Few books attempt the in-depth exploration of Asian cuisines that is found in Jennifer Brennan's book, The Cuisines of Asia: Nine Great Oriental Cuisines by Technique.  Originally published in the 1980's, it remains an indispensable addition to the kitchen bookshelf.

Brennan spent many years living in Southeast Asia, growing up in Pakistan and India.  Her first-hand knowledge of Asian cooking is evident as she takes us on a culinary tour of nine Oriental cuisines: Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Philippine, Thai, and Vietnamese. 

The book includes everything from a background on the countries and their cuisines, to a detailed primer on the type of kitchen equipment you'll need to prepare Oriental food.  Then, of course, there are the recipes.  The recipe section is organized both by type of dish and cooking technique: one chapter is devoted to stir-frying, while another discusses curries, a third explores Oriental salads, and so forth.  This method helps illustrate how local variations in cooking styles and ingredients can lend a distinctive flavor to a specific dish.  For example, Indian curry has a unique flavor that distinguishes it from Chinese curry, although the basic technique for preparing curry is the same in both countries. I particularly enjoyed the section "Dressed to Fill" containing both recipes for both salads and dressings. There's everything from Indian dressing with peanut butter, a Malaysian dressing made with coconut milk, Japanese miso dressing and a basic Chinese dressing made with rice vinegar. The salad recipes are equally varied.  

"There is almost no limit to the varieties and combinations of vegetables used in the salads of the East...At first sight, the most noticeable thing about Asian salads is their attractive presentation."  (pages 215 - 216)

Another feature that sets this book apart is the lengthy section on food preparation.  Everything from skinning a chicken to cleaning squid is covered here, with detailed drawings to make the explanations clearer.  At the back of the book there is a glossary of ingredients commonly featured in Oriental cooking, including, where possible, substitutions for readers who may find it impracticable to visit an Asian market. 

I have one small complaint with the book's organization.  The section covering kitchen equipment falls between the introduction and the history of the cuisines, when it would be more logical to place it near the section on food preparation.  But this is a minor point.  Overall, Jennifer Brennan has done an excellent job of providing both the novice and more experienced cooks with everything they need to prepare authentic Asian dishes.

Barnes and Noble Link: The Cuisines of Asia: Nine Great Oriental Cuisines by Technique
Author: Jennifer Brennan
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Price: $13.56
ISBN: 0312039778