Vatch's Southeast Asian Cookbook

Chef Vatcharin "Vatch" Bhumichitr has been on the road. His book, Vatch's Southeast Asian Cookbook, is a tour through not only his native Thailand, but also Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Burma, Cambodia, and Laos. The result is a solid introduction to the culinary traditions of Southeast Asia. He set out in 1994 to travel through the region on a cook's tour of food and discovery. Much of his travels are related in the accompanying essays in each chapter, and provide unique insight to the cultural and social and geographic forces that shape the region's different cuisines. For Vatch, food is the soul of the country and a way of understanding one of the most diverse areas in the world. While you may be able to get beef noodle soup in Malaysia and Laos, they only share a few common ingredients. The differences in the recipes, like those between the countries, are striking.

Realizing that western chefs are often intimidated by Asian ingredients and processes, Vatch gently guides the reader through his own journey, and in the process, demystifies much about Southeast Asia culture. He begins simply, with the practical aspects of cooking. The opening chapter is divided into sections on equipment, techniques, and ingredients, and is an essential primer for anyone who has experienced the terror of unfamiliarity while shopping in an Asian food market. The rest of the essays and accompanying recipes are divided by country, and include spectacular photography. The final section of the book outlines all the dishes, and lists the do's and don'ts of composing meals. There is also a complete list of vegetarian dishes and ones that can easily be altered. Vatch's acute eye for detail and his cook's sensibility will appeal to the armchair traveler or budding Asian chef alike. --Mark O. Howerton