Koncocoo

Best Vietnamese Cooking

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors
Robustly flavored yet delicate, sophisticated yet simple, the recipes include steamy pho noodle soups infused with the aromas of fresh herbs and lime; rich clay-pot preparations of catfish, chicken, and pork; classic bánh mì sandwiches; and an array of Vietnamese charcuterie. Vietnam-born Nguyen writes passionately and knowledgeably about the history and fundamentals of Vietnamese cuisine and offers more than 175 tempting and largely nonintimidating recipes, with the Vietnamese translation of the name beneath the English name and headnotes that provide excellent context and helpful tips. “Nguyen makes Vietnamese cuisine accessible with this extensive cookbook, which stretches from soup to charcuterie.” —Houston Chronicle “An impressive, carefully researched, and thoroughly readable guide to Vietnamese food and culinary tradition.” —Library Journal.
Reviews
"I have a lot of vietnamese cookbooks, most of the ones printed in english that are worth buying, and a few in vietnamese to cover regional foods that none of the western books cover (please somebody write a good book on Hue or Qui Nhon cuisine), but they are difficult for me to use, as the subtleties of the language are often hard to follow for a westerner. For established cooks who already know how to cook Vietnamese foods, this book is still very helpful to extend ones' repertoire, and for people wishing to learn the basics and produce their first meals on the their own, this is probably the best book i have ever seen on the subject. There are a couple of recipes that are not so great, for example the Cha Ca Thang Long (which she calls Cha Ca) misses the mark, and there are some basic common southern family recipes missing from the book, such as Cha Ca Thac Lac, and the book could do with more basic soup recipes (bitter mellon, purple yam, kabucha etc) as soup is so important to the basic meal structure; but it is still one of the best cookbooks on Vietnamese food i have seen."
"This book came in bigger than expected."
"I will say though, being a Northern vietnamese American, the recipes are a little bland for me."
"I then sampled a piece of her book on my kindle and knew right there that I had to buy the hardback version of this book to fully appreciate the photos."
"Wonderful soups and vegetable meals that are so attractive to your palate!"
"My wife is Vietnamese and this is about the best book on VN cooking."
"Oh man, this has so many great traditional recipes in here."
"good history on the food, clear consise directions with nice colored pictures."
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The Banh Mi Handbook: Recipes for Crazy-Delicious Vietnamese Sandwiches
A cookbook devoted to the beloved Vietnamese sandwich, with 50 recipes ranging from classic fillings to innovative modern combinations. Andrea Nguyen once again demonstrates her commendable talent for writing recipes that deliver great tasting food and teach you to become a better cook.”. —Molly Stevens, author of All About Roasting “ Andrea perfectly tells the story of how Vietnamese food culture was influenced by French colonials. From childhood lunches of silky sausage on toasted baguettes to postmodern banh mi smeared with curried edamame pâté, she sketches the transformation of a sandwich, born of French and Chinese colonization and Vietnamese ingenuity, into a global culinary phenomenon.”. —John T. Edge, author of TheTruck Food Cookbook "Lots of tasty riffs on the meaty, pickly, crunchy, saucy, spicy Vietnamese sandwich." "The banh mi sandwich is itself the product of many miles traveled: the crusty bread brought to Vietnam by French colonists, filled with all the bright, hot, fresh, meaty, intensely tasty elements of the local cuisine. This delicious cultural collision is the subject of "The Banh Mi Handbook: Recipes for Crazy-Delicious Vietnamese Sandwiches" by Andrea Nguyen.
Reviews
"Ms Nguyen breaks down the delicious bahn mi sandwich into simple elements - crunch of the crust, softness of the crumb, a bit of fat, a umami blast, unctuous fillings, cool and crisp veggie toppings - in a way that I was able to carry over into my other cooking. I was thinking of her meatball bahn mi as I tweaked my usual spaghetti with meatballs recipe for dinner last night - adding finely chopped cilantro stems to the meat, coating the meatballs with panko, and a dash of anchovy paste to the sauce."
"I have always loved Banh Mi and to find a book that not only has some wonderful ideas for sandwiches, but also how to make the bread to put the stuff into is a distinct plus!"
"This book explains the basic makeup and variations of the Banh Mi sandwich along with easy to follow recipes."
"I would recommend this recipe book to anyone who loves a good sandwich that is actually good for you."
"I bought several of these as Hanukkah gifts sight unseen just because I have always found Andrea Nguyen's books to be wonderful."
"LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these sammies!!!!"
"This book had all the information I needed, with advice on how to be creative and make personal variations to the recipes as well."
"decent book as it taught me the basics of a banh mi."
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The Pho Cookbook: Easy to Adventurous Recipes for Vietnam's Favorite Soup and Noodles
With this comprehensive cookbook, Vietnam’s most beloved, aromatic comfort food--the broth and noodle soup known as pho--is now within your reach. “Andrea Nguyen has done the English-speaking world a tremendous favor with this book, the most authoritative guide to pho I've ever seen. The marriage of purpose and passion that she's brought to this book is a rare thing.” - DAVID CHANG, coauthor of Momofuku and cofounder of Lucky Peach “Andrea Nguyen is the world’s greatest expert in Vietnamese cooking. All lovers of Asian food need to own this most extraordinary book.” - JAMES OSELAND, author Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore “Andrea Nguyen is the kind of writer who doesn’t just show you how to follow her recipes, she also teaches you how to be a better cook. This is not unique to The Pho Cookbook ; cooking from any of Nguyen’s books is like listening to an incredibly patient friend explain a recipe over the telephone." - Food & Wine "With the same clarity and care displayed in her previous books, Nguyen guides even the nervous first-time pho navigator to slurp-worthy success."
Reviews
"Last week I made the easy version of chicken pho. Tonight I made the adventurous version of beef pho. I was able to find all the ingredients I needed here in Des Moines, IA, except for black cardamom."
"Just turning the introductory pages of this book, my senses were teased by the beautiful pictures, both action and still shots. One chapter covers thorough explanations and pictures of pho ingredients: Noodles, spices, aromatics, bottled seasonings, sweeteners, herbs and garnishes. (But certain lamb cuts and bones, for instance, are harder for me to find at a regular grocery store in central and southern Texas, and an Asian market helps with that.). If you make pho often enough, the shelf ingredients will migrate together and you won’t be wasting time gathering them from here and there. Instructions make sense and won’t leave an inexperienced cook wondering how to proceed. It is designed to remind the reader that making pho is a creative process, and a recipe in a book is just a foundation, or a jumping off place, for experimentation. There are also recipes for appropriate dipping sauces, bowl add-ins, fried bread sticks and a helpful pho spice blend. A final chapter is all about pho sides: Pot stickers, salads, slaw, rice paper rolls, more sauces, drinks. As you can see from the "Verified Purchase" tag up top of my review, I liked this book so much that I bought a hard copy to always have at hand."
"Very nice quality book, recipes and photos."
"My husband loves pho and has started making it himself."
"Words can't express this book... it's fantastic.. easy to make... glad I bought this..."
"I gave this to a friend of mine that wants to make Pho, he says it is great."
"learned a lot of history i should have known all ready wonderfully written."
"If you like Pho....this is the book to own....easy to follow and very accurate."
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Best Chinese Cooking

Maangchi's Real Korean Cooking: Authentic Dishes for the Home Cook
In Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking, she shows how to cook all the country’s best dishes, from few-ingredient dishes (Spicy Napa Cabbage) to those made familiar by Korean restaurants (L.A. Galbi, Bulgogi, Korean Fried Chicken) to homey one-pots like Bibimbap. She also provides comprehensive ingredient and equipment lists that help orient first timers ... Side dishes steal the show , including braised beef in soy sauce, stir-fried kale with soybean paste, blanched spinach with scallions and sesame, and stir-fried pork... Maangchi has written an essential cookbook for anyone who wants to learn to prepare authentic Korean cuisine ." MAANGCHI ("Hammer" in Korean) was born and raised in South Korea, where she learned the fundamentals of home cooking from her relatives.
Reviews
"I've been a fan of Maangchi's website and YouTube channel for a couple of years. A glossary of ingredients includes photos, descriptions, and food names in both English and Korean. Included is also a fascinating introduction to the basics of traditional Korean meals and the culture that surrounds them. I was particularly thrilled to find recipes for making kitchen staples such as homemade gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) and rice liquor. If you are a meat eater, you'll find more than enough to keep you happy, including the secret to that famous Korean fried chicken everyone loves so much. Tonight we made vegetable leaf wraps with rice and apple dipping sauce, and stir fried kale with soybean paste. I spread a small amount of this on leafy greens and rolled it around a bit of rice for bite sized packets that made my mouth burst from all the flavor!"
"All recipes come with a final picture of the dish, with some coming with pictures of the cooking process. Maangchi has a section dedicated to showing small pictures and descriptions of the essential Korean ingredients and equipment used in the cookbook. The largest section is the side dish section, one of the main reasons I bought the book! There is a small section in the back of the book listing what a typical Korean day is in terms of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and as well as lists of dishes typically served during holidays. The pictures of the dishes do not always follow the recipe underneath. Some recipes will say that the picture of the dish is on the following page. I understand that some recipes are complex and fitting a picture in along with the recipe is not feasible, but it would have been helpful to see, perhaps, a tiny picture of the finished dish next to the dish name, and then have a larger picture (maybe from a different angle, or so) showing more details of the dish."
"Pictured below: 1) The Bulgogi (really flavorful grilled beef) - p223 and Stir-Fried Kale with Soybean Paste - p138 are fantastic. It's like sushi, but has sesame oil instead of vinegar in the rice, and the fillings are different: crab, seasoned ground beef, egg, pickled radish, and garlicky spinach. It's a rice cake soup with brisket, egg, scallions, etc."
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Best Japanese Cooking

Japanese Soul Cooking: Ramen, Tonkatsu, Tempura, and More from the Streets and Kitchens of Tokyo andBeyond
A collection of more than 100 recipes that introduces Japanese comfort food to American home cooks, exploring new ingredients, techniques, and the surprising origins of popular dishes like gyoza and tempura. Featured Recipes from Japanese Soul Cooking “This is the book on Japanese cooking I have been waiting for without knowing it!
Reviews
"This wasn't the case with "Japanese Soul Cooking": because it's written for a foreign audience, it makes do with the most basic Japanese ingredients and even teaches how to make some condiments like Tonkatsu sauce from scratch. ), Tonkatsu (with recipes for panko & tonkatsu sauce, Furai & Korokke (plus how to make Japanese-style tartar sauce and salads), Kara-age (with a recipe for homemade ponzu), Tempura (with step-by-step pictures for making the batter), Okonomiyaki (both Osaka and Hiroshima styles, plus takoyaki and yakisoba), Donburi (nine variations of pure comfort), Soba (hot & cold dishes), Udon (wide range from classics to a modern cold version with fresh tomatoes), Itame & Chahan (stir-fries and fried rice), and Yoshoku (gratins, steaks, and pasta)."
"For example, Chapter 1 = 'Ramen.'. +Layouts and photographs are well done."
"Soy sauce isn't the only ingredient you should keep in your fridge for japanese cooking!"
"This book is superb."
"I have a lot of Japanese cookbooks (I used to live in Japan), and I'm pretty good at picking out only good ones."
"Simple details on how to prepare Japanese cuisine."
"Best book for Japanese food."
"Beautiful photos, delicious recipes and detailed explanations."
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Best Indian Cooking

Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes for the Home Cook
From delicious dals to rich curries, flat breads, savory breakfasts, snacks, and much more, this vegan cookbook brings you Richa Hingle’s collection of plant-based Indian recipes inspired by regional cuisines, Indian culture, local foods, and proven methods. Replacement spices are indicated wherever possible, and Richa also provides alternatives and variations that allow people to be playful and creative with the Indian spices called for in the recipes. Exotic and richly developed, Richa's plant-based, spiced Indian recipes are neither too complicated nor made with ingredients too obscure to find, to make them unapproachable for the home cook. Complex flavors and textures, hallmarks of Indian cuisine, are the big draw to the 150 recipes in this book, but so, is the photography. Richa combines a respect for tradition with a modern cook's pragmatism and in doing so, many recipes trade painstaking effort and hours in the kitchen for much more convenience without sacrificing the most important detail: fantastic food. I love this cookbook because it displays an array of whole, plant-based foods that are truly nutritious, combining grains and legumes with a wide variety of vegetables, while offering ridiculously delicious dishes with aromas that will totally keep you hooked. This book is a collection of 150 recipes inspired by Indian regional cuisines, culture, local foods, and proven cooking methods distributed over various chapters. Sauces and Curries with deep, complex flavors for special occasions or everyday in chapter 7. My recipes reflect my knowledge of Indian spices and traditions, as well as worldly influences.
Reviews
"However, I really like the Vegan Richa blog and once I could virtually "look inside" the book, I realized that the majority of recipes appealed to me. Here are the recipes I've tried so far: Spicy South Indian Tofu Scramble, Street Style Tempeh Wraps, Mint Cilantro Chile Chutney, Mashed Potato Fritters (baked), Dad's Favorite Cauliflower Potatoes, Tofu in Spinach Curry, and South Indian Chickpea Eggplant Stew. I've owned other vegetarian Indian cookbooks before, but have usually found that the recipes are excessively complicated or just too high fat. I did visit a local Indian grocery store and stock up on recommended spices and ingredients, a small investment that has already paid great dividends!"
"In addition to all the mouthwatering recipes for breakfast, small snacks, side dishes, dals, one-pot meals, mains dishes, desserts, and flatbreads, you'll find recipes for making your own chutneys and spice blends, as well as resources for buying ingredients online and in brick-and-mortar stores. And if you've been wondering whether or not you can recreate authentic vegan Indian dishes, you'll joyfully discover that with the no-fail recipes in Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen, you'll soon be swooning over the dishes you make in your own vegan Indian kitchen."
"I love the entire one pot meal chapter, and love that the meals use a lot of vegetables, but my favorite from that chapter is yellow lentil rice and chard. Rainbow chard and peas in a creamy sauce just hits the comfort food craving for me. It doesn't taste of avocado, but is just a really great accompaniment to other dishes made with ingredients I can find anywhere. My biggest piece of advice is to be adventurous and try all of the recipes because some of my favorites have been the ones that, rather than mimicking dishes I am familiar with, were flavors I never imagined."
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Best Thai Cooking

Quick & Easy Thai: 70 Everyday Recipes
Nancie McDermott, experienced cook, teacher, and author of the best-selling cookbook Real Thai , presents this collection of 70 delicious recipes that focus on easy-to-find ingredients and quick cooking methods to whip up traditional Thai. Nancie McDermott is a food writer and cooking teacher specializing in the cuisine of Thailand, where she spent three years as a Peace Corps volunteer.
Reviews
"If you a) are cooking for your Thai grandmother or b) want to exactly re-create the meal you enjoyed at that noodle shop in Bangkok and are willing and able to go to all the related trouble, this book is not for you. The author readily admits when and where she alters the original recipes to save time or because a traditional ingredient is very difficult to find in the US. I certainly cannot, and being able to create Thai food at home with a minimum of difficulty is more important to me at this stage of my life (busy with a toddler who has very little patience to wait for dinner). By the way, I have tried four recipes so far from this book - the massaman, green chicken, and red shrimp curries, and the Chiang Mai noodles."
"Apparently this cookbook has a lot of history written in it: about the author's experiences, the country, info about certain ingredients and preparation methods native to Thailand."
"I bought the book hoping to experience a bit of Thai at home without Hrs in the kitchen."
"Great book with truly very easy recipes."
"I have made several recipes for friends and they raved about it so much that I decided to buy another book as a present."
"Wow!"
"Fast easy recipes with common ingredients and or substitutions."
"Everything I've made from this book (and I've made a lot of the recipes) tastes absolutely delicious and restaurant quality."
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Best Pacific Rim Cooking

Smuggler's Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, and the Cult of Tiki
Whether you’re looking for a new favorite cocktail, tips on how to trick out your home tiki grotto, help stocking your bar with great rums, or inspiration for your next tiki party, Smuggler’s Cove has everything you need to transform your world into a Polynesian Pop fantasia. Just add rum, and watch Smuggler’s Cove—and the whole vibrant, geeky, just a little bit unhinged world of tiki it so perfectly exemplifies— unfold in your lap.” —David Wondrich, author of Imbibe! But in the end, tiki’s essence is based on captivating stories and exotic drinks, and Martin Cate’s Smuggler’s Cove is a tour de force in both.” —Jordan Mackay, wine and spirits writer, and coauthor of Secrets of the Sommeliers “Martin Cate understands tiki like few others do. The old guard of Donn, Vic, and Steve can rest easy now that they have this champion of their tradition bringing tiki into the new millennium.” —Sven Kirsten, author of The Book of Tiki, Tiki Modern, and Tiki Pop “Here at last are the secrets behind one of the world’s best bars. The Cates have written an engaging, knowing, and personal book that is sure to please tiki lovers, cocktail lovers, and especially tiki-cocktail lovers. Abandon angst, all ye who enter here: like Smuggler’s Cove itself, these pages take leisure time very seriously.” —Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, author of Potions of the Caribbean “Martin Cate is an authority on rum, and this book will take your level of understanding of this noble yet complex spirit to a new level. An absolute must-have for rum enthusiasts.” —Richard Seale, master distiller, Foursquare Rum Distillery, Barbados “The twenty-first-century revival of tiki cocktails was spearheaded by a handful of passionate tiki-geeks, Martin Cate among them. With Smuggler’s Cove , Martin and Rebecca teach you everything you need to know to become a tiki-geek in your own right—and to see the world with their Polynesian passion.” –Gaz Regan, author of The Joy of Mixology and The Negron i “Tiki culture is enmeshed with rum, and the authors offer a master class on it, covering its history and many varieties, as well as digressions on coring pineapples for cocktails and where to score cocktail umbrellas. It’s a terrifically fun and informative read, and the definitive resource on the topic.”. – Publishers Weekly , Starred Review “The book walks readers through the history of tiki, as well as 100 recipes for cocktails. A primer on essential tiki techniques as well as a thorough, authoritative guide to rum take you further than the typical booze book." The book works equally well as a cocktail how-to, a rum guide, tiki party inspiration or must-do itinerary." But in the end, tiki’s essence is based on captivating stories and exotic drinks, and Martin Cate’s Smuggler’s Cove is a tour de force in both.” —Jordan Mackay, wine and spirits writer, and coauthor of Secrets of the Sommeliers “Martin Cate understands tiki like few others do. The old guard of Donn, Vic, and Steve can rest easy now that they have this champion of their tradition bringing tiki into the new millennium.” —Sven Kirsten, author of The Book of Tiki, Tiki Modern, and Tiki Pop “Here at last are the secrets behind one of the world’s best bars. The Cates have written an engaging, knowing, and personal book that is sure to please tiki lovers, cocktail lovers, and especially tiki-cocktail lovers. Abandon angst, all ye who enter here: like Smuggler’s Cove itself, these pages take leisure time very seriously.” —Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, author of Potions of the Caribbean “Martin Cate is an authority on rum, and this book will take your level of understanding of this noble yet complex spirit to a new level. An absolute must-have for rum enthusiasts.” —Richard Seale, master distiller, Foursquare Rum Distillery, Barbados “The twenty-first-century revival of tiki cocktails was spearheaded by a handful of passionate tiki-geeks, Martin Cate among them. With Smuggler’s Cove , Martin and Rebecca teach you everything you need to know to become a tiki-geek in your own right—and to see the world with their Polynesian passion.” –Gaz Regan, author of The Joy of Mixology and The Negron i “Tiki culture is enmeshed with rum, and the authors offer a master class on it, covering its history and many varieties, as well as digressions on coring pineapples for cocktails and where to score cocktail umbrellas. It’s a terrifically fun and informative read, and the definitive resource on the topic.”. – Publishers Weekly , Starred Review “The book walks readers through the history of tiki, as well as 100 recipes for cocktails. A primer on essential tiki techniques as well as a thorough, authoritative guide to rum take you further than the typical booze book." The book works equally well as a cocktail how-to, a rum guide, tiki party inspiration or must-do itinerary."
Reviews
"History behind the rise of the tiki movement, history behind their bars, rum!, tiki cocktail technique, doing your own tiki parties, resources (where to buy tiki stuff, great tiki bars, etc.)."
"It has everything from the history of tiki, to drink recipes, to how to make your own syrups, to how to decorate your bar."
"Outstanding book, very detailed beautifully photographed, laid out and with easy to follow and comprehend recipes."
"This is a GREAT book from one of the pre-eminent scholars of mixology, tiki revival and overall good aesthetics!"
"Great stuff, a beautiful looking book too, and loaded with great photos and recipes which makes me want to bring out the rum at home, and to return soon to San Francisco's Smuggler's Cove!"
"A must for any tiki collector or tiki bar hopper."
"For anyone interested in discovering a history as well as well written fundamentals of rum cocktails, this is the book."
"There's not much I can add to the other reviews other than to say this is a great book for both recipies and history."
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Best Wok Cookery

Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories
In Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge, award-winning author Grace Young shares more than 100 classic stir-fry recipes that sizzle with heat and pop with flavor, from the great Cantonese stir-fry masters to the culinary customs of Sichuan, Hunan, Shanghai, Beijing, Fujian, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia, as well as other countries around the world. Stir-frying may have been pedestrianized by generations of vegetarian college students, but this beautiful, comprehensive cookbook restores it to its rightful place among the most elegant cookery techniques. The virtues of stir-frying, Young writes, are many: it makes bounty out of small amounts of meat and oil; it emphasizes healthful vegetables; and most importantly, it creates 'alchemic flavor out of raw ingredients. Familiar Chinese dishes such as Sichuan Pork with Peppers and Peanuts and Shrimp in Lobster Sauce honor classic flavor combinations, but Jamaican Chicken with Chayote shows that stir-frying can adapt to other cultural impulses.
Reviews
"has a lot of common recipes and stories which makes for fun and informative reading."
"This is a must-have book, and must-give book."
"Chinese Chef Grace Young, author of "The Wisdom Of The Chinese Kitchen", & "The Breath Of A Wok", has another Jade Jewel in her cookbook offerings, with "Stir-Frying To The Sky's Edge"!"
"Warm, accessible approach make this a book that is both enjoyable to read and practical to use."
"Haven't tried the recipes yet, however I have read through the book and the recipes look delicious."
"Probably the best thing for me is the narrative about how Chinese cooks who live outside China have adapted their ingredients to match what's available in their area, turning out jerk chicken stir-fry dishes, Malaysian stir-fries, and assorted other twists. This is a revelation to me, a girl who grew up on the 50s with ChunKing chop suey and chow mein, a girl whose favorite vegetable was tomato juice with corn and potatoes coming in second and third."
"The instructions are easy to follow, the ingredients are easy to find (staples like chinkiang vinegar and shaoxing wine can be picked up at the Asian grocery or substituted), and the recipes are relatively simple and delicious."
"The stories and background information is invaluable to understanding the basic skills used to create the methods and recipes."
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