Stir-Fry (Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library) Review

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(More customer reviews)Many people think that they can just chop up some veggies and meat, add soy sauce, and have a great meal...not true. This book gives you the details you need (such as, once you add the meat, stir every 20 seconds so it will brown properly) to create restaurant-quality stir-fry. And the All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce recipe in the beginning is really excellent, although I like to add cornstarch & extra water to mine to make a thicker sauce. I have not tried any of the non-Asian inspired dishes, and frankly think that they should not have been included, but all of the ones I have tried (Orange-Chili Beef, Beef Asparagus & Red Pepper, Minced Chicken in Lettuce Cups, Kung Pao Chicken--my husband's new favorite for dinner guests, Snapper with Tangarine-Chili sauce, Ants on a Hill, Quick Pot Stickers--a little tricky until you get used to the folding) have all been very good and have been made more than once.

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Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table: Recipes and Reminiscences from Vietnam's Best Market Kitchens, Street Cafes, and Home Cooks Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm Vietnamese, and I've been looking for an authentic Vietnamese cookbook for a long time. "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" contains deliciously authentic recipes that could be duplicated at home. This book also has lots of great background information regarding each recipe. Other people complain that this book has no pictures of the food, but I really don't need the pictures because I've grown up eating the same food, so I know what they should look like. If you need pictures of the food, then I suggest Nicole Routhier's "The Foods of Vietnam", which has beautiful pictures of the foods. I find that Nicole Routhier's recipes are just a little bit more elaborate than Mai Pham's recipes, so I prefer to cook using Mai Pham's book. If you know Vietnamese food well enough, you could leave some ingredients out of Nicole Routhier's recipes, and they will still taste delicious. For example, Nicole Routhier uses milk to make fresh coconut milk, but Mai Pham uses water instead. I think using water to make coconut milk is simpler and also more authentic. I recommend Mai Pham's "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" for anyone interested in cooking authentic Vietnamese food. I also recommend Nicole Routhier's "The Foods of Vietnam" for its beautiful photographs of the food and also for many of its recipes. You can't go wrong buying these two books, and I do think you need both books in order to have a complete understanding of Vietnamese cuisine.

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Asian Soups (The Essential Kitchen) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was just searching this title to share with a friend who asked me about my favorite cookbooks and realized that no one had reviewed it yet. This has been one of my favorites for years. I am famous for my asian soups because of this book. Luckily I have a great asian market around the corner to get the ingredients. You will look like a pro making these recipes. Highly recommended. Don't hesitate.

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Chicken/ coconut milk Thai soup.Miso soup with freshtuna strips and ginger.Spinach, wonton, and noodle soup.Phos,udons, laksa: These are the stomach-warming, soul-satisfying soupsthat were only available in the finest Asian restaurants until now.In Asian Soups, Suzie Smith, author of Fruit, offers easy-to-preparerecipes for more than 40 sumptuous Asian soups stocks, broths, andpastes then explores recipes with poultry, seafood, meats, andvegetables.Perfect for any time of the year, soups can make hearty,filling meals or light lunches.

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The Dance of Spices: Classic Indian Cooking for Today's Home Kitchen Review

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(More customer reviews)I was always on the look-out for recipes that covered Indian cooking methods from the basic foundation of making your own spices to elegant pairings of traditional Indian and Western ingredients. When my husband came home with 'The Dance of Spices', given to him as a gift at a seminar, I was surprised by the level of detail, care, and passion. Things that my mother cannot explain to me because of the miles between us, Laxmi has done comprehensively in her new cookbook. I have learned simple techniques like how to make my own ghee at home, understand the marriage of spices, and most importantly, how to make finger-licking Indian food in a San Francisco home. I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I have.

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A new classic on adapting authentic Indian seasonings and techniques to today's American kitchen
Indian cuisine has finally come into its own in the United States, as evidenced by the opening of numerous stylish, upscale Indian restaurants. The "dance of spices" refers to the complex, subtle layering of flavors that is at the base of all Indian cooking. This definitive cookbook showcases the wonderful diversity of new Indian cuisine with 238 recipes: fragrant basmatis and rice pilafs; rich, soothing dishes like Chicken Korma; exotic dishes like Fennel-Scented Kashmir Lamb; tongue-teasing chutneys and relishes; side dishes like Velvety Mango Paneer; and sweet confections, all of which can be made with ease at home. Special chapters are devoted to subjects not fully explored in other books, such as tandoor barbecue, chaats–the savory street snacks of India–and popular flatbreads.
Laxmi Hiremath (San Ramon, CA), born in the South of India, has taught Indian cooking in the United States for more than a decade and is one of the San Francisco Chronicle's most popular food writers. Her articles and recipes have appeared in such publications as Gourmet, Bon Appétit, and Fine Cooking.

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Noodles Essential Kitchen Series Review

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(More customer reviews)Asian cooking is a real mystery to me. I often found myself craving a simple, yet savory noodle dish but never knew how to make any. Nor did I know what to buy as I stood, glaze-eyed in front of the Asian food section in the market. This book has solved my problems by providing easy and tasty recipes that don't contain a bunch of unusual ingredients. In a quick trip to the local market I was able to pick up everything I neded for a very yummy & quick dinner. The photos are mouth-watering and will get you inspired.
One drawback is that the recipes do not contain nutritional stats. Another is that although there are over 50 recipes, I still would like the book to be a little longer.

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Including simple recipes, this stylish book contains a wealth of information on ingredients and cooking techniques, and instructions on how to prepare every kind of noodle for every course of the meal. 60 color photos.

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