Cook the books
5:00AM
Wednesday April 09, 2008
Anil Ashokan's 'Qmin' will get you up to speed on Indian cooking. Photo / Supplied
Eating Japanese
Have a hankering for good Japanese food at home but no idea where to begin? Fresh Japanese by Yasuko Fukuoka, (Hamlyn, $47.99) is filled with easy Japanese recipes that go way beyond your everyday sushi rolls.
It's predictably high in seafood but there are also some surprises, such as stuffed pumpkin and buckwheat noodles with Japanese pesto.
There's also an extensive desserts section with spectacular sweet treats such as black sesame icecream with beetroot chips. And some good basic recipes for family weeknight dinners such as brown rice with mushrooms and edamame. Our mouths are watering.
Recipe pick: Steamed clams in sake.
Qmin
What? An Indian cookbook without a single curry? Hurrah, at last. Not that we have anything against a good curry, it's just that we've long held the view that the post-pub vindaloo barely scratches the surface of the variety and taste of Indian cuisine.
Qmin by Anil Ashokan (Allen & Unwin, $49.99), blends the country's ancient culinary traditions with a bit of a modern twist. The collection of more than 120 recipes includes everything from quick, one-dish dinners such as zaffrani pulao (saffron pilaf) to full gourmet feasts.
