Cook books

  by Amanda Bosch Rowan Public Library

Do you ever watch Food Network or cooking shows on PBS and drool at the beautifully appetizing dishes that are prepared?  When you go to your favorite Chinese restaurant, are you inspired to try to break down the recipe so you can recreate it at home for friends and family? Perhaps you would enjoy perusing some of the wonderfully enticing new cookbooks available at the Rowan Public Library for your next Asian themed dinner night or Supper Club.

                The smell of exotic spices, the sizzle of meats and veggies being tossed in a hot wok as you enter your favorite Asian restaurant may assail your senses and make your mouth water, but have you ever considered making your own Asian dinner?  Manyee Elaine Mar, who grew up in her family’s Chinese restaurant in Denver in the 1970’s and 1980’s, has delivered recipes that reflect the menu which “was a true reflection of the Chinese-American experience, a blending of our ethnic heritage with the tastes of the region to which we had immigrated” in the second edition of the Everything Chinese Cookbook. While there are favorites like fried rice, Kung Pao chicken, or crab rangoons, there are also recipes that are unique to her family’s restaurant such as “Chicken Cantonese or Pork Riblets in Black Bean Sauce.”  Forget takeout or even delivery, you can peruse the flavors of China without leaving home or worrying over what to pack, just choose any one of the mouth watering recipes,  stop by the market, pick up a few groceries, and you are ready to start cooking your own Chinese dinner!

                Ah, the broth, the meat, the noodles – perfection in a bowl! If you prefer Pho a Vietnamese soup and noodle dish that is “elemental to Vietnamese culture”,  then you may want to try Andrea Quynhgiao Nguyen’s The Pho Cookbook. Recipes range from easy to adventurous and include a brief history of pho and how to pronounce it like a native as well as its value to the Vietnamese culture. There is a breakdown of the different types of noodles, spices, seasonings and herbs. There are tricks, techniques, tips, and then come the recipes for the classic soups,  fried rice, noodle salads, and even a beef pho banh mi which may be viewed as a Vietnamese American twist to the French dip sandwich that is so popular in many American restaurants.  Don’t forget to try one of the Pho sidekicks like the Pho Pot Stickers or the Coconut Coffee; your guests will be impressed.

                A fun party idea for the more adventurous among us might be to set up an Asian street food themed dinner.  In Street Food Asia by Luke Nguyen, one can discover delectable recipes and gorgeous photos of a wide variety of street food samplings from across Asia. If you decide to host an Asian street food dinner, your guests can sample dishes from Vietnam such as Crab & Tapioca Noodle Soup, sizzling savory central style pancakes or a spicy pork sandwich on a baguette before “traveling” to Indonesia where samples of more traditional dishes like chicken satay skewers with spicy peanut sauce can be served alongside more exotic offerings like spicy fishcakes grilled in banana leaves. Moving onto Malaysia, one can prepare dishes such as Malay Curry Puffs or hand-made pan mee noodles with pork & shitake mushrooms. Your guests could try a final stop in Bangkok where you can find recipes for unique and delectable dishes such as Chilli & Basil Chicken with steamed rice or chargrilled scallops with butter & spring onion oil.

                These are a sampling of the many cookbooks available at Rowan Public Library. Whether you prefer Italian cuisine, baking on weekends or cooking 30 minute meals, there is sure to be a cookbook that’s right for you so check one out and challenge yourself to try something new by creating a new dish for your friends and family!