A Splash of Soy

Starred review from April 17, 2023
“Subtlety is not within my sphere of qualities,” declares Lee (Coconut & Samba) in this bold, zippy guide to cooking Asian classics with speed and confidence. Indonesian and Thai cuisine are especially well represented, but the collection is pan-Asian, with savory Japanese pancakes, customizable Korean bibimbap, and a Philippine adobo presented alongside hybrid adaptations including steak with Asian chimichurri and sambal patatas bravas. Lee has a way with words, from chapter titles (“Sticky, Grilled & Glazed,” “Pickle-Me, Fill-Me, Sauce-Me”) to mouthwatering recipe intros: peanut sauce is “a nutty, spicy and sweet-and-salty pool of joy,” and lemongrass charred brussels sprouts offer “the moreish flavor of a really delicious bag of potato chips you can’t stop eating.” Her casual approach encourages simple substitutes (lasagna strips for biang-biang noodles, for example) and playful experimentation; a riff on Vietnamese banh mi urges readers to “finish off... with as many condiments as you can dream up.” Speedy dishes abound, from 15-minute tom yum soup to an “almost-instant” chicken curry, and a final chapter—titled “The Asian(ish) Kitchen”—provides a useful shopping and cooking guide to soy sauces, chilies, and other essentials. The result is a fun and practical companion for home cooks looking to expand their Asian repertoire. Agent: Nicola Chang, David Higham Assoc.

May 15, 2023
There are complex salads, serious soups, beautiful mains and more in this vivid cookbook, but it begins, quite appropriately, with a Tom Yum Bloody Mary ""that will bring your body and senses to full attention."" The first recipe sets the tone for what follows: have fun, take risks, enjoy your food, and enhance whenever you can with vibrant flavors from Asian menus. Lee's own background is a mix of Chinese, Indonesian, and Australian, all of which she incorporates here with recipes like a coconut sugar pavlova with star anise. She also finds many ways to highlight a wide range of traditional Asian flavors as in a kimchi and sriracha grilled cheese and a number of instant (or almost instant) noodle dishes. Recipes for grilling and speedy stir fries take busy family life into account, and notes abound on variations and pantry swaps. A fun, colorful option for those who love experimenting with bold flavors.

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June 1, 2023

Growing up in Australia with a Chinese and Indonesian father and an Australian mother strongly influenced Lee's (Coconut & Sambal) palate and her culinary background. Her focus here is more on "pan-Asian" flavors and techniques in recipes that can be prepared in less than an hour and many much more quickly than that. This work is intended for home cooks, but some spices, noodles, and seasonings may need to be sourced. A final chapter lists pantry essentials, plus "nice to haves," giving the reader an idea of the key ingredients needed for many of the dishes. The book is organized into nine chapters, starting with brunch/lunch, and moving onto salads, soups and curries, grilled dishes, stir-fries, noodles, veggies, sweets, and pickles/condiments. Vegan and vegetarian versions are often suggested, and substantial headnotes provide background and cooking tips. Delicious-looking photographs accompany most recipes. VERDICT A recommended resource for those looking to broaden their Asian cooking chops without focusing on a specific cuisine or region.--Susan Hurst

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