Cookbook Profile: Asian Flavors

Asian Flavors
Unlock Culinary Secrets with Spices,
Sauces, and Other Exotic Ingredients

by Wendy Sweetser

Home to half the world's population, Asia combines its own unique culinary heritage with influences from around the world. In Vietnam, the French and Chinese have left their mark; in the Philippines the influence is Spanish; and in Indonesia, Dutch. A melting pot of cultures and eating habits, Asia's cuisines are a reflection of the broad diversity of the peoples who inhabit the continent and their cooking and eating traditions: from joining friends for a leisurely dinner to grabbing a quick lunch from a hawker stall on the street.

Certain flavors hold the key to unlocking the secrets of Asian cooking and Asian Flavors takes a closer look at those that define it most clearly. Ginger, chilies, lemon grass, rice wine, coconut, sesame, fish and oyster sauces, lime, soy, and herbs are all explored in detail. Plus, there are clear instructions on how to prepare and use them in exciting, authentic recipes. This comprehensive, beautifully illustrated guide shows you not only how to choose the freshest and best ingredients, but also how to use them in delicious, colorful, and nutritious dishes.

Here is a sampling of some of the mouth-watering recipes:

• Chilled Melon in Ginger Syrup—CHINA

• Barbequed Korean Lamb—KOREA

• Lime Leche Flan—PHILIPPINES

• Lime-Dressed Shrimp Salad—THAILAND

• Crab & Vegetable Tempura with Teriyaki Dip—JAPAN

• Indonesian Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce—INDONESIA

• Saffron Angler Fish Steamed in Banana Leaves—SINGAPORE

• Aromatic Seafood Broth—MALAYSIA

• Marinated Tuna in Lemon Grass Vinaigrette—VIETNAM

Asian Flavors is a veritable treasure trove of some of the world's most delicious and satisfying food, and the perfect, easy-to-follow cookbook for anyone who wants to re-create the fantastic culinary diversity of Asia often sampled in today's restaurants.

About the Author

Wendy Sweetser specializes in food and travel writing and is food editor of OK! and The London Magazine. She spent several years working with a leading Asian food company developing recipes and new products. Wendy first experienced Asian food while in the Far East 25 years ago, familiarizing herself with local cuisines by visiting markets, marveling at the exotic ingredients rarely seen in Western stores at that time, and by dining with local people in their homes.

Buy the Book!

Asian Flavors
Unlock Culinary Secrets with Spices, Sauces, and Other Exotic Ingredients
by Wendy Sweetser
Kodansha
Paperback; 192 pages;$18.95
ISBN: 1-56836-359-1
Information provided by the publisher.