5 comments about Persian Cooking for a Healthy Kitchen.

1. These are good recipes and are clearly written, but I think the prep and cooking time estimates are a little optimistic. Very good directions for cooking rice with the perfect golden crust.



2. and to think our mothers try to convince us that cooking iranian food was sooooo difficult! this book makes it easy and delicious. i was amazed at how wonderful everything has turned out and the pictures are fantastic. she offers beautiful serving ideas that are perfect for dinner parties, etc. just double her salt recommendations and you'll be ready to go :)



3. I never cooked Persian food until my boyfriend bought me this book. It has very easy instructions, it also tells you how to substitute dry and fresh spices. It is not Americanized in any way, but still very easy!
   Love this author!



4. This book is virtually the same as "New Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies " (which I LOVE)...what you're paying for here are the same recipes only with lowfat yogurt, less oil and things that I feel we could have figured out on our own...to cut fat.
   
   I'll be returning my copy...but again, "New Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies " is fantastic!!!



5. This book introduces the reader into a world of tastes and smells, with simple words and with pictures able to inspire the fantasy and imagination about very far countries, very old civilities. It helped me a lot about cooking special dishes, so different from the traditional one, and improved my knowledge on how many different ways can lead to good tastes and to the pleasure of food.

No comments about Cambodian Cooking: A humanitarian projectin collaboration with Act for Cambodia.

5 comments about Dim Sum for Everyone.

1. I expected a little more from this book. A little more storyline, a little more dialogue, a little more substance. I think for an early intro to Dim Sum this books does the job, but lacks a real story. The brief history at the end included good info.



2. This is a fantastic book to teach young children about the Chinese brunch called dim sum. It has excellent illustrations and even has the correct names for some of the most popular dim sum dishes. My husband who is Chinese loves to buy this book for our god children and read it to them before we have dim sum! I completly recomend this book for anyone but especially those who are interested in the Chinese culture.



3. I bought this book for a classroom lesson on Multiculturalism, I included a puppet with the book and the students loved it. This is a great book, and a must have for all teachers and classrooms.



4. My 3-year old daugher loves Grace Lin books with colorful pages. I think she likes seeing the same family in many of Ms. Lin's books.



5. We already have a number of other books by Grace Lin and decided to buy this one for my 5.5 year-old daughter. She kept thanking me for it! Being the Jie-Jie (older sister), she related to the one in the story while her younger 4 year-old sister related to the Mei-Mei. They tried to "pretend" they enjoyed the same food items as the sisters in the story. My daughter loved the pictures of the dim sum items and we all could recall our own dim sum adventures. I'm really hoping this sparks a creative cooking talent in both girls as well. The illustrations are cheerful and good enough to make me want some dim sum soon!

5 comments about Thai Cooking Made Easy.

1. This cookbook is okay for its nice pictures but is not one of
   the best. It doesn't tell the real recipies--missing some ingredients in some recipies. I wish the owner of the Thai restaurant would give away the real recipies since he has been making lots of money from his business ( already! ).
   
   I was diappointed to buy this book but I enjoyed looking at all the pictures in it. This book might be helpful for some beginners out there though.
   
   the facts--
   Most Thai restaurants don't wash the veggies because they're afraid they can't keep the veggies for long time.
   
   They usually use MSG and usually tell their customers NO MSG added :)
   
   They use fish sauce and oyster sauce and tell those vegans NO fish sauce NO oyster sauce. ( Impossible: All ready to cook sauces )
   
   Some restaurants use Chicken broth instead of using MSG and will tell you NO MSG added. ( they use MSG anyway because is far cheaper!! )
   
   Some of them hire illegal workers and they love to hide paying real taxes.
   
   Do you think they change the cooking oil as often as they should have???? ( Usually....NO!! ) ( FOR DEEP-FRIED FOOD !! )
   
   Peanuts,crushed peanut,dried chillies.....could cause Cancer because they don't know how to keep them right and they might keep them for too long. Some cooks left the lids open and never close them.....then the moister gets into those ingredients and cause ALFATOXIN!!!
   
   Do you want to make peanut sauce????
   
   One can of Mae-Ploy ( the best ) coconut milk
   One pinch of salt
   Half tablespoon of Red curry paste
   Half tablespoon of Massaman curry paste
   3-4 tablespoons of sugar or palm sugar
   ( depends on how sweet you like )
   2 tablespoons of tammarind juice ( Por kwan brand )
   Peanut butter ummm about less than 18 oz. you can try to put half of 18 oz. and stir it. If it's not thick enough then add a little more.
   
   you should stir fried Massaman curry paste with red curry paste with a little veggie oil, then add coconut milk, and then the rest of the ingredients. Add peanut butter the last.
   
   This is my home recipie which is different than my restaurant recipies.
   
   FOR EASY STIR FRIED FOR ONE DISH....
   1/2 tablespoon of oyster sauce
   1/3 teaspoon of sugar
   1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce
   1/2 teaspoon Thai thin soy sauce ( SE EW KhaW )
   1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper
   some crushed garlic
   1/2 teaspoon of chicken broth POWDER Knors
   1 TEBLESPOON OF WATER
   
   tHAI ice tea.....Thai tea ($2.99 a pack) and lots of sugar
   yes you have to filter it too!!! Add half and half too.
   
   Enjoy eating Thai food......it's good for you but you should learn to cook it at home ( you know for sure that it's clean and fresh!! )



2. I use it all the time. It is great. Everything comes out
   great. I would recommend this book to anyone!



3. I selected this booik after nearly 3 years of looking at Thai cookbooks. This is easy to use and takes the mystery and confusion out of preparing Thai food. I have given copies to several friends and family.



4. This book is a waste of time and money - very confusing with poor pics
   Buy McDermott's book - you'll be much happier



5. I looooved thai food, that is one reason why I bought this book. This book contains quick and easy step by step photos insturction that is very easy to follow.

4 comments about Eating India: An Odyssey into the Food and Culture of the Land of Spices.

1. You think you know India, but after reading Eating India, you realize how wonderfully rich, tasty, and complex is the "Khichdi" called India. The real melting pot through millenia that has absorbed the waves of Aryans, Huns, Mongols, Greeks, Mughals, Europeans, and many others into its ever changing but unique identity is explored here in this book through the medium of food. The book is more than just a food book. It offers a prismatic look at the people, history, geography, and culture of the various regions of India. I grew up in Gujarat, but after reading the book, my salivary glands are working overtime, and I cannot wait to visit Ahmedabad and check out Agashiye restaurant. For the gastronomically adventurous traveller, especially if she has the digestive immune system that can handle a few choice microbes, the pleasures of eating at a roadside "dhaba" is not to be missed.
   A wonderful book for anyone who loves food, travel, and history. Desis and non-desis alike will find it stimulating and appetizing.



2. 
   this book is in a class of its own--part travel, part food and part culture spiced throughout with love --
   Chitrita spoils us again with her excellent writing, fantastic eye for detail and ability to bring together and share with us the foods and customs and locales that make India so wild, exotic and special; she shares it all from her authentic perspective. This is unlike any other book on India; we have waited too long for this integrated point of view. hope she has another book in the works. Mary K. Eliot



3. Title: Eating India
   Author: Chitrita Banerji
   ISBN: 978-1-59691-018-8
   Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
   Review By: Diana Rohini LaVigne, Indian Life & Style Magazine
   
   From local eating myths to well-known facts about how food migrates with its people, Eating India rips into the history of food in India leaving no stone unturned. Wonderfully written in travel journal-style, Eating India takes readers from the pepper capital of Kerala to the imperial styled northern cuisines of Muslims to the eating habits of the fast-paced city by the sea, Bombay. Chitrita Bangerji challenges her own childhood memories of various cuisines and asks locals about emerging trends in food'. She strives to find the `real' story from `real' people and delivers a knock-out book in the end.
   
   The details of her findings are laced with interesting tidbits about the geographic region, the nature of the people in the area and a vivid description of the sights and sounds so that a reader can place themselves exactly in that area without difficulty.
   
   This is an important book in order to preserve some of the finer details about the exquisite cuisine in India. Without this book, the world might loose some of that history. Eating India is fun to read, delivers an incredible amount of information and an important part of keeping the history of India's cuisines alive.



4. The title of this book should really have been "Eating India: Proof that Bengali cuisine is superior". Knowing the author is from Kolkata, I expected more coverage of Bengali cuisine. But I certainly didn't expect a blatant bias when covering other regional cuisines. The author constantly harks back to the food she knows best and asserts how her native cuisine requires a more delicate balance of spices and herbs without making much of an effort in knowing if other cuisines require a similar balance. Simple Bengali dishes are glorified while dishes of similar or even higher complexity from other regions are given just a passing mention. I made a bad decision in buying this book outright. So I couldn't justify quitting after the first couple of chapters. I could however, resort to speed reading and turn the pages as quickly as possible. :-)

5 comments about Singaporean, Malaysian & Indonesian Cuisine.

1. Finally, a cookbook that satisfies my frequent cravings for foods like padang spicy beef, sate, and hainan chicken!! After living in Southeast Asia for a number of years, I fell in love with the cuisine of this region and since then, I've been searching long and hard for a cookbook like this one to come out. It's easy enough to find decent cookbooks for Thai food or Vietnamese food these days, as a single search will turn up thousands of results, but it's truly a rare find to come across a cookbook on the foods of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore - especially one of this quality! The recipes, each of which is accompanied by a large, beautiful picture, are concise and easy to follow, and the food itself is simply amazing. Now that I have this book, I no longer have to suppress my cravings or fight the urge to fly back to the islands to get my fix of Gado Gado (Java styled salad), Kari Sapi (Malaysian beef curry), or Kangkung Tumis (spicy, Singaporean water spinach). Funny thing is, I never thought I would ever be able to make these foods myself! But what surprised me most was the fact that these dishes tasted even better than I remembered, coming out of my own kitchen no less! (now *that* is truly incredible). So do yourself a favor and buy this book - you'll not only save tons of money you'd otherwise spend at mediocre Malaysian/Indonesian/Singaporean restaurants in the area (if there even are such restaurants available to you), but you'll also be able to impress everyone with your newfound ability to cook dishes as delicious and as hard to come by as the ones shared in this cookbook. Definitely worth every penny and more!



2. After having now tried almost every recipe in this book, I can say that they are all absolutely delicious! This cookbook is essential for anyone who wants to learn how to cook Indo/Malay/Sing food. My boyfriend is Indonesian and had been bugging me for some of his childhood favorites such as Lontong. The satay is the best I have ever had, in or out of Indonesia. The recipes are also super easy. There is no complicated preparation for any of the recipes. Even someone who is a novice could make these with ease (and they will taste great!). I live in Tallahassee and we have one not too big Asian market. With a little searching, I found virtually all of the ingredients needed. Most of the ingredients are readily availible in your average grocery store. If you do have an Asian market, even a small one, they can often find something that you need, so don't be afraid to ask. The book itself is perfectly laid out and there are color photos of every single dish. I highly recommend this cookbook!



3. Being a native Indonesian far away from home, I crave for the rich and savory flavor of the cuisine from these three countries. Unlike Thai cuisine, Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian cuisine is still not well known here in United States. Therefore there are limited restaurants that offer this cuisine. You can imagine my agony of having to suppress my craving until I make a trip to these restaurants in NYC or Toronto. It all changed after I bought this cookbook. This cookbook is amazing! It contains 68 recipes that are divided into Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian recipe sections. A one-page spread picture accompanies each recipe, which is very helpful for people who are not familiar with this cuisine. The author starts by introducing the countries and their cuisine followed by glossary of ingredients, seasonings, spices and herbs. It then continues with recipes for stocks, condiments, pickled salads, sambal chilli sauces (used like chutneys in Indian cuisine), and assorted spice pastes. These spice pastes are used in a lot of the recipes and they are what give this cuisine its fragrant, rich and savory flavors. This book offers specialties from Singapore (Hainan chicken rice, spiced sparerib soup, spring roll, laksa, spicy crabs, sweet coconut rice balls, etc), Malaysia (fried noodle, coconut rice, sate, beef curry,vegetable with grated coconut, etc) and Indonesia (beef rendang, eggs in spicy red sauce, java salad or gado gado, turmeric fried chicken, etc). I have tried more than a dozen of the recipes and they all taste fantastic! Most of all they taste authentic. They are a huge hit with my American boyfriend and roomate. There are some ingredients that are hard to find, even in Asian markets (especially in small towns). I had to shop online at an Indonesian grocery store to find most of the hard to find ingredients like candlenut, dried galangal, pandan leaves, palm sugar, kaffir leaves and shrimp paste. However, they are worth it. I use dried galangal because I don't have access to fresh ones. I substitute fresh red chilli with bottled ground chilli paste called Sambal Oelek. It works just as wonderful! I think this is the most authentic and remarkable cookbook I have. It is simple, clear, precise and a gem. I would recommend this cookbook if you want to bring authentic new flavors to your table. It helps ease my homesickness. Nowadays, I call my mom up to say "I made beef rendang today!"... something I had never said before this cookbook.



4. This is an amazing cookbook. If the bilingual recipes didn't give it away, the recipes would -- this is incredibly authentic and varied cooking. The other positive reviews here are exactly on the mark. The photos are a good indication of the real food you will cook.



5. Everything about this book is great: the food, pictures (we can actually see what the meal is supposed to look like)not to mention that the books were new and arrived in no time. I would definitely go back to this seller.

5 comments about Essentials of Asian Cuisine : Fundamentals and Favorite Recipes.

1. I checked out this cookbook from the library and tonight I made the chicken adobo, which was incredible. The sauce chapter was particularly compelling as well as the soups and...really, every single chapter contained many recipes that I am anxious to try. I tend to check out cookbooks and type out particularly interesting recipes before returning them. With this cookbook, I found myself overwhelmed with the task and I finally had to give up. I never heard of Corinne Trang but every single recipe made sense, sounded utterly delicious and is very doable. I expect to use this cookbook with full confidence the next time I put together an Asian dinner. What a find.



2. I think this might be a good book for individuals who are not very familiar with Asian cuisine and would like just a light touch of Asian flavors and spices in their dishes. But for someone like me who grew up eating down right bona fide home-cooked Asian foods, the recipes are very unauthentic and the ingredients and cooking methods are greatly downplayed. If I used these recipes to cook for my parents, who are Vietnamese, I woud probably get disowned. But again, I think it might be a good book for starters. The instructions to the recipes are very easy to follow. The author did take time to thouroughly explain each ingredient to the readers. GOOD LUCK!



3. bordering on exhaustively in-depth, this is a very well written cookbook/encyclopedia for asian cooking.



4. Once again Ms. Trang has put out a cookbook that leaves much to be desired. The recipes are boring and uninspired and I feel that there are many better cookbooks of this type out there. Ms. Trang continues to pump out cookbooks instead of spending some time really learning the intricacies of food and working on her taste level.



5. 
   
   This is a book for the beginning student of Asian Cuisines. It removes the mystery and introduces the real life mechanics and aesthetics of constructing delicious food using ingredients that are new to many Euro- and Afro-Americans.
   Trang manages a very light touch in these recipes-the instructions are easy to follow and indeed sometimes you feel like you knew this stuff all along. Perhaps it's her unique background as a French-Cambodian child of the restaurant business that gives her this special sympathy to both the student and the thing explained.
   
   There are a few must-do recipes here. The Lumpia dipping sauce (brown sugar, garlic) is one of those why-didn't-I-think-of-that accompaniments. In my house, it's been used to lend some interest to a variety of prepared foods bought to please the children. Indonesian Peanut Sauce is a perfect salad dressing in the delightful gado-gado mix of vegetables and it's also a way to get fussy eaters (children and Americans) to eat their veggies.
   
   Trang is also adept at explaining the basics. Her instructions for making stock and her encouragement to do so are masterful and blissfully simple.
   
   
   "The kitchens of the East were my nursery." Corinne Trang says, but this is a much better cookbook than one that might have been written about one's native cuisine. It's Trang's good fortune in having been a translator of traditions for herself that pays off for the reader.
   
   
   Lynn Hoffman, author of New Short Course in Wine,The and the essential novel bang BANG: A Novel

2 comments about Tea Ceremony (Asian Arts and Crafts For Creative Kids).

1. As a grown-up student of teism I have shared this book with many adults to help them understand the basic steps for preparing powdered green tea (usucha). It describes the first thin tea practice (temae) using a try, and requires very few utentsils. Dr. Sato, the author, has received the highest honors in Japan, and has a very long teaching career in the US. This is evident in the book's beautiful photos and clear instructions. Highly recommended for kids, their parents and grandparents. Enjoy a cup of tea the Japanese style. Elsa Statzner



2. Each culture has something really special that other cultures would do well to imitate or make a part of their own. Japan offers us the peace and tranquility of the tea ceremony. A person with an open mind can willingly embrace this momentary oasis to de-clutter and calm their minds. Come, shall we celebrate tea?
   
   Because this is an oasis of calm, the tea ceremony is very ritualized and must be respected and followed in every aspect. Four special ideas are the basis of the ceremony: wa (harmony), kei (respect), sei (cleanliness) and jaku (tranquility).
   
   The guest comes into the receiving room (porch, entryway) where hot water is served to cleanse the palate, then through a passageway (a garden passage with stepping stones) to the "squatting down place" in a serene area of the garden with running water, stones, grasses and a bucket of water to cleanse the hands, into the waiting room (a bench capable of seating all guests) where all is quiet, then into the tearoom itself.
   
   Inside, there will be a vase with a simple flower arrangement and a simple artwork, both to be admired for their beauty, then a seating where the host begins the tea ceremony itself with simple, special items.
   
   Shozo Sato, author and "interpreter" of cha no yu, or tea ceremony, provides all details and nuances in hosting one. Each chapter is dedicated to a different aspect of cha no yu: types of tea, utensils, setting up the tearoom, starting the ceremony, preparing the tea bowl and whisk, making the tea, and completing the cha no yu.
   
   As this is a book written for children, Mr. Sata provides an alternative way when the proper way is not possible. Three things make this a really successful book: suggested adaptations, logical design, and plenty of pictures showing the correct way to do things.
   
   Having worked with all ages of children, I can see gifted children of any age embracing this new ritual. I can see gifted teachers of elementary children coaxing their students into embracing cha no yu. As for myself, I plan to host a tea ceremony after spring cleaning.

5 comments about Asian Noodles: 75 Dishes To Twirl, Slurp, And Savor.

1. If you like recipes that don't work, sauces that don't thicken, then this is the book for you. It's a collection of poorly written recipes that I would recommend you don't waste your money on.
   
   If you're serious about Asian cooking, don't waste your time or money with this book.



2. I don't usually hype cookbooks. However, this one is terrific for anyone who loves Asian food, but doesn't have a Thai or Vietnamese place right around the corner. The recipes are clearly written, and use ingredients that most decent supermarkets carry. My family has loved every dish I've made from this book: soups, salads, spring rolls, you name it. It's one of the best purchases I've ever made, and I have hundreds of cookbooks.



3. I bought this book because I adore Asian noodle dishes and I'm also usually pressed for time. I agree that the recipes may appear almost too Americanized when reading the ingredients, but always turn out wonderfully. I own many cookbooks but have found myself cooking from this one often.



4. I picked it up since I love Asian noodle dishes but have no Asian cookbooks and I haven't been disappointed yet. If you keep the staples around, it is so easy to pick up a few vegetable & protein items and throw together a tasty meal. I have made about 5 of the recipes so far and they've been delicious and satisfying, plus it's easy to improvise or make substutions based on availability of ingredients or preferences. The sauce:noodle ratio is perfect everytime. The recipes are economical and make nice leftovers! I also rate the book highly for design - it's very clean, modern, and easy to use, with close-up photos.



5. In my opinion, the noodle is genius. It's fun to eat and takes on the flavor of whatever you put it in. This recipe collection really capitalizes on the variety of ways noodles are using in Asian cooking including recipes for things like Crispy Shrimp Balls, right alongside noodle soups like Udon. Every recipe in this collection is delicious and the pictures are beautiful. The clean design of the book makes it modern enough for a trendy coffee table. The reference guides for noodles are an added bonus. I will never get tired of his cookbook.
   Thank you Ms. Simonds!

5 comments about Noodle.

1. Beautifully photographed, lovingly and humorously written, 'Noodle' is simply superb. First readers are introduced to the various noodles of the world in the Noodle ID section. Then readers are treated to truly wonderful Asian recipes, country by country. (I do hope that the author writes a follow-up focusing on European and American culinary uses of the noodle.)A great book that honors a great, comforting food. Thanks, Terry Durack!



2. Terry Durack has written the penultimate reference book for all serious noodle-heads, or wannabes. If you've ever wandered the aisles of an Asian market, enchanted yet baffled by fresh, dried, yellow, green, white, thin, fat and medium noodles...get this book. Noodles are ID'd with photos, then identified in 3 or 4 languages, how-to-cook, how to serve and recipes follow. Fabulous recipes and, as a bonus, you'll be educated AND entertained by Durack's wicked sense of humor. No cook should be without this one!!



3. Excellent presentation that demystifies the process with simple recipes using easy-to-find ingredients. Yes, you CAN recreate the tastes you experienced in that noddle tent in Fukuoka!



4. It is true. This book is fantastic. I have cooked 3 dishes from this book so far, and they have all been very good. One was out of this world. Well done Terry Durack. You can't go wrong with this book if you want to cook quick authentic noodle dishes.



5. This is the most enjoyable cookbook/informative guide to what some might think as the lowly noodle. Nevermore, Terry Durack has presented the who,what, where, when and why of 20 types of Asian noodles, with recipes from 13 countries. With color photos of each type and over 100 mouth watering recipes from soup/salad/main dish and deserts. There is an opportunity for the reader to become immersed enough to become an expert quickly.
   The uniqueness lies in the love of the author who shares stories and history along the way.

   This is sure to become a family treasure. Buy one to keep and one or more for gifts.

   Enjoy!