Customer Reviews
Terrific!
Unexpectedly picked up this book at a half price store. Did not even realize it was by the author of 'It Rains Fishes', which has been sitting on my wish list for some time.
Full of extensive and practical information re: ingredients and cooking techniques. This I found quite interesting and useful despite not being new to either Asian cooking or ingredients. Also gives sources for ordering things like Kaffir lime trees which I had not been able to find by searching the internet or asking around several Asian supermarkets in Houston.
The anecdotes and descriptions accompanying the recipies betray Ms Loha-Unchit's enthusiasm for and utter joy in food. I cooked 3 recipies out of this book last weekend and found them easy and straightforward in execution as well as restaurant quality taste-wise. surprisingly simple! Highly recommended.
Authentic delicious Thai food!
I bought this book based on the reviews here and really have to thank the reviewers who gave 5 stars for this book. I am a native Thai and I have to say that Kasma's recipes really give you authentic Thai food. I have tried at least 10 recipes from her book and have enjoyed my home-made cooking with no MSG (that I would mostly get at restaurants). What I like best about her book is the ingredients and tips section where she describes properties of Thai spices and Thai ways of cooking such as steaming, 'yam' salad making, etc.. Reading through her recipes is quite enjoyable since she usually gives a bit of history about the food along the way. The trick to get delicious dishes is to make sure you can acquire all ingredients you need (some are hard to find, but she has a web site that directs you to some online Thai groceries if you can't find the spices from your local stores).
Finally! A true Thai cook and exceptional author in one!
At last, a book that truly offers extraordinary recipes combined with someone who can really write very well. I spent over a year in the Kingdom of Thailand and have rarely been able to find any culinary author that could actually bring me back to the sights, sounds and overall sensory assault Thailand delivers on a daily basis. As a working chef myself, I can truly tell you this is one of the finest books you will find on Thailand, no other author goes into the detail of ingredients, cooking processes and traditions that make this cuisine so exquisite. I especially enjoyed the essays on how the staple ingredients are made, fish sauce, oyster sauce, dried fish and seafood, etc.. Can't go wrong here, I'm afraid Im sounding a bit biased, but this book does reign as king among my shelf of Thai cookbooks, looking forward to many more by this author
