Description:
Entrée to Asia leads you on a seductive journey to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong. In it, Thomas Robson, a chef from Vancouver, British Columbia, presents a vivid travelogue in words and color photos (all related to his television show of the same name) that highlight the 50 recipes presented on the show. The pictures bring to life the adventure and visual feast of local markets, with fat bundles of green, slim scallions heaped next to baskets of glistening fish and crocks brimming with mysterious-looking seasoning pastes. Photos of grilled satays accompanied by coconut-milk-rich Thai Peanut Sauce and Braised Prawns, stir-fried with ginger and Chinese rice wine, tempt you to head for any Asian market within your reach. Chinese Broccoli and Prawn Salad and Thai Corn Cakes call on simple techniques that most cooks will be comfortable with, while more complex dishes like Cantonese Clay Pot Rice will reward moore involved concentration. This authentic Asian cooking does require some access to particular ingredients. Besides fresh produce and seasonings like Kaffir lime leaves, you may need bottled fish sauce, canned coconut milk, and other staples to make authentic dishes from scratch. Anyone who can get the Canadian line of Asian Home Gourmet Spice Pastes (a clearly acknowledged sponsor of Robson's show and this book) will enjoy shortcuts in blending some ingredients. Do not miss the Thai Pineapple Rice. Accompanying culinary information with background on Asian culture, Robson explains that this dish, stuffed into a fresh pineapple, serves as a birthday cake in Thailand, with guests gathering around it to sing happy birthday. --Dana Jacobi
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