Kelly Jaggers - The Everything Easy Asian Cookbook: Includes Crab Rangoon, Pad Thai Shrimp, Quick and Easy Hot and Sour Soup, Beef with Broccoli, Coconut Rice...and Hundreds More!

Dear Reader,

Growing up, the only Asian food I ever had was the occasional order of takeout Chinese. When I met my husband, who is half Chinese, I was introduced to a new world of fresh ingredients and bold flavors! His mother taught me the art of Chinese cooking, kindly sharing her recipes and techniques with me, and I fell in love with Chinese cooking at home.

This spurred me to learn about other Asian cuisines, where I discovered the bright tang of lemongrass, creamy coconut milk curries, and steaming bowls of ramen and ph. My personal travels include two trips to Japan, where I spent my days exploring the streets of Tokyo, eating everything I could get my hands on, from sushi at dawn in a bustling fish market to cooking my own humble meals in a tiny Japanese kitchen.

I hope in this book you find tips, recipes, and information that will make your own Asian cooking adventures easy and tasty! This book explores the cuisines of Asia from China to Vietnam, with recipes easy enough for weeknight meals, yet sophisticated enough to impress guests. With these recipes I hope you, too, will develop a passion for the flavors and cuisines of Asia!

Kelly Jaggers

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Avon, Massachusetts

Dedication

To Lee, who taught me to love Asian food.

Copyright 2015 by F+W Media, Inc.

All rights reserved.

This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book.

Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Media, Inc.

Published by

Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.

57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322. U.S.A.

www.adamsmedia.com

Contains material adapted from The EverythingChinese Cookbook by Rhonda Lauret Parkinson, copyright 2003 by F+W Media, Inc., ISBN 10: 1-58062-954-7, ISBN 13: 978-1-58062-954-6; The EverythingChinese Cookbook, 2nd Edition by Manyee Elaine Mar, copyright 2013 by F+W Media, Inc., ISBN 10: 1-4405-6819-7, ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-6819-0; The EverythingThai Cookbook by Jennifer Malott Kotylo, copyright 2002 by F+W Media, Inc., ISBN 10: 1-58062-733-1, ISBN 13: 978-1-58062-733-7; The EverythingThai Cookbook, 2nd Edition by Jam Sanitchat, copyright 2013 by F+W Media, Inc., ISBN 10: 1-4405-6154-0, ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-6154-2; The EverythingStir-Fry Cookbook by Rhonda Lauret Parkinson, copyright 2007 by F+W Media, Inc., ISBN 10: 1-59869-242-9, ISBN 13: 978-1-59869-242-6; and The EverythingStir-Fry Cookbook, 2nd Edition by Nam Nguyen, copyright 2013 by F+W Media, Inc., ISBN 10: 1-4405-6157-5, ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-6157-3

ISBN 10: 1-4405-9016-8

ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-9016-0

eISBN 10: 1-4405-9017-6

eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-9017-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Jaggers, Kelly.

The everything easy Asian cookbook / Kelly Jaggers.

pages cm

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-4405-9016-0 (pb) -- ISBN 1-4405-9016-8 (pb) -- ISBN 978-1-4405-9017-7 (ebook) -- ISBN 1-4405-9017-6 (ebook)

1. Cooking, Asian. I. Title.

TX724.5.A1J34 2015

641.595--dc23

2015009424

Always follow safety and commonsense cooking protocol while using kitchen utensils, operating ovens and stoves, and handling uncooked food. If children are assisting in the preparation of any recipe, they should always be supervised by an adult.

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and F+W Media, Inc. was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

Cover and interior photos by Kelly Jaggers.

I would like to first thank Lisa, Eileen, and Erin at Adams Media. I appreciate everything you do. This would not be possible without you. I would also like to thank Lee for teaching me about Asian cooking, and for showing me there is more to Asian food than what I had known. As always, I want to thank my familyCarol, Howard, Wayne, and Nonniefor their constant support and encouragement. A special thank you to my physical therapist, Britney, for helping me be better, and to Jodi, who is not only kind and encouraging, but also the reason I have time to do what I love. Last, but not least, I want to thank my husband, Mark, for his willingness to be my taste tester, for taking me to Japan, and for his honesty. Just because you love me does not mean you pull any punches.

The best ambassador of Asian culture is its food. The cuisines of Asia reflect the history, experiences, and diversity of the continent and the people who live there. From bold spicy dishes to delicate soups, Asian cuisine is as varied as the people and landscapes from where it originates. While many of the ingredients used across Asia are common, they are used in uncommon ways, making each cuisine unique. Places such as China, Korea, and Japan emphasize the balanced use of fats, oils, and sauces in cooking. In Southeast Asia, steaming, boiling, and lighter flavored, less fatty dishes are most popular. Foods and spices are used to promote health, not unlike medicine, and food is often used as symbolic offerings in various religions.

In China, there are eight recognized and distinct cooking styles based on region: Cantonese, Szechwan, Shandong, Fujian, Jiangsu, Hunan, Anhui, and Zhejiang. This diversity means there is great variety in Chinese ingredients, cooking styles, and recipes. In general, rice, noodles, and vegetables are staple ingredients in Southern Chinese dishes, which emphasize fresh ingredients cooked with lighter sauces. In Northern Chinese cuisine, many dishes rely more on the use of oil, vinegar, spices, and garlic.