Randy Clemens - The Veggie-Lovers Sriracha Cookbook: 50 Vegan Rooster Sauce Recipes that Pack a Punch

Copyright 2013 by Randy Clemens
Photographs copyright 2013 by Leo Gong

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com

Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher

eBook ISBN: 978-1-60774-461-0
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-60774-460-3

Food styling by Karen Shinto
Prop styling by Carol Hacker
Photography assisting by Amanda Hibbert and Agustina Peretta

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W ORDS CANT EXPRESS HOW INCREDIBLE it is to be able to pen yet another Sriracha cookbook. But I guess Ive become a legit writer now, so I better figure out how to get some words to express itthats my job! I feel so privileged to be able to share another collection of awesome recipes with people, especially this batch that I created to honor and celebrate the almighty vegetable.

This couldnt have happened without the help, support, and friendship of so many folks, and Im glad I get a chance to put some of their names down on paper as my way of recognizing and thanking them for their invaluable contributions. On the family side, big thanks to my mom, Bonnie, for always encouraging my endeavors and leading by the Golden Rule. So much love and gratitude to my Aunt Terri, Uncle Steve, Cousin Kim, Josh, and Miette.

In no particular order, Im extremely lucky to have friends like Elliot Gabriel Weingarten, the darling Cambria Griffith, Gev Kazanchyan (plus Susie and the family, of course!), Josh Lurie, Matt Finkel, Mark Young, Nate Sellergren, Sharaya Olmeda, Tim Herscovitch, Rebecca Fogel, Sergio Salgado, Melinda McKee, and Mark Signaigo.

To Phi and the rest of the Nguyen family, who had no idea that my life flipped the day they introduced me to Sriracha at their house. Im beyond privileged to know them, and I wish I got to see them more. Thanks also to my heroes the recipe testers, (and also amazing friends): Linzy May Mahoney and family; Madeleine St. Marie; Quarry Girl along with her wonderful husband, Nick; Samantha Loveira; Sandra Hernandez; Kristy and Chris Turner; Sam Edelstein and Erika Barry; and Anya Demianenko and Michael McCoy.

Im also grateful to those who hosted events for me and/or looked after my general well-being: the Stone Brewing Co. crew (the art/media department, my book pimp Sue, Mr. Cheek, Denise, and the whole rest of you clowns that are gonna be mad I didnt list you by name), Blue Palms Brewhouse and Eagle Rock Brewery (who hosted my first book release partywith a special Sriracha beer!), Tonys Darts Away, Almanac Beer Co., everyone at Port Brewing/the Lost Abbey, Library Alehouse, StudioSchulz.com, and the whole gang from Pacific Coast Harmony.

Thanks to the crew at Ten Speed Press, including Melissa Moore (the greatest editor on earth!), Toni Tajima, Patricia Kelly, Michele Crim, Kara van de Water, Kristin Casemore, Ashley Matuszak, Kelly Snowden, Jenny Burbank, and Ali Slagle. Chloe Rawlins, thanks for making the book look so awesome, with Leo Gongs insanely great photography, and the marvelous food styling of Karen Shinto, plus their illustrious team: prop stylist Carol Hacker and assistants Amanda Hibbert and Agustina Peretta. And lastly, a thank-you to those whove helped fine-tune and advance my writing over the years: Peter Reinhart, Dr. Haut, Ms. Spadafora, Lesley Bargar Suter, Chris Nichols, Greg Koch, Carol Penn-Romine, Nichol Nelson, Karen Young, Eric Mercado, Nancy Zaslavsky, and Amelia Saltsman.

I F*%#ING LOVE VEGETABLES! That, coupled with my addiction to Sriracha, is what ultimately led to the writing of this book. And while I am a firm believer in the righteous virtues of vegetarianism and veganismof which, there are many that isnt the focus here. This book isnt about labels; its not just for vegans or vegetarians. Its for anyone whos incurably passionate about the splendiferous flavors to be had straight from the ground, for anyone whos picked up an eggplant or fennel bulb at the market and dreamed of the possibilities.

Ive noticed that over the past decade, cooking and cooking instruction have become decidedly meat-centric, resulting in many home cooks forgettingor, worse yet, never being taughthow to properly prepare and celebrate the glorious bounty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes that were fortunate enough to have at our fingertips.

This problem is only compounded when people wrongfully believe that cooking without meat means replacing it with strange, texturized, overly processed soy-based products that have been extruded into shapes vaguely resembling meat, before being breaded and fried. Ugh. You wanna know the truth? I cant stand most of that garbage. Its generally pretty awful tasting, and it usually has very little to do with healthy, fresh ingredients.

And while Ive certainly got a place in my kitchen for tempeh and tofu, I dont like my meals to revolve around them. True, youll find them used within these pages, but only when I feel they can contribute something to the flavor and texture of my beloved veggies, right at the center of my plate.

If you love vegetables too, and a nice spicy kick to boot, let me be the first to congratulate you. Youve found the right book. If youve had good vegetables at a friends house or while dining out but arent sure how to cook them properly at home, sweet! Youve found the right book. And if you dont like vegetables, Im willing to bet its because youve only had them either overcooked or undercooked your entire life, in which case, youve finally found the right book!

Whatever your reasons for giving my cool little book a shothealth, ethical, environmental, economic, a devotion to anything and everything Sriracha-related, or simply curiosityuse these recipes with an open mind. Love them for all that they are, and for all that they arent. Youll be glad you did!

S EATED IN THE CHONBURI PROVINCE of Thailand is Sri Racha, a seaside municipality known for its tropical beach landscape, exotic tiger zoo, delectable seafood restaurants, and affinity for hot chile pastes. Loosely pronounced see-RAH-chuh, the district is part burgeoning industrial metropolis and part quaint fishing village. Situated about sixty-five miles southeast of Bangkok and with its own port, Sri Racha has attracted many large factories, situated here to avoid the high rent and heavy traffic of the capital city. Besides accommodating the hustle and bustle of big business, Sri Racha has a population of approximately 171,000 and hosts a moderate amount of tourist travel, which helps keep its deeply rooted old Siam culture alive despite the influx of modern machinery.