reductions in oil and fat excessive. The recipes do use a little oil, for example to cook spices for some dishes. However in the same recipe she may suggest blanching green peppers in boiling water instead of sauteed with oil in a skillet. I am a loose follower of the South Beach Diet and these recipes are often close to the approach recommended there. Perhaps they don't taste exactly as remembered to someone who is used to them the higher fat way, but I find them very tasty and in most cases fairly easy to make.

5 comments about Food of Vietnam (P) (Food of the World Cookbooks).

1. It has pretty pictures and some chatty writing but I would not consider it a must have on the shelf of Vietnamese cooking. Though it is better than alot of Vietnamese cookbooks I have come across.

   Flaws include:

   1) Assumption of knowledge of meat preparation including how to clean squid and cutting for tenderness;

   2) Does not prepare reader fully when recipe is longer than 15 minutes. Yes indeed it will take more than 15, matter of fact, it will approach an hour or so (yipes);

   3) Some recipes especially stocks are westernized excessively (celery! no star anise);

   The section on pickles though is good. So are the pictures dealing with ingredients.

   Get this pupster on a discount not at full retail. It is good as a supplement but it is not a desert island classic.




2. This book belongs to one of many in a series of world cuisines and I have found all of them to be embellished with decorative and beautiful pictures. Unfortunately, the recipes that accompany them tend to be instructionally inexplicit and often poor interpretations of the recipes of these countries. If you're interested in getting a crash course in a new cuisine this book is perfect, but pass on this book if you are a serious cook.



3. Perhaps this is not the best cookbook I've ever seen, but the best cookbook for Vietnamese food. It provides rich detailed pictures with each recipe, spells out all the required ingredients that you need before getting started, and even provides alternative ingredients or methods where appropriate. The introduction does a good job of explaining the unusual ingredients (with pictures)used in Vietnamese food for those who are unfamiliar with this cuisine.

   I have found that, if I follow the recipes exactly and source all the right ingredients, the dishes turn as good (or sometimes better) than the food I eat on my many trips to Vietnam.

   I have been using the book for about a year now, but unlike the first reviewer, I have not had any problems with the construction of the book itself. Perhaps she bought one of the many poorly made illegal copies on the streets on Saigon(?)




4. I bought the cook book from Mrs. Trieu Thi Choi to take home. I found there are so many ingredients called for in her recipes that are not available in US, particularly the one called "bôt khai" which is used in making steamed buns (Bánh bao) .
   Also, the recipes use too much Monosodium glutamate.



5. I found the recipes not very easy to follow, but if you are already somewhat familiar with Vietnamese cooking techniques (salad dressing, etc) it is a good reference cook. I also found the recipe for Husband and Wife cake, which is very rare among cookbooks.
   This book is definitely not for beginners.

5 comments about The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen: Inspired New Tastes.

1. A great, easy-to-use cookbook with super unusual and creative recipes!
   
   As a big pasta freak, I was especially happy with the outcome of Eric's noodle dish recipes. Very easy to prepare, and awesome results!
   
   Also, the tofu recipes are terrific! Again, not you typical Japanese fare -- really inspired by California farmer's markets as much as Eric's years of cooking in Japan.
   
   Eric also tones down the volumes of salt found in many Japanese dishes. On the whole the recipes are very healthy -- lots of fresh veggies and fruits, limited salt and oils.
   
   For anyone tired of the regular sushi bar grind, this is your book!



2. Eric Gower does a great job of blending East and West. His familiarity with Japanese cuisine and his willingness to experiment with Western touches applied to traditional dishes makes for an above-average cookbook. He features a Tonkatsu recipe that calls for baking the pork chops (seasoned with jalapeno, sweet peppers and orange zest) instead of deep-frying the traditional Japanese way. Try the Curried Apple Pilaf or the Rice Vinegar Chicken Breasts recipe. This truly is a cookbook with a twist!



3. I placed this book on my wish list based on the strength of one recipe ("Boozy Potatoes") which I'd picked up off a food blog. It was subtle, delicious, and simple -- blending japanese flavors (sake, soy) into a medium I'd only approached with a more western palate in the past.
   
   Now, having received the book as a gift, I can see that the Boozy Potatoes recipe was just the tip of the iceberg. After reading the book cover to cover in one sitting (it's not large, but it's densely packed with goodness) I broke out 3 of the recipes the following night. Preparation was easy, and the flavors popped, there was minimal fat and salt -- and best of all each dishes flavors were incredibly well balanced. I would have been happy to be served any of them at a restaurant. Some of his simple ideas (make a sauce by carmelizing shallots/thyme, then reducing rice vinegar) led to explosive flavors.
   
   The only 'glitch' in the whole process, as mentioned by some of the other reviewers, is sourcing ingredients. Living in Southern California I thankfully have access to some great Asian markets, but since so many of the recipes require Shiso, (which I presume must be gotten fresh) it means planning ahead if I want to prepare many of them. Also -- if you plan to buy this book, you'll need a blender or a food processor. It seems to be by far his favorite kitchen tool! (Not that I mind, the results are spectacular.)



4. I was getting a little tired of tiny, pretty portions of subtle food. I was starting to lose faith in ever becoming anything but a fair fried-chicken cook, when WHAM! I was hit with a cookbook that delivers flavor and elegance. I first saw one of Eric Gower's recipes in an issue of Sunset magazine - scallops with miso, ginger and ruby grapefruit. I followed the directions carefully, and I had about the best meal of my life. All of a sudden, I was a good cook! I bought the book -Breakaway Japanese Kitchen- and by now, I've made just about everything in it. I can now produce all kinds of robust, Asian-ish dishes that burst with flavor and joy and abudance. Garlic, tarragon, ginger, lemon and mint and blended here and sprinked there. And, I've learned that with these recipes, you really can make the substitutes that Grower suggests. It's all good. It's all easy. I understand Grower is publishing a new cookbook soon. I can hardly wait.



5. The best cook book I ever bought- and believe me I have many! from all shores. Having studied cookery in Paris at the nimble age of 15, and having been interested in food since I was 8 years old. From my experience this book is far and above the BEST!.
   
   I loved Erics compilation of tastes textures so much and so did many, many of my guests that I ended up buying 10 copies and giving them as gifts to those who are culinary inclined.
   
   Eric's eclectic choice of flavours spur the imagination. Having bought this book four years ago, my family and friends have feasted happily and heartily on dishes such as Umeboshi Shiso Chicken page 82.
   Sadly having left Japan, and living on a remote island in the English channel Shiso is a commodity hard to find- what am I saying it is impossible to find- this summer I hope to have my first ever batch of it to incline my fellow Guerns with this delightful recipe. In the meantime tarragon has replaced the Vitamin E rich Shiso and has been similarly applauded.
   Drunken potato has provoked similar noises of ecstasy, page 93.Edamame Mint Pesto is out of this world too- simply this cook book whilst avialable be it second hand or new - grab it whilst you can - it is mystical reading.
   
   With my hand on my heart I say to you "To read it is to believe it"

No comments about Perfect Asian Cooking.

5 comments about Curry Cuisine.

1. I've cooked a handful of recipes in this book: the Filipino Chicken Adobo, a Mutter Pilau rice dish, a thai red curry beef dish, and a Japanese curry rice dish. The Adobo was excellent, my husband thought it was just as good as his mother's (he grew up in the Philippines). The others I altered depending on what was around the house and were mostly very good. I particularly liked the rice dish. Though I altered the recipe to use a rice cooker instead. Great flavors.
   
   Though the book explains the exotic ingredients very well, unless you have easy access to Asian markets, using this book regularly will be difficult. Unless you are a more experienced cooks who will be able to substitute and use the cookbook for great ideas.



2. When I ordered Curry Cuisine, I was looking for a couple of decent curry and rice meals that I could make periodically for my family. I assumed that the majority of the recipes in this book would include hard to find ingredients that would make cooking these dishes only useful as a special treat every now and again. As is often true with the most flavorful foods, I also thought that I'd be looking at long cooking times.
   
   Was I ever surprised when I actually opened up the Curry Cuisine. In preparation, I wrote down a list of herbs and spices that I needed at the store (the meat and vegetables required were all items I'd normally get anyway). I was completely shocked when I managed to fill my entire list at my local grocery store.
   
   The first night, I planned a few dishes to make for supper. As often happens, I was in a bit of a rush so I had no time to prepare the meat and vegetables beforehand. That's when I realized a few very important things about this type of cuisine. Using these great recipes I could create a complete, tasty, and healthy meal in about the time it takes for rice to cook. Moreover, these recipes were written intuitively. I found myself putting on the rice and then cutting up meat for one meal. While that was cooking, I was cutting up, starting something else, and then going back to the first dish to add spices or other needed ingredients. Then, all the dishes were completed at the same time, like I had actually planned it.



3. I like food recipes or videos where they give the real stuff, any improvisations should be left for those who are making it so that at least we have a good idea what a food should taste like. This book is great as it gives you the real stuff, not the quick fix generic stuff, the stuff fantasies are made of. It brings you voyeur pleasure to read this book. Really good.



4. I just saw this book at a bargain price. I immediately snapped it up because of its gorgeous photos and the authors. You can not go wrong with David Thompson and Sri Owen. The book is very well organized by region, with each having an intro which includes a list of the area's ingredients with explanations. I can tell by reading the recipes that they will be easy to make and will be delicious. I can't wait to start cooking some curries!



5. The book I received, an out of print item, was in absolutely pristine condition. The book jacket was crisp and fresh with no yellowing or discoloration, and the book was in equally perfect condition. Thanks very much!