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Modern Asian Kitchen: Essential and Easy Recipes for Ramen, Dumplings, Dim Sum, Stir-Fries, Rice Bowls, Pho, Bibimbaps, and More
The New Asian Cooking is bolder and more assertive, less fussy and more casual. With these easy-to-shop-for, quick-to-cook recipes, you can try—and will fall in love with—this trending style right in your own kitchen.
Heaped on big plates, Sichuan beef and broccoli and Indian chicken tikka masala are timeless comfort foods, to be sure, but there’s a brand-new style of Asian cooking that’s giving them a run for their money. It’s more about grazing through small plates than sinking into one big one. It’s more about pan-Asian fusions—“third culture” foods, the cooking of the Asian diaspora—than about each culture’s oldest traditions. It’s more plant-forward than meat-centered. It’s irreverent and fun and incredibly delicious. And it’s all captured in Modern Asian Kitchen.
Kat Lieu—the blogger and online personality who presides over the Subtle Asian Baking corner of the enormously popular Subtle Asian Traits online community, and who is the author of Modern Asian Baking at Home—serves up more than 80 inventive recipes for:
Vibrant vegetable dishes like Sichuan-style fish-fragrant eggplant and umami-packed braised shiitake mushrooms
Quick noodle dishes for super-easy lunches
Quick-fix matcha ramen bowls and simple miso soups
Dim sum, with tricks and food hacks like rice-paper shrimp dumplings
Street-food favorites like Taiwanese popcorn chicken in the air fryer
Customizable bibimbap bowls for busy-weeknight dinners
Southeast Asian favorites like cold-papaya salads, streaming hot phos, and spring rolls with surprising things inside and punchy chile-crisp coatings on the outside
The recipes also include:
Umami-Packed Spiral Cucumber Salad
Sumptuous Siu Mai and Easy Dim Sum
Melty Cheesecake Bao
Tony’s Spicy Cumin Skewers
Crispy Crackling Roast Pork
Clay Pot Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken
Mapo Tofu and Veggies
Pandan Tres Leches with a Kaya Drizzle
Whether you are cooking a family-style feast of a dozen exciting dishes for the sharing table, or you just want a simple and hearty one-bowl meal at the end of a busy workday (or a quick meal when you work from home), you will find a lifetime of tasty ideas in the pages of Modern Asian Kitchen.
Heaped on big plates, Sichuan beef and broccoli and Indian chicken tikka masala are timeless comfort foods, to be sure, but there’s a brand-new style of Asian cooking that’s giving them a run for their money. It’s more about grazing through small plates than sinking into one big one. It’s more about pan-Asian fusions—“third culture” foods, the cooking of the Asian diaspora—than about each culture’s oldest traditions. It’s more plant-forward than meat-centered. It’s irreverent and fun and incredibly delicious. And it’s all captured in Modern Asian Kitchen.
Kat Lieu—the blogger and online personality who presides over the Subtle Asian Baking corner of the enormously popular Subtle Asian Traits online community, and who is the author of Modern Asian Baking at Home—serves up more than 80 inventive recipes for:
Vibrant vegetable dishes like Sichuan-style fish-fragrant eggplant and umami-packed braised shiitake mushrooms
Quick noodle dishes for super-easy lunches
Quick-fix matcha ramen bowls and simple miso soups
Dim sum, with tricks and food hacks like rice-paper shrimp dumplings
Street-food favorites like Taiwanese popcorn chicken in the air fryer
Customizable bibimbap bowls for busy-weeknight dinners
Southeast Asian favorites like cold-papaya salads, streaming hot phos, and spring rolls with surprising things inside and punchy chile-crisp coatings on the outside
The recipes also include:
Umami-Packed Spiral Cucumber Salad
Sumptuous Siu Mai and Easy Dim Sum
Melty Cheesecake Bao
Tony’s Spicy Cumin Skewers
Crispy Crackling Roast Pork
Clay Pot Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken
Mapo Tofu and Veggies
Pandan Tres Leches with a Kaya Drizzle
Whether you are cooking a family-style feast of a dozen exciting dishes for the sharing table, or you just want a simple and hearty one-bowl meal at the end of a busy workday (or a quick meal when you work from home), you will find a lifetime of tasty ideas in the pages of Modern Asian Kitchen.
208 pages, Hardcover
Published April 9, 2024
53 people are currently reading
8665 people want to read
About the author
Kat Lieu
17 books159 followersKat Lieu, formerly a doctor of physical therapy, fell in love with baking. She is currently a full-time author and recipe developer at modernasianbaking.com. Originally from New York City, she now calls Washington state her home. Lieu is also the founder of a popular online baking group called Subtle Asian Baking (SAB). You can find more of her recipes and creations on her Instagram and TikTok, @subtleasian.baking.
Kat's first #veryasian baking cookbook, Modern Asian Baking at Home, will be out on June 21, 2022. Prior to writing cookbooks, Kat wrote young-adult romcoms featuring Asian American heroines.
Kat's first #veryasian baking cookbook, Modern Asian Baking at Home, will be out on June 21, 2022. Prior to writing cookbooks, Kat wrote young-adult romcoms featuring Asian American heroines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
October 13, 2023
When I’m not reading, you’re likely to find me in the kitchen cooking up a storm!
I've been getting tired of whipping up the same familiar dishes. I’m always in search of new recipes to take me out of my comfort zone.
Asian cuisine being one of my favorites to prepare and eat, I quickly grabbed this cookbook the moment I saw it.
The introduction is welcoming and the stories that accompanied the recipes are inviting and heartwarming.
I loved how the author initially broke down everything you’ll need to easily make these yummy dishes. Even advice on cookware you’ll need to have on hand. As well as the most used but perhaps little known ingredients. Each explained in detail as to what they are and their purpose in enhancing a dish.
The pictures: All mouthwatering, making you crave everyone of them.
The recipes: All easy to follow instructions and the author posts a caption on which are vegan/vegetarian/gluten free.
First up for me will be pho ga (Vietnamese chicken noodle soup). One of my restaurant favorites and I can’t wait to try make it at home! Now if only the weather would cooperate and cool down…I could snuggle in and enjoy my hot pho!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group
I've been getting tired of whipping up the same familiar dishes. I’m always in search of new recipes to take me out of my comfort zone.
Asian cuisine being one of my favorites to prepare and eat, I quickly grabbed this cookbook the moment I saw it.
The introduction is welcoming and the stories that accompanied the recipes are inviting and heartwarming.
I loved how the author initially broke down everything you’ll need to easily make these yummy dishes. Even advice on cookware you’ll need to have on hand. As well as the most used but perhaps little known ingredients. Each explained in detail as to what they are and their purpose in enhancing a dish.
The pictures: All mouthwatering, making you crave everyone of them.
The recipes: All easy to follow instructions and the author posts a caption on which are vegan/vegetarian/gluten free.
First up for me will be pho ga (Vietnamese chicken noodle soup). One of my restaurant favorites and I can’t wait to try make it at home! Now if only the weather would cooperate and cool down…I could snuggle in and enjoy my hot pho!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group
October 24, 2023
A great collection of unique and traditional Asian recipes. I am so excited to try so many of these dishes. There are beautiful pictures and imagery featured throughout the book of the wonderful foods featured and family pictures from the writer. The recipes are easily made vegan or gluten-free in many cases, so adaptable and easy to follow recipes. Great for chefs everywhere.
October 20, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.
It was great to see all those pictures, diving into the family of the author and the stories too. The recipes looked so yummy, too. There are quite a few that I would love to try.
It was great to see all those pictures, diving into the family of the author and the stories too. The recipes looked so yummy, too. There are quite a few that I would love to try.
October 25, 2023
This is an advance review for the digital version of Modern Asian Kitchen based on the digital version on NetGalley.
As a Chinese person, born in the United States as an Asian-American with Chinese parents from Beijing, I really relate a lot to the relationship Kat also has with food in terms of food being a communal experience inspired by the folks and their stories behind the recipes and food being a deeply, soul and body nourishing experience. I grew up with the quatrain about rice being precious and hard got and hearing that phrase my whole life.
I loved how the books opens to talk about Kat's food journey and gave tributes to her family in the beginning. I loved the photos deeply, and I think the photography is incredible and well-composed. I could eat the pages of the book the photos are so good! I love how vegetable forward the beginning is as having veggies for dinner is a big part of my Chinese mother's home cooking. I was glad to see how dietary considerations such as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free are included so that folks are able to accommodate their diets and how she opened with teaching folks how to make rice, such an integral part of my experience as well, that rice is food/dinner.
I devoured every single story before each recipe! The recipes highlighted in this cookbook, such as ma po tofu and steamed spare ribs, made my mouth water and the stories, photos and recipes elicited my own food memories and food story around these dishes. The recipes remind me of big communal meals in different Chinatowns and other Asian enclaves, in different cities and even countries. Eating dim sum with my family or eating a big Szechuanese meal is a big part of my own joyful food experiences and food story with friends and fam, as well as eating food from other cultures such as pho and the halo halo as examples. Eating big communal meals with friends and fam make me feel that we do have enough food, that there is plenty and joy, although my parents grew up with food rations in China which impacted my own relationship with food my whole life into my 30s. I truly enjoyed this sneak peek into Kat's latest work in modern Asian cooking, a much needed contribution to the field. This book is a delightful smorgasbord of different pieces of the Asian diaspora, and I am excited to buy it for myself as a birthday present!
As a Chinese person, born in the United States as an Asian-American with Chinese parents from Beijing, I really relate a lot to the relationship Kat also has with food in terms of food being a communal experience inspired by the folks and their stories behind the recipes and food being a deeply, soul and body nourishing experience. I grew up with the quatrain about rice being precious and hard got and hearing that phrase my whole life.
I loved how the books opens to talk about Kat's food journey and gave tributes to her family in the beginning. I loved the photos deeply, and I think the photography is incredible and well-composed. I could eat the pages of the book the photos are so good! I love how vegetable forward the beginning is as having veggies for dinner is a big part of my Chinese mother's home cooking. I was glad to see how dietary considerations such as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free are included so that folks are able to accommodate their diets and how she opened with teaching folks how to make rice, such an integral part of my experience as well, that rice is food/dinner.
I devoured every single story before each recipe! The recipes highlighted in this cookbook, such as ma po tofu and steamed spare ribs, made my mouth water and the stories, photos and recipes elicited my own food memories and food story around these dishes. The recipes remind me of big communal meals in different Chinatowns and other Asian enclaves, in different cities and even countries. Eating dim sum with my family or eating a big Szechuanese meal is a big part of my own joyful food experiences and food story with friends and fam, as well as eating food from other cultures such as pho and the halo halo as examples. Eating big communal meals with friends and fam make me feel that we do have enough food, that there is plenty and joy, although my parents grew up with food rations in China which impacted my own relationship with food my whole life into my 30s. I truly enjoyed this sneak peek into Kat's latest work in modern Asian cooking, a much needed contribution to the field. This book is a delightful smorgasbord of different pieces of the Asian diaspora, and I am excited to buy it for myself as a birthday present!
February 28, 2024
NOODLE. FREAKS. REJOICE!
Kat Lieu, founder of the award-winning site @subtleasian.baking, has published a comprehensive, accessible, and easy to follow cookbook for anyone and everyone who loves Chinese and other Asian foods, “Modern Asian Kitchen—Essential and Easy Recipes for Dim Sum, Dumplings, Stir-Fries, Ramen, Rice Bowls, Bibimbaps, Pho, and More.”
With Kat Lieu’s easy instructions and accompanying photographic guides, readers will soon be creating beautiful dumplings 🥟 by the 100s in no time at all; mastering the most basic, yet critical component of Asian cuisine—rice 🍚; and my personal favorite, learning all about Asian noodles 🍜 ! And for you no-wheat freaks, lots of these noodles are made from rice!
An American ex-pat in London for several years, my palate quickly became an international traveler just in England’s Capitol due to the extensive choices of cuisines available to stimulate both my imagination and taste buds because London is a global destination inhabited by people from around the globe.
No, I’m definitely not referring to gray/green mushy peas (they do not call such a veggie, ‘English peas’); over-done beef roast; bangers and mash (sausages and creamed potatoes); nor a full English breakfast of over-easy fried eggs glistening with grease accompanied with baked beans (yup—like the type Yanks serve at BBQs), grilled tomatoes, rashers of bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and toast (alas no crumpets). Do you have indigestion yet?
Consequently, when a dear friend introduced me to the delectably delicious nuances of Singapore Mei Fun (rice noodles 🍜 prepared with garlic, red pepper, curry, veggies, and three meats—typically chicken, pork and shrimp, I was hooked from the first spicy mouthful and rejoiced during the experience.
Since that time, I am always thrilled and grateful when a Chinese restaurant offers this delicious dish because it’s my favorite of all oriental fare since that first experience in London because I’m a true noodle-freak, and Singapore Noodles are my heart’s desire when asked, “What’s your favorite food?”
However, just as locating a restaurant that prepares an excellent version of this dish (if at all) can be difficult, finding an authentic and easy to prepare recipe for Singapore Mei Fun, also known just as Singapore Noodles, is even rarer indeed.
Look no further, noodle freaks, Kat Lieu is our new patron saint of Noodledom and all things yummy Asian.. A few of her other recipes that are on my soon to try list include: Tandoori Chicken, Garlic Naan Bread, Oven Baked Crispy Fried Chicken, and Garlic Green Beans among others.
My mouth watered the entire time I was reading through this cookbook because the photos of the dishes looked so delicious. Thank you Kat Lieu for bringing Asian cooking into American homes in a straightforward manner that is appetizing, inspiring and entertaining.
JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks, NetGalley, Author Kathleen Lieu, and Publisher The Harvard Common Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.
Kat Lieu, founder of the award-winning site @subtleasian.baking, has published a comprehensive, accessible, and easy to follow cookbook for anyone and everyone who loves Chinese and other Asian foods, “Modern Asian Kitchen—Essential and Easy Recipes for Dim Sum, Dumplings, Stir-Fries, Ramen, Rice Bowls, Bibimbaps, Pho, and More.”
With Kat Lieu’s easy instructions and accompanying photographic guides, readers will soon be creating beautiful dumplings 🥟 by the 100s in no time at all; mastering the most basic, yet critical component of Asian cuisine—rice 🍚; and my personal favorite, learning all about Asian noodles 🍜 ! And for you no-wheat freaks, lots of these noodles are made from rice!
An American ex-pat in London for several years, my palate quickly became an international traveler just in England’s Capitol due to the extensive choices of cuisines available to stimulate both my imagination and taste buds because London is a global destination inhabited by people from around the globe.
No, I’m definitely not referring to gray/green mushy peas (they do not call such a veggie, ‘English peas’); over-done beef roast; bangers and mash (sausages and creamed potatoes); nor a full English breakfast of over-easy fried eggs glistening with grease accompanied with baked beans (yup—like the type Yanks serve at BBQs), grilled tomatoes, rashers of bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and toast (alas no crumpets). Do you have indigestion yet?
Consequently, when a dear friend introduced me to the delectably delicious nuances of Singapore Mei Fun (rice noodles 🍜 prepared with garlic, red pepper, curry, veggies, and three meats—typically chicken, pork and shrimp, I was hooked from the first spicy mouthful and rejoiced during the experience.
Since that time, I am always thrilled and grateful when a Chinese restaurant offers this delicious dish because it’s my favorite of all oriental fare since that first experience in London because I’m a true noodle-freak, and Singapore Noodles are my heart’s desire when asked, “What’s your favorite food?”
However, just as locating a restaurant that prepares an excellent version of this dish (if at all) can be difficult, finding an authentic and easy to prepare recipe for Singapore Mei Fun, also known just as Singapore Noodles, is even rarer indeed.
Look no further, noodle freaks, Kat Lieu is our new patron saint of Noodledom and all things yummy Asian.. A few of her other recipes that are on my soon to try list include: Tandoori Chicken, Garlic Naan Bread, Oven Baked Crispy Fried Chicken, and Garlic Green Beans among others.
My mouth watered the entire time I was reading through this cookbook because the photos of the dishes looked so delicious. Thank you Kat Lieu for bringing Asian cooking into American homes in a straightforward manner that is appetizing, inspiring and entertaining.
JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks, NetGalley, Author Kathleen Lieu, and Publisher The Harvard Common Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.
January 11, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity for this ARC!
I have Kat Lieu's other book, Modern Asian Baking at Home, and it's chock full of a bunch of delicious recipes, many of which I've grown up with and loved + always wanted to learn how to make, so Modern Asian Kitchen has been up there on my want list + this definitely didn't disappoint!
The book is split into 9 different chapters:
-"The Fundamentals" covers basic recipes, e.g. making rice, onigiri, naan, + techniques on blanching veggies + making stir-fries.
-"Garden Party" = all things veggie=related! This includes things like cucumber salad, braised mushrooms, green papaya salad, spinach goma-ae (spinach salad with sesame dressing/sauce).
-"Dim Sum" - if you've ever been out for dim sum, you'll recognize a bunch of popular favorites here, from char siu bao + har gow/siu mai to steamed spare ribs + lotus-leaf wrapped sticky rice.
-"One-Pan Wonders" = where it's at for me (the less to clean up, the better...) - tandoori chicken, tonkatsu, sweet + soy salmon, sushi bake, saucy egg/beef/gai lan stir fry...everything looks amazing!
-"The Sharing Table" is aptly named, with different recipes that are great for sharing "family style" - Taiwanese three-cup chicken to soondooboo chigae (Korean spicy tofu stew), barley tea + cocoa-smoked chicken, chicken tinola...
-"The Rice is Right" - lots of tasty rice dishes included in this chapter, including bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, Hong Kong cafe-style baked pork chop and rice, congee...
-"Life is Noodiful" - yay for more carbs! Tteokbooki (stir-fried Korean spicy rice cakes), chili crisp butter garlic pasta, curried vermicelli (Singapore chow mei fun), pho ga (Vietnamese chicken soup), laksa noodle soup, miso ramen...
-"Essential Sauces" - lots of different types of sauces, including nước chấm (Vietnamese fish sauce), peanut dipping sauce, tonkatsu sauce, chili crisp oil...
-"Not-Too-Sweet Treats" = In my experience, "not too sweet" is the best compliment an east Asian parent can give to a dessert. You can learn to make milk bread, sesame balls, mochi cake, Hong Kong bubble waffles (gai daan jai), Pandan Tres Leches with Kaya drizzle + a bunch more in this chapter!
Each recipe includes a short intro, an ingredient list, prep time, cook time, inactive time, serving size, instructions, and little notes/pieces of advice (e.g. how to add flavor, make it vegan, sauce substitutes, etc.).
I love that most of the recipes don't require a whole ton of ingredients + am looking forward to getting a physical copy of this book when it comes out!
I have Kat Lieu's other book, Modern Asian Baking at Home, and it's chock full of a bunch of delicious recipes, many of which I've grown up with and loved + always wanted to learn how to make, so Modern Asian Kitchen has been up there on my want list + this definitely didn't disappoint!
The book is split into 9 different chapters:
-"The Fundamentals" covers basic recipes, e.g. making rice, onigiri, naan, + techniques on blanching veggies + making stir-fries.
-"Garden Party" = all things veggie=related! This includes things like cucumber salad, braised mushrooms, green papaya salad, spinach goma-ae (spinach salad with sesame dressing/sauce).
-"Dim Sum" - if you've ever been out for dim sum, you'll recognize a bunch of popular favorites here, from char siu bao + har gow/siu mai to steamed spare ribs + lotus-leaf wrapped sticky rice.
-"One-Pan Wonders" = where it's at for me (the less to clean up, the better...) - tandoori chicken, tonkatsu, sweet + soy salmon, sushi bake, saucy egg/beef/gai lan stir fry...everything looks amazing!
-"The Sharing Table" is aptly named, with different recipes that are great for sharing "family style" - Taiwanese three-cup chicken to soondooboo chigae (Korean spicy tofu stew), barley tea + cocoa-smoked chicken, chicken tinola...
-"The Rice is Right" - lots of tasty rice dishes included in this chapter, including bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, Hong Kong cafe-style baked pork chop and rice, congee...
-"Life is Noodiful" - yay for more carbs! Tteokbooki (stir-fried Korean spicy rice cakes), chili crisp butter garlic pasta, curried vermicelli (Singapore chow mei fun), pho ga (Vietnamese chicken soup), laksa noodle soup, miso ramen...
-"Essential Sauces" - lots of different types of sauces, including nước chấm (Vietnamese fish sauce), peanut dipping sauce, tonkatsu sauce, chili crisp oil...
-"Not-Too-Sweet Treats" = In my experience, "not too sweet" is the best compliment an east Asian parent can give to a dessert. You can learn to make milk bread, sesame balls, mochi cake, Hong Kong bubble waffles (gai daan jai), Pandan Tres Leches with Kaya drizzle + a bunch more in this chapter!
Each recipe includes a short intro, an ingredient list, prep time, cook time, inactive time, serving size, instructions, and little notes/pieces of advice (e.g. how to add flavor, make it vegan, sauce substitutes, etc.).
I love that most of the recipes don't require a whole ton of ingredients + am looking forward to getting a physical copy of this book when it comes out!
November 17, 2023
I love reading cookbooks, especially ones that are full of personal stories and recipes.
This book covers a wide range of Asian recipes, with pun-filled descriptions. The recipes themselves are written clearly and the fact the author thanks a list of recipe reviewers is a very good sign.
As I've got a small baby, most of the recipes aren't for me at the moment, as delicious as they sound - I don't have time for multiple cooking steps, but I appreciated the one pot section!
Some of the recipes require specialist ingredients (I've never seen fermented tofu in my local Asian shops but I've not had a recipe to try with it in either!) but there are plenty with ingredients available at the supermarket.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book covers a wide range of Asian recipes, with pun-filled descriptions. The recipes themselves are written clearly and the fact the author thanks a list of recipe reviewers is a very good sign.
As I've got a small baby, most of the recipes aren't for me at the moment, as delicious as they sound - I don't have time for multiple cooking steps, but I appreciated the one pot section!
Some of the recipes require specialist ingredients (I've never seen fermented tofu in my local Asian shops but I've not had a recipe to try with it in either!) but there are plenty with ingredients available at the supermarket.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 28, 2024
My favorite thing about this cookbook is the care which the author takes to make her recipes flexible for anyone to use. Both for vegetarian and vegan consumers and even regarding simple taste, down to the ingredients themselves, each recipe can be uniquely suited to the chef's wishes.
It was fun reading some of the personal stories about how the recipes came to be in this cookbook. I still feel pretty intimidated about some of the ingredients and where or how to obtain them, but it was comforting to see many of the recipes utilized similar techniques with the wok so I may just try one!
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
It was fun reading some of the personal stories about how the recipes came to be in this cookbook. I still feel pretty intimidated about some of the ingredients and where or how to obtain them, but it was comforting to see many of the recipes utilized similar techniques with the wok so I may just try one!
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
August 18, 2024
Full disclosure: we’re high school classmates and friends on social media.
Kat really hit it out of the park with this collection of recipes. It tends to lean heavily on Cantonese cuisine with a few Korean, Filipino, Malaysian, Vietnamese, and Indian recipes. I found myself bookmarking a lot of the Cantonese recipes because they are the dishes I grew up with and sometimes have a hard time recalling all the ingredients or cooking steps correctly.
Everything is delicious and the recipes easy to follow. I’m still not brave enough to try making the gojuchang chocolate cake but the milk bread? *chef’s kiss* Foolproof!
Kat really hit it out of the park with this collection of recipes. It tends to lean heavily on Cantonese cuisine with a few Korean, Filipino, Malaysian, Vietnamese, and Indian recipes. I found myself bookmarking a lot of the Cantonese recipes because they are the dishes I grew up with and sometimes have a hard time recalling all the ingredients or cooking steps correctly.
Everything is delicious and the recipes easy to follow. I’m still not brave enough to try making the gojuchang chocolate cake but the milk bread? *chef’s kiss* Foolproof!
October 24, 2023
A great collection of unique and traditional Asian recipes. I am so excited to try so many of these dishes. There are beautiful pictures and imagery featured throughout the book of the wonderful foods featured and family pictures from the writer. The recipes are easily made vegan or gluten-free in many cases, so adaptable and easy to follow recipes. Great for chefs everywhere.
October 25, 2023
Wonderful Asian cookbook! I found this cookbook to be thorough and accessible to even the novice in the kitchen. I really enjoyed the back stories and photos to accompany the recipes. It just felt like and all around approachable and useable cookbook. As someone who loves Asian food but doesn’t know much about cooking it, I know I will be referencing this book for years to come!
December 1, 2023
I’m purchasing this book for the Dim Sum section alone. What a fantastic collection of recipes. We love Asian food in my household, so I can’t wait to get in the kitchen and try some of these out!
Loves the labeling of vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and all the pictures! Even the conversion of both grams and cups is refreshing to see. I highly recommend this book.
Loves the labeling of vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and all the pictures! Even the conversion of both grams and cups is refreshing to see. I highly recommend this book.
April 19, 2024
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Casual, well written Asian meal ideas for every kitchen! From feasts to one-bowl meals, these ideas make for healthy, Asian-inspired cuisine, with lots of vegetables and healthy proteins.
Casual, well written Asian meal ideas for every kitchen! From feasts to one-bowl meals, these ideas make for healthy, Asian-inspired cuisine, with lots of vegetables and healthy proteins.
January 2, 2024
Wow this recipes are incredible. I’ve never made dumplings at home but I can now. There are so many recipes I absolutely cannot wait to try so many that I never would have attempted before this book!
April 15, 2024
This is the second book I've gotten by Kat and there are so many recipes I cannot wait to try! I love how this book is organized and written. Great cookbooks aren't just compiled recipes, they're stories told by the chef. They can be funny and full of personality, like this cookbook. Kat's work has helped me find joy in cooking again. I highly recommend!!
March 9, 2024
This is a gorgeous cookbook absolutely chocked full of delicious recipes. Most of the recipes are simple with few ingredients and most items I believe would be readily found as I have many in my pantry already. Lots of recipes are quick to prepare making them great weekday meals. Much thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy.
January 29, 2024
This book was full of so many Asian dishes that I cannot wait to incorporate into my weekly meal preps! The author had little anecdotes along with each recipe, that were well thought out. The included meals seemed easy and doable, all while looking delicious!
October 15, 2023
Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
*********************************************************
The New Asian Cooking is bolder and more assertive, less fussy and more casual. With these easy-to-shop-for, quick-to-cook recipes, you can try—and will fall in love with—this trending style right in your own kitchen.
Heaped on big plates, Sichuan beef and broccoli and Indian chicken tikka masala are timeless comfort foods, to be sure, but there’s a brand-new style of Asian cooking that’s giving them a run for their money. It’s more about grazing through small plates than sinking into one big one. It’s more about pan-Asian fusions—so-called “third culture” foods, the cooking of the Asian diaspora—than about each culture’s oldest traditions. It’s more plant-forward than meat-centered. It’s irreverent and fun and incredibly delicious. And it’s all captured in Modern Asian Kitchen.
Kat Lieu—the blogger and online personality who presides over the Subtle Asian Baking corner of the enormously popular Subtle Asian Traits online community, and who is the author of Modern Asian Baking at Home—serves up more than 80 inventive recipes for:
Vibrant vegetable dishes like Sichuan-style fish-fragrant eggplant and umami-packed braised shiitake mushrooms
* Quick noodle dishes for super-easy lunches
* Quick-fix matcha ramen bowls and simple miso soups
* Dim sum, with tricks and food hacks like rice-paper shrimp dumplings
* Street-food favourites like Taiwanese popcorn chicken in the air fryer
* Customizable bibimbap bowls for busy weeknight dinners
* Southeast Asian favorites like cold papaya salads, streaming hot phos, and spring rolls with surprising things inside and punchy chile-crisp coatings on the outside
The recipes also include:
* Umami-Packed Spiral Cucumber Salad
* Sumptuous Siu Mai and Easy Dim Sum
* Melty Cheesecake Bao
* Tony’s Spicy Cumin Skewers
* Crispy Crackling Roast Pork
* Clay Pot Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken
* Mapo Tofu and Veggies
* Pandan Tres Leches with a Kaya Drizzle
Whether you are cooking a family-style feast of a dozen exciting dishes for the sharing table, or you just want a simple and hearty one-bowl meal at the end of a busy workday (or a quick meal when you work from home), you will find a lifetime of tasty ideas in the pages of Modern Asian Kitchen.
I don't know what else to say aside from the extensive synopsis about the contents of the book, but if you spend a lot of money on take out and delivery, this is a perfect book --- in fact send your kid off to university with this book after spending the summer learning how to make these recipes. I love Mapo TOfu and cannot wait to make this version - the recipes in here are yummy but really heavy, in my opinion, on the cilantro and parsley both of which I am highly allergic to...seriously. (Cilantro is pretty much Vietnamese and Thai cooking in a nutshell!!!)
The plant-forward approach will appeal to anyone on a strict grocery budget ... who isn't these days?? The robber barons of the 2020s are grocery store owners...I curse Galen Weston Jr. every dang day! Veggies and fruits are generally more affordable so that will help your wallet and your waistline.
A MOTR book...if you know how to cook already as the instructions are bare bones ... if your kid is learning to cook for themselves for the first time (as mentioned above) they will need help no matter what their age as it is assumed that they know how to prep and cook, well, everything.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
#shortbutsweetreviews
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The New Asian Cooking is bolder and more assertive, less fussy and more casual. With these easy-to-shop-for, quick-to-cook recipes, you can try—and will fall in love with—this trending style right in your own kitchen.
Heaped on big plates, Sichuan beef and broccoli and Indian chicken tikka masala are timeless comfort foods, to be sure, but there’s a brand-new style of Asian cooking that’s giving them a run for their money. It’s more about grazing through small plates than sinking into one big one. It’s more about pan-Asian fusions—so-called “third culture” foods, the cooking of the Asian diaspora—than about each culture’s oldest traditions. It’s more plant-forward than meat-centered. It’s irreverent and fun and incredibly delicious. And it’s all captured in Modern Asian Kitchen.
Kat Lieu—the blogger and online personality who presides over the Subtle Asian Baking corner of the enormously popular Subtle Asian Traits online community, and who is the author of Modern Asian Baking at Home—serves up more than 80 inventive recipes for:
Vibrant vegetable dishes like Sichuan-style fish-fragrant eggplant and umami-packed braised shiitake mushrooms
* Quick noodle dishes for super-easy lunches
* Quick-fix matcha ramen bowls and simple miso soups
* Dim sum, with tricks and food hacks like rice-paper shrimp dumplings
* Street-food favourites like Taiwanese popcorn chicken in the air fryer
* Customizable bibimbap bowls for busy weeknight dinners
* Southeast Asian favorites like cold papaya salads, streaming hot phos, and spring rolls with surprising things inside and punchy chile-crisp coatings on the outside
The recipes also include:
* Umami-Packed Spiral Cucumber Salad
* Sumptuous Siu Mai and Easy Dim Sum
* Melty Cheesecake Bao
* Tony’s Spicy Cumin Skewers
* Crispy Crackling Roast Pork
* Clay Pot Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken
* Mapo Tofu and Veggies
* Pandan Tres Leches with a Kaya Drizzle
Whether you are cooking a family-style feast of a dozen exciting dishes for the sharing table, or you just want a simple and hearty one-bowl meal at the end of a busy workday (or a quick meal when you work from home), you will find a lifetime of tasty ideas in the pages of Modern Asian Kitchen.
I don't know what else to say aside from the extensive synopsis about the contents of the book, but if you spend a lot of money on take out and delivery, this is a perfect book --- in fact send your kid off to university with this book after spending the summer learning how to make these recipes. I love Mapo TOfu and cannot wait to make this version - the recipes in here are yummy but really heavy, in my opinion, on the cilantro and parsley both of which I am highly allergic to...seriously. (Cilantro is pretty much Vietnamese and Thai cooking in a nutshell!!!)
The plant-forward approach will appeal to anyone on a strict grocery budget ... who isn't these days?? The robber barons of the 2020s are grocery store owners...I curse Galen Weston Jr. every dang day! Veggies and fruits are generally more affordable so that will help your wallet and your waistline.
A MOTR book...if you know how to cook already as the instructions are bare bones ... if your kid is learning to cook for themselves for the first time (as mentioned above) they will need help no matter what their age as it is assumed that they know how to prep and cook, well, everything.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
#shortbutsweetreviews
March 31, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this cookbook and this is my freely given opinion.
I have a habit of loving and collecting cookbooks and thank goodness for ebooks as I am seriously running out of room for physical incarnations of them. On saying that, I absolutely love Asian cookbooks because I love the foods of my past and culture and am always looking for different iterations of them. Especially as my grandmother (like so many did) - the noted cook of the family, cooked by feel, and could not read or write so never wrote anything down. To this day, I can make her pork and napa cabbage wontons, her steamed beef rice, and her steamed ginger and onion fish by memory. But I am always on the search for the other comfort foods of my youth that I cannot remember how grandmom did them.
So this is a lovely compilation of various Asian dishes, though mostly gearing towards different styles of Chinese, with some Japanese, Korean, etc. Also they definitely veer more towards the home cook/comfort foods that look familiar to me - and that is what I want. I don't want the fancified restaurant style foods like the scallops in taro nests, sharks fin soup, sea cucumber or abalone this or that that could be served at banquets or for special meals - I want the warms my belly and warms my heart comfort foods that bring back the happy memories of helping out while at Grandmom's kitchen or visiting at her friends at Lunar New Years while everyone makes massive piles of dumpling and treats to share, and there is a huge pot of congee, or something to share for lunch while everyone gossiped and bragged about their children and grandkids. The filled sesame balls in this remind me a bit of hers - she did a peanut filling for it though because I remember one of my jobs was hand crushing the peanuts to the right consistency. Also I vaguely she made one that was similar that had some kind of yam or sweet potato in the dough, and it was wonderfully sweet and glutinous. I have yet to find the recipe anywhere for that and still will be looking....
Many of the dishes here have that look of comfort and familiarity to me, and I love the simple presentations and pictures and the familial backstories to them. This book is right up my alley and I have also requested it for my local library as well.
Now to convince my definitely non-Asian husband that rice porridge/congee is definitely a comfort food - maybe not as famed as chicken noodle soup - but it is definitely what I remember being made for me when I was not feeling so great, and it can be fancied up in so many ways also - like a good mac and cheese!
Also, I totally want to make mapo tofu and stir fried rice cakes again too. The char siu recipe is a bit different from the one I usually use and I will give it a try, since it never hurts to try something new that could be better! Thanks so much for the walk down memory lane and the inspiration to cook my past and culture more, and try some new things as well...
4.25 stars out of 5
I have a habit of loving and collecting cookbooks and thank goodness for ebooks as I am seriously running out of room for physical incarnations of them. On saying that, I absolutely love Asian cookbooks because I love the foods of my past and culture and am always looking for different iterations of them. Especially as my grandmother (like so many did) - the noted cook of the family, cooked by feel, and could not read or write so never wrote anything down. To this day, I can make her pork and napa cabbage wontons, her steamed beef rice, and her steamed ginger and onion fish by memory. But I am always on the search for the other comfort foods of my youth that I cannot remember how grandmom did them.
So this is a lovely compilation of various Asian dishes, though mostly gearing towards different styles of Chinese, with some Japanese, Korean, etc. Also they definitely veer more towards the home cook/comfort foods that look familiar to me - and that is what I want. I don't want the fancified restaurant style foods like the scallops in taro nests, sharks fin soup, sea cucumber or abalone this or that that could be served at banquets or for special meals - I want the warms my belly and warms my heart comfort foods that bring back the happy memories of helping out while at Grandmom's kitchen or visiting at her friends at Lunar New Years while everyone makes massive piles of dumpling and treats to share, and there is a huge pot of congee, or something to share for lunch while everyone gossiped and bragged about their children and grandkids. The filled sesame balls in this remind me a bit of hers - she did a peanut filling for it though because I remember one of my jobs was hand crushing the peanuts to the right consistency. Also I vaguely she made one that was similar that had some kind of yam or sweet potato in the dough, and it was wonderfully sweet and glutinous. I have yet to find the recipe anywhere for that and still will be looking....
Many of the dishes here have that look of comfort and familiarity to me, and I love the simple presentations and pictures and the familial backstories to them. This book is right up my alley and I have also requested it for my local library as well.
Now to convince my definitely non-Asian husband that rice porridge/congee is definitely a comfort food - maybe not as famed as chicken noodle soup - but it is definitely what I remember being made for me when I was not feeling so great, and it can be fancied up in so many ways also - like a good mac and cheese!
Also, I totally want to make mapo tofu and stir fried rice cakes again too. The char siu recipe is a bit different from the one I usually use and I will give it a try, since it never hurts to try something new that could be better! Thanks so much for the walk down memory lane and the inspiration to cook my past and culture more, and try some new things as well...
4.25 stars out of 5
December 20, 2023
"Modern Asian Kitchen" is a culinary masterpiece that seamlessly marries cherished childhood Asian flavors with a contemporary twist, delivering a culinary experience that's both nostalgic and refreshingly modern. This cookbook is a true gem for anyone seeking to recreate the comforting and familiar tastes of Asian cuisine with a fresh, accessible approach.
The recipes featured in this book are a testament to the author's culinary expertise and dedication to preserving the essence of traditional Asian dishes while infusing them with modern simplicity. What truly stands out is the book's emphasis on making these recipes approachable for all skill levels. With clear, easy-to-understand instructions accompanied by vibrant photos, even those new to Asian cooking can dive in with confidence.
The modern twists infused into childhood favorites add an exciting dimension to each dish. From beloved comfort foods to flavorful classics, every recipe invites a journey into the heart of Asian culinary heritage while offering a contemporary edge that appeals to today's palates.
What's particularly commendable is the book's ability to evoke nostalgia while embracing innovation. It captures the essence of cherished flavors from childhood and presents them in a way that feels both authentic and refreshingly new. Whether it's the aroma of aromatic spices or the familiar tastes of home-cooked meals, every recipe transports the reader to a place of culinary delight and fond memories.
The inclusion of vivid photography alongside the recipes not only enhances the visual appeal but also serves as a guide, providing a clear vision of what each dish should look like, making the cooking experience even more enjoyable and accessible.
For anyone yearning to recreate the flavors of childhood Asian cooking infused with a modern touch, "Modern Asian Kitchen" is an indispensable addition to the cookbook collection. It doesn't just offer recipes; it presents an opportunity to embark on a culinary journey that celebrates tradition, innovation, and the joy of creating delicious meals that resonate with the soul.
The recipes featured in this book are a testament to the author's culinary expertise and dedication to preserving the essence of traditional Asian dishes while infusing them with modern simplicity. What truly stands out is the book's emphasis on making these recipes approachable for all skill levels. With clear, easy-to-understand instructions accompanied by vibrant photos, even those new to Asian cooking can dive in with confidence.
The modern twists infused into childhood favorites add an exciting dimension to each dish. From beloved comfort foods to flavorful classics, every recipe invites a journey into the heart of Asian culinary heritage while offering a contemporary edge that appeals to today's palates.
What's particularly commendable is the book's ability to evoke nostalgia while embracing innovation. It captures the essence of cherished flavors from childhood and presents them in a way that feels both authentic and refreshingly new. Whether it's the aroma of aromatic spices or the familiar tastes of home-cooked meals, every recipe transports the reader to a place of culinary delight and fond memories.
The inclusion of vivid photography alongside the recipes not only enhances the visual appeal but also serves as a guide, providing a clear vision of what each dish should look like, making the cooking experience even more enjoyable and accessible.
For anyone yearning to recreate the flavors of childhood Asian cooking infused with a modern touch, "Modern Asian Kitchen" is an indispensable addition to the cookbook collection. It doesn't just offer recipes; it presents an opportunity to embark on a culinary journey that celebrates tradition, innovation, and the joy of creating delicious meals that resonate with the soul.
January 4, 2024
Well, the introduction to this made me fear the worst – implying chat after chat about where the dishes came from, what they mean, when the author's grandma last ate them and everything else I despair of when opening a cookbook. This is nowhere near as bad as that, in the finish. We start with a pantry guide to the specific Asian ingredients, and techniques, and before long we're through some of the most basic steps needed as a grounding, and then we're off.
The pattern is immediately set up by the chapter on veggie sides we hit first – large picture, with the author's context below, and the full ingredient list and recipe facing. Sometimes we leak over on to a third page – the dim sum have specific step-by-step visuals for their creation – but that's soon back in balance. And the dishes are from a broad church indeed – we have a contributor's tandoori chicken and raita, right before tonkatsu pork, Filipino sisig and Korean pancakes – all on consecutive spreads. This is Chinese, Vietnamese, and much else besides – and even though the heart dropped at the notice early on the author was never trained and has zero kitchen experience, this doesn't seem to be a shoddy approximation of anything, rather a sensible, globally-friendly fusion, or at least reasonable fakeaway.
But it's not all on-point quick, familiar delights – here is a stir-fry Shanghai yellow eel, for those who might be able to get it. This isn't just for the insta crowd, nor fully trying to drag grandma's cuisine into the 21st century, but rather aims for a strong balance of just good cooking and fine eating, and I think it gets it. The par-boiled Hainanese chicken, and the ants climbing their tree, are cross-generational, after all. In the desserts, sweet bao buns with cheesecake filling are certainly less traditional.
Written well enough for a simpleton to follow, the recipes are just what is called for. The technique level is low to middling, and while the ingredients list as a whole won't be the easiest (first, catch your chayote) it very rarely is for such a book. And who's to say it won't be worth it...
The pattern is immediately set up by the chapter on veggie sides we hit first – large picture, with the author's context below, and the full ingredient list and recipe facing. Sometimes we leak over on to a third page – the dim sum have specific step-by-step visuals for their creation – but that's soon back in balance. And the dishes are from a broad church indeed – we have a contributor's tandoori chicken and raita, right before tonkatsu pork, Filipino sisig and Korean pancakes – all on consecutive spreads. This is Chinese, Vietnamese, and much else besides – and even though the heart dropped at the notice early on the author was never trained and has zero kitchen experience, this doesn't seem to be a shoddy approximation of anything, rather a sensible, globally-friendly fusion, or at least reasonable fakeaway.
But it's not all on-point quick, familiar delights – here is a stir-fry Shanghai yellow eel, for those who might be able to get it. This isn't just for the insta crowd, nor fully trying to drag grandma's cuisine into the 21st century, but rather aims for a strong balance of just good cooking and fine eating, and I think it gets it. The par-boiled Hainanese chicken, and the ants climbing their tree, are cross-generational, after all. In the desserts, sweet bao buns with cheesecake filling are certainly less traditional.
Written well enough for a simpleton to follow, the recipes are just what is called for. The technique level is low to middling, and while the ingredients list as a whole won't be the easiest (first, catch your chayote) it very rarely is for such a book. And who's to say it won't be worth it...
April 28, 2024
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Modern Asian Kitchen is a very well written and curated list of a wide range of recipes collected and developed by Kat Lieu. Released 9th April 2024 by Quarto on their Harvard Common Press imprint, it's 208 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.
This is a warm and welcoming cookbook with so many stories and memories to accompany. The author is gifted at relaying the background and community contained in the recipes she shares and it really feels like a warm visit with a dear friend (alongside great food). The book has a practical layout with a really good table of contents and index, so information is easy to find.
The introduction includes a good overview over ingredients, tools, and sourcing specialty items; the actual recipes are arranged thematically: vegetable salads and starters, dim sum & street food, one-pan-dishes, sharing dishes, rice (the bibimbap recipe is *perfect*), noodles (so.many.noodles), sauces/dips, and sweets.
Recipes contain a title and description, yields, ingredients in a bullet list in a sidebar, and step by step directions. Ingredients are listed with imperial (American) standard measures with metric equivalents in parentheses (yay!). Nutritional information is not included. There are so many gorgeous and clear color photos included. Most (but not all) of the dishes are accompanied by one or more photos. This will help readers to know how to arrange and prepare the dishes with which they aren't already familiar.
Five stars. Wonderfully comprehensive and versatile. Perfect choice for public library acquisition, home use, or gifting to a food adventurous friend.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Modern Asian Kitchen is a very well written and curated list of a wide range of recipes collected and developed by Kat Lieu. Released 9th April 2024 by Quarto on their Harvard Common Press imprint, it's 208 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.
This is a warm and welcoming cookbook with so many stories and memories to accompany. The author is gifted at relaying the background and community contained in the recipes she shares and it really feels like a warm visit with a dear friend (alongside great food). The book has a practical layout with a really good table of contents and index, so information is easy to find.
The introduction includes a good overview over ingredients, tools, and sourcing specialty items; the actual recipes are arranged thematically: vegetable salads and starters, dim sum & street food, one-pan-dishes, sharing dishes, rice (the bibimbap recipe is *perfect*), noodles (so.many.noodles), sauces/dips, and sweets.
Recipes contain a title and description, yields, ingredients in a bullet list in a sidebar, and step by step directions. Ingredients are listed with imperial (American) standard measures with metric equivalents in parentheses (yay!). Nutritional information is not included. There are so many gorgeous and clear color photos included. Most (but not all) of the dishes are accompanied by one or more photos. This will help readers to know how to arrange and prepare the dishes with which they aren't already familiar.
Five stars. Wonderfully comprehensive and versatile. Perfect choice for public library acquisition, home use, or gifting to a food adventurous friend.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
January 18, 2024
5/5 stars! Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press for this eARC of Modern Asian Kitchen cookbook by Kat Lieu in exchange for an honest review.
This is my kind of cookbook! (And the type of cookbook I would have in my kitchen!) I love that there is a photo for each listed recipe and clear details on the instructions on how to execute the dish. I love how some of the listed recipes just provide me with priceless feelings because it bring back memories of how my mom would cook these fresh hot meals every day when my sisters and I would get home. My favorites so far have been the recipes that are cooked in a clay pot. I'm currently exploring how that cooling tool can be used in the kitchen (cooking rice, chicken, pork belly, fish, etc - pretty much all of the above haha). I'm going back to my roots and a majority of these recipes are similar to how my mom cooks food, but I'm sure that other cultural moms - my mom never writes down the recipes, it's all in her head and she goes based on a "dash of this and a taste of that". Modern Asian Kitchen helps me replicate the home comfort foods and I love that I can share it with my husband and kids. A huge plus is when my kids eat everything off their bowl/plate!
I also love the sauces and am so glad that this cookbook offers that towards the end of the entree section. Oh, and importantly, list the fundamentals/suggestions of what tools to have in the kitchen before starting! My parents always poke fun at my husband and me because of how much we sauces and spices we have in our fridge and spice rack. Anyway, love how easy this cookbook is to follow instructions the list of ingredients needed, and the time it takes to cook and prep. Highly recommend this wonderful book to everyone.
This is my kind of cookbook! (And the type of cookbook I would have in my kitchen!) I love that there is a photo for each listed recipe and clear details on the instructions on how to execute the dish. I love how some of the listed recipes just provide me with priceless feelings because it bring back memories of how my mom would cook these fresh hot meals every day when my sisters and I would get home. My favorites so far have been the recipes that are cooked in a clay pot. I'm currently exploring how that cooling tool can be used in the kitchen (cooking rice, chicken, pork belly, fish, etc - pretty much all of the above haha). I'm going back to my roots and a majority of these recipes are similar to how my mom cooks food, but I'm sure that other cultural moms - my mom never writes down the recipes, it's all in her head and she goes based on a "dash of this and a taste of that". Modern Asian Kitchen helps me replicate the home comfort foods and I love that I can share it with my husband and kids. A huge plus is when my kids eat everything off their bowl/plate!
I also love the sauces and am so glad that this cookbook offers that towards the end of the entree section. Oh, and importantly, list the fundamentals/suggestions of what tools to have in the kitchen before starting! My parents always poke fun at my husband and me because of how much we sauces and spices we have in our fridge and spice rack. Anyway, love how easy this cookbook is to follow instructions the list of ingredients needed, and the time it takes to cook and prep. Highly recommend this wonderful book to everyone.
March 24, 2024
Thank you to Harvard Common Press and Netgalley for this ARC. Generally, Asian cuisine is something we enjoy, so we had a lot of fun cooking from this - here is what we made:
Miso Garlic Naan: wow wow wow! The miso garlic butter was insanely delicious. These were so easy and so tasty. Plus I found the milk yeast blooming technique very effective and I’ll be stealing that for future bread making
Easy Peasy Sushi Bake: my boyfriend said this was basically my perfect meal and he isn’t wrong. While I enjoyed it a lot with the seaweed, it was also great as a bowl. A very easy weeknight meal (sushi at home!), but doesn’t hold up the best as leftovers (so just eat it all). Next time we might try making it with different seafood
Char Sui: I tried so hard to make this red and failed. But it was moist and the marinade was packed with flavor. I did find the cooking instructions about when to cut it confusing, so our times seemed off. But it still came together well
Pate Chaud (Vietnamese Hot Meat Pie): these didn’t quite puff, but the filling was savory, and who doesn’t love a good meat pie?
Gochujang Chocolate Mochi Cake (97): for some reason this came out very dry (maybe I made it too thin?), which was a shame because I loved the flavor (especially the subtle heat) and the chocolate chunks. Eating it with ice cream did help the dryness though
Rice Paper Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings): these did not stay together whatsoever and the shrimp unevenly cooked. The flavor was fine but nothing special
Overall, definitely some recipes I’d make again! Modern Asian Kitchen is coming out on 4/9
Miso Garlic Naan: wow wow wow! The miso garlic butter was insanely delicious. These were so easy and so tasty. Plus I found the milk yeast blooming technique very effective and I’ll be stealing that for future bread making
Easy Peasy Sushi Bake: my boyfriend said this was basically my perfect meal and he isn’t wrong. While I enjoyed it a lot with the seaweed, it was also great as a bowl. A very easy weeknight meal (sushi at home!), but doesn’t hold up the best as leftovers (so just eat it all). Next time we might try making it with different seafood
Char Sui: I tried so hard to make this red and failed. But it was moist and the marinade was packed with flavor. I did find the cooking instructions about when to cut it confusing, so our times seemed off. But it still came together well
Pate Chaud (Vietnamese Hot Meat Pie): these didn’t quite puff, but the filling was savory, and who doesn’t love a good meat pie?
Gochujang Chocolate Mochi Cake (97): for some reason this came out very dry (maybe I made it too thin?), which was a shame because I loved the flavor (especially the subtle heat) and the chocolate chunks. Eating it with ice cream did help the dryness though
Rice Paper Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings): these did not stay together whatsoever and the shrimp unevenly cooked. The flavor was fine but nothing special
Overall, definitely some recipes I’d make again! Modern Asian Kitchen is coming out on 4/9
October 13, 2023
I can't tell what the intended audience is but as I read through the recipes as foodie, homecook and baker myself I feel that the recipes are scattered across different Asian cultures and not as authentic as if it was focused on one with detailed recipes. But as a beginners cookbook the steps are too brief for when it comes to how to prepare the main ingredient of the dishes, the protein. Such as the prawns, the meat or the mushrooms. They need a whole paragraph dedicated to themselves. Some of the recipes such as dimsum are in reality a very advanced and difficult dish to make, and I feel they don't belong here as when you go through the recipe it's either not authentic or not detailed enough in preparing the proteins to get the right texture, often it says, combine all the ingredients as the first step. As someone who is from an Asian background and likes to cook Asian food as a hobby I don't feel the recipes here is teaching me enough detail for a dish and is leaving out a lot of essential steps. But as a quick go to beginners cookbook it may not matter much, especially if you've not been exposed to much Asian food before.
February 28, 2024
This book is chock full of yummy looking Asian meals and treats! There will be plenty of recipes in this book that you'll want to try if you love Asian food. There are traditional pieces of equipment listed in the book but surprising me, also listed is an Air Fryer, a Stand Mixer, and an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker. Certainly a modern lineup! Most kitchens will already have the suggested equipment already.
The author has a list of products that she stocks in her Asian Pantry. If you already cook Asian foods regularly, you will have many or most on your shelf. If this is a new type of cooking for your household, you may want to buy the special items you need for a few recipes at a time.
The book is filled, not only with mouthwatering photos of the food, but also sprinkled with family photos. The ingredients for the recipes are clearly laid out and the instructions are written well.
I think this book will provide hours of enjoyment to the lover of Asian foods, both reading about them. cooking them, and certainly eating them.
The author has a list of products that she stocks in her Asian Pantry. If you already cook Asian foods regularly, you will have many or most on your shelf. If this is a new type of cooking for your household, you may want to buy the special items you need for a few recipes at a time.
The book is filled, not only with mouthwatering photos of the food, but also sprinkled with family photos. The ingredients for the recipes are clearly laid out and the instructions are written well.
I think this book will provide hours of enjoyment to the lover of Asian foods, both reading about them. cooking them, and certainly eating them.
November 1, 2023
I liked Modern Asian Cooking a lot!!
These are the things that I liked best in the book:
- A section about Fundamentals of Asian cooking.
- Introducing each dish with a background of the dish, personal anecdotes and/or what to expect (for example recipe execution and technique, the flavor profile of the dish).
- Offers a wide variety of recipes from the different countries in Asia.
- Measurements are given both in cups and grams/ ml.
- Info on yield.
- The instructions are clear and easy to follow since each step in the cooking process is numbered.
- The dessert section!
This book will be perfect for beginners in asian cooking as well as foodies who would like to broaden their asian cooking repertoire. I'm already looking forward to trying all the recipes in the book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
These are the things that I liked best in the book:
- A section about Fundamentals of Asian cooking.
- Introducing each dish with a background of the dish, personal anecdotes and/or what to expect (for example recipe execution and technique, the flavor profile of the dish).
- Offers a wide variety of recipes from the different countries in Asia.
- Measurements are given both in cups and grams/ ml.
- Info on yield.
- The instructions are clear and easy to follow since each step in the cooking process is numbered.
- The dessert section!
This book will be perfect for beginners in asian cooking as well as foodies who would like to broaden their asian cooking repertoire. I'm already looking forward to trying all the recipes in the book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 15, 2024
I'm in my cookbook phase because I live in an area that doesn't have as diverse an Asian palate as the SF bay area where I grew up. When I saw that Kat Lieu was coming out with a book for cooking to pair with Modern Asian Baking, I was all in.
I love that this book has a bunch of different recipes from different parts of Asia -- but more importantly, it's a cookbook with a lot of love. There are recipes shared from family, family friends, SAB members on Facebook...what a collaboration!
Kat Lieu brings her ability to make recipes easy-to-follow. Many of these dishes are very customizable, and I often look to her Instagram reels to see how she's made a few dishes. There's a step-by-step portion at the beginning of the book to learn how to do things like fold wontons with photos. It's a lot like being in the kitchen with your friend who knows how to cook, and you're following along, grateful to have the company.
I love that this book has a bunch of different recipes from different parts of Asia -- but more importantly, it's a cookbook with a lot of love. There are recipes shared from family, family friends, SAB members on Facebook...what a collaboration!
Kat Lieu brings her ability to make recipes easy-to-follow. Many of these dishes are very customizable, and I often look to her Instagram reels to see how she's made a few dishes. There's a step-by-step portion at the beginning of the book to learn how to do things like fold wontons with photos. It's a lot like being in the kitchen with your friend who knows how to cook, and you're following along, grateful to have the company.
March 16, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Modern Asian Kitchen is a great cookbook for traditional Asian Recipes. The cookbook provides little descriptions on the flavor components for the staple ingredients which is incredibly helpful for people who are newer to asian cuisine. The cookbook sections are the fundamentals, garden Party, Dim Sum, One-Pan Wonders, The Sharing Table, The Rice is Right, Life is Noodiful, Essential Sauces and the Not-Too-Sweet Treats.
The Cookbook is wonderful with amazing backstories on the recipes and straightforward directions. There is just a wonderful selection of recipes. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL pictures.
This cookbook will definitely be a staple cookbook for me and I can’t wait to purchase a physical copy. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book.
Modern Asian Kitchen is a great cookbook for traditional Asian Recipes. The cookbook provides little descriptions on the flavor components for the staple ingredients which is incredibly helpful for people who are newer to asian cuisine. The cookbook sections are the fundamentals, garden Party, Dim Sum, One-Pan Wonders, The Sharing Table, The Rice is Right, Life is Noodiful, Essential Sauces and the Not-Too-Sweet Treats.
The Cookbook is wonderful with amazing backstories on the recipes and straightforward directions. There is just a wonderful selection of recipes. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL pictures.
This cookbook will definitely be a staple cookbook for me and I can’t wait to purchase a physical copy. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book.
January 1, 2024
I don't cook. However, I could use this book to make it look like I can. This book is about a modern Asian kitchen, and there are multiple kinds of cuisines, such as Chinese and Vietnamese dishes.
The author starts with the basics, telling you the best way to cook rice, which is a staple. Then there is a list of what kinds of spices you need to keep in your kitchen to recreate these tastes.
There are several different recipes, with beautiful photos of every finished product. The cooking itself is simple, even for someone like me.
While I don't eat much meat,I still feel I could enjoy these dishes if I made vegetarian versions. There was a wide variety, and everything looked amazing.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.
The author starts with the basics, telling you the best way to cook rice, which is a staple. Then there is a list of what kinds of spices you need to keep in your kitchen to recreate these tastes.
There are several different recipes, with beautiful photos of every finished product. The cooking itself is simple, even for someone like me.
While I don't eat much meat,I still feel I could enjoy these dishes if I made vegetarian versions. There was a wide variety, and everything looked amazing.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.
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