Book review: Thai - the essence of Asian cooking

I love Thai. So many people think they can't eat Thai food as it is too spicy. That is not true. There are many less spicy dishes and you can always tone down the heat, spices, chiles etc. Plus a lot are sweet and spicy. You have not tried Asian food until you get away from the same old Chinese recipes you always cook or the restaurants you frequent. If you are looking for a Thai book this one is not bad to try. The recipes are not difficult and you can get most of the ingredients from Asian stores but sometimes in your local food stores. The photos (preparation, food , results, techniques) are spectacular. There is a nice forward section with photos of the history , thai cuisine in general and differences from the regions. Traditional meals, holiday meals and information are also covered so you also getting a geographic and history as well as a food tour. What I like is there a little paragraph which tell about the background for the recipe. I have not tried many recipes from this book yet but the steamed fish (with Lemongrass and chilies) was pretty good (9.6/10). There are quite a few to try like appetizers, vegetable, fish , beef , , soups , side dishes and food shopping. There are a lot of Thai books but this one gives you a tour on the side and more. Take a look and see what you think and try Thai!

Like rubs and marinades? Run and buy this book as soon as you can as you are really missing out

Marinades: Dry Rubs, Pastes and Marinades for Poultry, Meat, Seafood, Cheese and Vegetables (Paperback)
Run and buy this book as soon as you can as you are really missing out. I bought it in the 1990's and always still making fanatastic recipes from this book.. There are all kinds of US and worldy marinades, rubs and more. The contents divide the book into 10 categories including about marinades , rubs and pastes, stocking the pantry, vinegars, all tyes of marindes, even for shellfish, vegetables, lamb, and even rabbit, game birds, venison. Several marinades and rubs can be used for different meat etc. Also has section on salsas, chutneys, The directions are clear and easy to read. The index is well done. The chart "Marinades at a glance, is another way to find what you are looking for. There is short set of pages where to find and purchase Indian spices, Asian staples and more (but you really should be able to find most of the ingredients locally).
I have tried so many all excellent. These included spicy tomato marinade for fish (9.8/10); Thai marinade (9.8/10); Thai cocont (9.8/10); pineapple jalapeno salsa (9.8/10). Many more I have tried are a great just a tad less in my rating but fantastic none the less.

http://www.amazon.com/Marinades-Pastes-Poultry-Seafood-Vegetables/dp/0895945312