A Couple of Terrific Cookbooks

By Franz Scheurer

“Authentic Recipes from Malaysia” and “Authentic Recipes from Vietnam” are two soft cover books published by Periplus Editions that have just become available in a bookstore near you. Both of these books have been put together in the same style following the same formula, and the formula works. After a short but very informative introduction covering the country, its cuisine and its culinary history, they move on to describe the staples and cooking utensils needed. A pictorial glossary of the major food items is next with a description of how they are used and where they might be obtained. Then follows a recipe section and the book finishes with measurement and conversion tables. The recipes are superb, authentic and they work. You’ll find a cross section of street food, home cooking and upmarket restaurant fare, all logically laid out, descriptive and easily followed. These books will guarantee the novice success with an exotic cuisine and entertain and challenge the accomplished cook.

The Malaysian book with recipes by the chefs of Bon Ton Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur and Jonkers Restaurant in Malacca, divides the recipe section into:

Sambals, Dips and Achars

Appetisers and Snacks

Soups, Salads and Vegetables

Rice and Noodles

Meat and Poultry

Seafood and

Desserts

Whereas the Vietnamese cookbook with recipes by Trieu Thi Choi and Marcel Isaak, has the following layout:

Basic Recipes

Appetizers and Snacks

Salads

Soups

Vegetables and Rice

Seafood

Poultry

Meat and Desserts

The photography throughout both books is informative and appetising and the dishes are styled the way you would see them served in Malaysia and Vietnam. I thoroughly recommend these great value for money books!

Authentic Recipes from Vietnam ISBN 0-7946-0328-9

Authentic Recipes from Malaysia ISBN 0-7946-0228-2