Farm to table Asian secrets - Patricia Tanumihardja

In this delightful Asian cookbook, you'll learn the secrets of vegetarian and vegan Asian cooking-how to blend flavours, textures, aromas and colours-to create full-flavored vegetarian dishes that are missing none of the umami normally associated only with meat and dairy.Each chapter based on seasonal vegetables provides a wide range of choices using produce that is available at that time of year-making it easy to plan a variety of menus that are never dull or indifferent. Here are just a few examples of the tempting Asian recipes in this book:Starters and Snacks such as Crispy Spring Rolls, Green Apple Salad with Tangy Thai Dressing, Butternut Squash Pot Stickers and Korean-Style Buffalo BroccoliFamily-Style Meals such as Asparagus in Lemongrass-Coconut Cream Sauce, Grilled Vegetable Kebabs with Two Marinades, General Tso's Eggplant and Kung Pao PotatoesAll-in-One Meals such as "Have It Everyday" Pad Thai, Crispy Noodles with Savory Vegetables, Sweet Potato Rice Stew and Easy Miso RamenAuthor Patricia Tanumihardja is an experienced food writer and expert on Asian and sustainable farm-to-table cooking. She shows you how to buy and use the freshest in-season produce to create delicious dishes with startlingly new flavors and textures-by adding a few "secret ingredients"-the traditional sweet, sour, spicy, soy seasonings that every Asian cook knows. She also explains in this Asian cookbook how the use of contrasting textures (for example silky tofu with crunchy peanuts) can create greater food enjoyment and a stimulating new dining experience. A home cook at heart, Pat's recipes are very straightforward without lots of exotic ingredients or specialized tools. They are also easy and quick to prepare. She shows you how adding a few Asian fermented and pickled vegan products like miso or pickled greens will add a new universe of flavours to your cooking. The same is true for flavour-enhancers like fried shallots, crispy fried garlic and the flavored oils that Asian chefs and restaurants use on a regular basis.