2017 has been a gangbusters year for Asian cookbooks. Not only are we seeing more Asian cookbooks being published, the variety and diversity of cultures, cuisines, and topics represented have increased exponentially. And my favorite trend? All these Asian cookbooks are authored by people of color writing...
Fried hard-boiled eggs seems a weird concept, don't you think? Even I think so, and I grew up eating a dish made with fried hard-boiled eggs! Called telor belado in Indonesian, hard-boiled eggs are fried in oil until golden-brown and blistered, then doused in a thick...
Although Lady Spring teased us with her glorious appearance this past weekend, the upcoming snow in the forecast reminds us that it's still winter. And there's nothing better than a steamy bowl of rice porridge when you're in need of something warm and comforting for both your soul...
Leela Punyaratabandhu is the lyrical voice behind the award-winning Thai food blog SheSimmers.com. Her debut cookbook Simple Thai Food--Classic Recipes from the Thai Home Kitchen (Ten Speed Press, May 2014) was released almost exactly one year ago on May 13. To celebrate her book's first birthday, I asked Leela to...
Before I moved to the U.S. as a college student some 20 years ago, my only knowledge of the ubiquitous fall fruit (or is it a vegetable?), the orange, ribbed pumpkin (cucurbita pepo), was from Disney’s “Cinderella.” Yes, as a little girl, I thought all pumpkins turned...
My earliest memories of eating sweet corn are set in the mountainous region of Puncak, two hours from Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. Puncak, with its brisk mountain air, panoramic scenery and cool climate, was and still is a popular destination for city dwellers. My relatives often...
Frying an egg Thai-style (or Indonesian-style for that matter!) requires quite a bit of oil so that the edges crisp up nicely. In fact, you're almost deep frying it. Use the smallest frying pan you own (I used a 7-inch pan and it was perfect)...
Yes, it’s summer and the idea of cooking anything (grilling excepted), let alone stir-frying over a hot wok, can trigger fainting spells. I have a confession to make. I cook and eat soups, stews, hot pastas, and all manner of Asian rice dishes (fried rice, Hainanese...
Before I had my son Isaac, I shopped at the farmers’ market weekly and prided myself in making everything from scratch, poo poo-ing anything that came frozen, in a box or a can. Fast forward four years to today. It’s 6 p.m. and I’m staring into my...
