Asian Salads Inspired Recipes from Vietnam, China, Korea, Thailand and India
MAKI WATANABE MY LIFE-LONG PASSION FOR ASIAN SALADS Whenever I visit Vietnam, Thailand, China, India and other countries around Asia, I am always surprised at the abundance of vegetable dishes. I find dishes that are full of herbs, or encounter vegetables that I have never eaten before. Sometimes the vegetables are briefly boiled and then dressed, quickly stir-fried, or speedily deep-fried; each cooking method is so simple, yet they yield so many variations. I am convinced that one of the reasons Im so enamored with various Asian cuisines is because they allow me to eat so many vegetables! In this book, I will introduce you to salads from various Asian countries. As I put these recipes to paper and reminisce about all of the Asian vegetable dishes I have eaten, I am once again reminded that Asia is truly a vegetable utopia! With that as my inspiration, I developed this collection of recipes using the strongly flavored vegetables Ive encountered that I have come to love, as well as more familiar vegetables from my home country of Japan and other ingredients that are used in the Asian countries I cover in this book, along with the seasonings and cooking methods typically used there. From simple vegetable-only recipes that are perfect as side dishes or for eating with an alcoholic beverage, to filling main dish salads containing meat or fish, all the recipes in this book are very easy to make.
On Page 15, I give recipes for some versatile dressings that effortlessly bring the flavors of each countrys cuisine to any salad. I hope youll use them to enjoy the tastes of these countries as part of your everyday meals. Regardless of your status as a world traveler, this book will help you explore and enjoy the tastes and aromas from across Asia. Maki Watanabe
This book includes salads from these countries
INDIAOfficial Name: India
Capital City: New Delhi
Currency: Indian Rupee (INR)
Time Difference: 10 hours ahead of New York, NY (EST)
CHINAOfficial Name: Peoples Republic of China
Capital City: Beijing
Currency: Yuan (CNY)
Time Difference: Beijing (CST) is 13 hours ahead of New York, NY (EST)
VIETNAMOfficial Name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Capital City: Hanoi
Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND)
Time Difference: 12 hours ahead of New York, NY (EST)
THAILAND
Official Name: Kingdom of Thailand
Capital City: Bangkok
Currency: Thai Baht (THB)
Time Difference: 12 hours ahead of New York, NY (EST)
KOREAOfficial Name: Republic of Korea
Capital City: Seoul
Currency: Korean Won (KRW)
Time Difference: 14 hours ahead of New York, NY (EST)
Asian Seasonings and Pantry Items Here are some of the seasonings, spices and pantry items from various Asian cuisines that are used in this book. You can buy these ingredients at Asian grocery stores, stores dedicated to the cuisine of each country and online.
Southeast Asian seasonings
Vietnamese
nuoc mam (pictured left) and Thai
nam pla (middle) are fish sauces.
Southeast Asian seasonings
Vietnamese
nuoc mam (pictured left) and Thai
nam pla (middle) are fish sauces.
They are made with salt-cured and fermented fish, and are integral to Southeast Asian cuisine. The Japanese fish sauce shottsuru has a similar taste. Coconut milk, pictured right, is made by adding water to shredded coconut and straining the mixture. It has a subtle sweetness and is used mostly in stewed dishes. Chinese seasonings Shaoxing wine (far left) is brewed from short-grain or mochi rice. It has a complex flavor with bittersweet notes.
In this book I have used one that has been aged for 12 years. Kojun vinegar (second from left) is a type of black vinegar from Jiangsu province in China; this one is aged 8 years. You can substitute another black vinegar in any recipe that calls for it. Oyster sauce (center) is a rich sauce made with oysters. Sesame oil (second from right) adds a wonderful nutty aroma to dishes. On the far right is another delicious black vinegar from Taiwan.
Chinese pantry ingredients Dried tofu (left) is made by drying and thinly slicing tofu. It is also sold labeled as shredded tofu or dried bean curd. It has a unique light taste and chewy texture, and is often seen in dishes dressed with coriander at Chinese restaurants. To the right is century egg or pidan from China. This is made by preserving duck eggs in salt, rice hulls and other ingredients for several weeks to several months. The eggs have a very distinctive flavor.
Various dried spices Curry powder (top right) is a mixture of several spices. Cumin powder (bottom left) has a subtle bitterness and a strong fragrance. Whole cumin seeds are also used in this book. Chili powder (second from left) is a mixture of powdered chili pepper and other spices. Turmeric (second from right) is known for its unique, vivid yellow color. Garam masala (bottom right) is a mixture of various spices that is often used to add flavor and fragrance.
Hot and spicy ingredients Coarsely ground dried red chili pepper (top left) is commonly used in Korean cuisine. Next to it are whole dried chili peppers, also called dragons nails in Japan. On the upper right is