asian cuisine

also see THAI AND CHINESE to explore more of these marvellous flavours.

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	KOTO A culinary journey through Vietnam Tracey Lister and Andreas Pohl Photography Michael Fountoulakis Published by Hardie Grant Books, deluxe paperback $45.00 This book isn’t just a culinary journey through Vietnam, but the story of a brilliant philanthropic idea that has helped thousand of Vietnamese street kids to get out of poverty and into decent hospitality positions throughout Vietnam. Jimmy Pham, the founder of Koto is celebrated for his initiative and it is one that is now being followed in other countries. Andreas Pohl helped raise/funded some of the money at the start of the foundation’s life and Michael Fountoulakis came into the group by staging an exhibition to raise funds for Koto. In many ways it is a pity that the quality of the printing doesn’t to more justice to Fountoulakis’ images which are lovely but the recipes are succinctly written and all of the ingredients readily available. The simplicity of some of the dishes mean they can be taken into daily cooking by virtue of the taste they deliver for the small amount of time they take to cook. There are also great ideas for canapés and whilst I am wary of wildly reviewing Vietnamese cookbooks because my knowledge is limited and I have never been to Vietnam, the authors of this book have expert knowledge and we are sure have not deviated from the truth of their old and modern cuisine. Even if you don’t cook buy this book, buy several copies and give them to friends who do cook and support Koto for the brilliant job it does. AO
	Secrets of the Red Lantern Stories and Vietnamese recipes from the heart Pauline Nguyen, with recipes by Luke Nguyen and Mark Jensen Published by Murdoch, H/B $59.95 Firstly it is important to admit that my knowledge of Vietnamese food, having never traveled in Vietnam is in the main book learned and by frequenting the tiny restaurants and eating places in the vicinity of Hansen Road. Forgetting all that Secrets of the Red Lantern is one of the most captivating books, exquisitely designed by Sarah Odgers and brilliant recipe photographs by Alan Benson, it is embellished with the most wonderful memorabilia in the way of family photographs. For the quality of the publication, that mercifully doesn’t stop at the cover but continues through to the last page with glorious pale tinted backgrounds the price is miniscule. Poignant and passionate text, lickable food photographs, fascinating recipes that pay no quarter to substitution that might better suit sensitive Western tastes. This book is another memoir of a restaurant family in Australia. It is the story of migration and represents the very best parts of Australian society that celebrates all its immigrants. It is a book that will be celebrated by all travelers to the East, with reminders of simple things like squid flattened on the hot pavement drying in the sun. We need to celebrate that publishers this year seem to be taking a risk with some exquisite publications that are as beautiful for their design as they are for their recipes. Secrets of the Red Lantern is a really wonderful book.
	Asian Dumplings Mastering Gyõza, Spring Rolls, Samosas and More Andrea Nguyen Photography by Penn de Los Santos Published by ten Speed Press, H/B $43.95 Despite the fact that I really don’t like books that give recipes in cups and teaspoons because it’s such a bloody nuisance if you want to make a couple of hundred this is a really good book. Of Course we will be carefully weighing everything and converting the recipes to a much more usable form, but…! Nguyen has assembles a very comprehensive list of recipes covering dumplings with excellent small diagrams showing how to roll and particular shapes of classic dumplings. This is a great book for the home cook, but every chef who has to write canapé menus should also own one. AO
much more fun if you go out with us!	The galaxy guides web site it built and maintained by www.annoliver.com photography unless otherwise stated Ann Oliver copyright © text, recipes and images unless otherwise stated Ann Oliver

Cooking with Asian Leaves
Devagi Sanmugam and Christopher Tan
Published by Marshall Cavendish Cuisine, approximately $30, you will probably have to order the book from your favourite bookseller

This is an invaluable book. In our home city of Adelaide, South Australia just about every visit to a Chinese grocer there seem to be people looking for Chinese leaves and herbs who are totally unable to identify them and frequently the shop assistants do not know their translated names or speak English.
Devagi Sanmugam & Christopher Tan need no introduction to foodies in Singapore and have collaborated to produce an interesting and useful book that clearly identifies 29 leaves used in Asian cooking. Actual size images make the ingredients easily recognizable and their book offers simple recipes as a starting point with options to take those ingredients further.
Nearly all of these leaves can be found seasonally in temperate climates and some of the soup leaves make a vast difference to the finished taste. The Khmer Steamed Fish is a good example of tasty quick home style cooking and the Rice Paddy herb can often be found in areas where Chinese and Vietnamese have their gardens. We are not embarrassed to the book along with us and have found it very useful when experimenting with recipes from the lovely book, Secrets of the Red Lantern.

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