Cracking the Coconut: Classic Thai Home Cooking
- Book Review,
by Su-Mei Yu
Amazon.com
Americans love Thai food. Among the best cookbooks exploring this rich, tantalizing cuisine is chef-restaurateur Su-Mei Yu's Cracking the Coconut. Insisting that there can be no true Thai cooking without homemade "core" preparations (such as various chili pastes), Yu includes precise, accessible recipes for these and other essential ingredients while outlining fundamental techniques in vivid detail. Readers learn the proper hand motions for cracking a coconut, how to wrap ingredients in banana leaves, and how to work a mortar and pestle, the central Thai-kitchen implement. The book's 175 recipes are divided between chapters devoted to essential ingredients or dishes. The chapter on Thai curry ("the signature dish") explores the basics of preparing this exciting fare and includes such delicious recipes as Red Curry with Roasted Pork and Green Banana and Sweet Green Curry with Meatballs. A chapter called "The Secret of Thai Salads" offers recipes for a small repertoire of essential dressings and such tempting recipes as Apricot, Shrimp, and Pork Salad and a salad-feast called, simply, Lamb and Roast Duck. Yu provides cultural notes and cooking lore throughout the book, often drawing from her recipe-hunting travels abroad. It's hard to imagine a better start for anyone wishing to "cook Thai" than this fully illustrated book, which perfectly balances recipes and instruction to make it an innovative standout. --Arthur Boehm
From Publishers Weekly
Owner of San Diego's Saffron Restaurant, Yu takes her Thai cooking seriously: she expects readers to pound curry pastes by hand in a mortar and pestle (a process that takes about 30 minutes)Dand don't even think about using canned coconut milk unless absolutely necessary. In compensation for all this work, Yu provides flawless and authentic recipes full of the fresh flavors of Thailand, such as Grilled Mackerel Salad with pickled garlic, coconut and peanuts and Beef and Pumpkin Stew with kabocha squash and cilantro. Recipes are organized loosely according to main ingredients, and in one chapter simply because they represent "The Thai Philosophy of Food," which consists of juxtaposing contrasting tastes. A chapter on fiery curries includes Red Curry with Roasted Pork and Green Banana and Sour-Orange Curry with Tender Vegetables. Aside from the work of grinding the curry paste, these can be assembled relatively quickly. Another chapter focuses on "The Big Four Seasonings," or salt, garlic, coriander root and peppercorns, and provides a recipe for a paste of the four that can be used in everything from fish batter and deep-frying batter to meatloaf. Noodle dishes are both hot (several types of Pad Thai) and cold (Cool Noodles with Jungle-Style Sauce). Thai salads are original and refreshing: Pomelo and Shrimp Salad and Banana Blossoms with Chicken Salad. Yu also writes beautifully of her own experiences cooking and eating in Thailand. For Thai novices and for those who are seeking to delve more deeply into this sophisticated and often surprising cuisine, this book is a must-have. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
For fans of Southeast Asian cuisine, here are two excellent cookbooks. An immigrant from Vietnam to the United States, My Tran has developed her own simplified versions of favorite childhood dishes, many of which now appear in The Vietnamese Cookbook. Her excellent introduction to one of Southeast Asia's most colorful cuisines provides more than 100 recipes for such tempting treats as Spring Rolls and Lemon Rice mixed in with a few pinches of personal recollections and some outstanding color photographs. Novice cooks will especially appreciate the clear, easy-to-understand layout of each recipe, which takes the intimidation out of preparing these dishes. My Tran's book will serve as a good complement to other, more classic Vietnamese cookbooks, such as Nicole Routhier's The Foods of Vietnam (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1989), and is recommended for most public libraries. Rather than simplifying or adapting recipes for American tastes and markets, chef and restaurant owner Su-Mei Yu instead serves up a cookbook that pays homage to the cuisine of her homeland while offering detailed instructions on preparing Thai dishes in the old manner. Cracking the Coconut covers everything from the equipment and ingredients needed to traditional preparation methods such as the use of a mortar and pestle. The text not only gives readers 175 delicious recipes but also provides a fascinating look at the history of Thai cooking as well as a few glimpses at the people and forces that have helped shape it. For the most part, the author forgoes the traditional cookbook arrangement by type of dish (i.e., appetizers, salads, desserts, etc.) and instead devotes chapters to a specific ingredient such as rice or a signature dish such as Thai salads. A sumptuous feast for both serious and armchair cooks, this lavishly detailed cookbook is highly recommended for all public libraries.DJohn Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Thai food contrasts tastes and intense flavors to achieve drama and entice the palate. Yu's highly organized approach to Thai cooking attracts cooks who need to understand basic processes in cooking. Yu begins by inventorying a Thai kitchen's equipment and larder and outlines the differences between what's possible in a large kitchen as opposed to that in a small apartment. Following her suggestions, even those with minimum space can still aspire to prepare excellent Thai dishes at home. Her thorough descriptions of Thai cuisine's meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables guide novices through the mysteries of Asian markets. Recipes clearly indicate substitutions for the most difficult-to-find ingredients. As the title notes, Yu regards the coconut as Thai cooking's central ingredient, the source of much of its flavor appeal. This book is an exceptionally well-crafted guide for any English speaker wanting to master Southeast Asia's leading cuisine. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
For centuries Thai cooking has been among the world's most highly regarded cuisines and also among the most mysterious. For the first time the tastes, techniques, and traditions of Thai home cooking have been gathered into one extraordinary book: Cracking the Coconut by renowned Thai chef, teacher, and writer Su-Mei Yu.More than a simple recipe book, this is a masterful work about the art and history of Thai cooking and the people who have shaped it. But, most important, it's about preparing, eating, and thoroughly enjoying the food of Thailand.By taking readers step by step through shopping, preparing, and serving, Cracking the Coconut dispels the notion that Thai cooking is difficult. With Su-Mei's engaging narrative and easy-to-follow recipes, Thai cooking is suddenly accessible to everyone.The wonder of Thai food begins with exquisite contrasts in flavors and textures. Su-Mei carefully explains each ingredient and its importance. Rice is the soul of Thai cooking; coconut is its heart; salt, garlic, cilantro, and peppercorns are its spirit; chile water is the crown jewel; and chiles (prikk) and fish sauce (namm pla) are the high notes and accents in the final dish.Su-Mei shows you how, through the simple acts of mincing, pounding, and grinding, spices release their wonderfully fragrant oils and scents as they evolve into pastes. These spice pastes are what adds the intensity and depth of flavor so unique to Thai cooking. And of course, there are very detailed instructions for cracking a coconut.You'll be able to create such evocatively titled dishes as Crying Tiger, Galloping Horse, and A Thief's Salad, which taste as intriguing as they sound. More familiar dishes such as saté with peanut sauce, mee krob, cucumber salad, and padd Thai will easily become family favorites.Cracking the Coconut allows cooks of all levels to re-create the beauty and elegance of Thai home cooking in their own kitchens. From silky Steamed Fish Custard in Banana Pouches and Spicy Green Papaya Salad to zesty sauces and accompaniments to desserts that rival those of any cuisine, Cracking the Coconut will take you on a culinary journey never before possible.
About the Author
Su-Mei Yu is chef-owner of the acclaimed Saffron restaurant in San Diego, California. Born of Chinese parents in Thailand, at the age of five she was enrolled in an exclusive boarding school founded by the Royal Court of Thailand. At age fifteen, Yu came to an American mission boarding school in Kentucky. After graduation, she received a master's degree in social welfare. After twelve years as a social worker, she joined the graduate school of social work at San Diego State University as an assistant professor. In 1985 Yu opened the first Thai restaurant in San Diego.
Excerpted from Cracking the Coconut : Classic Thai Home Cooking by Su-Mei Yu. Copyright © 2000. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
Heavenly Shrimp Salad (Yumm Goong Sawan)Makes 6 servingsI discovered this recipe in an old Thai cookbook and tested it at a catering party. The guests went wild. Several asked me to put it on my restaurant menu. Now, when papaya is ripe and sugary sweet, this heavenly salad is one of the restaurant's most popular summer dishes. Instead of shrimp, I use grilled chicken.Ingredients3 cups cubed (1-inch cubes) ripe papaya1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cooked7 kaffir lime leaves or zest of 1 orange, removed with a peeler in strips and julienned1 stalk lemongrass, green parts and tough outer layers removed, minced3/4 cup Dressing Five (Recipe Follows)15 sprigs cilantro, leaves only, minced15 sprigs mint, leaves only, sliced into thin strands2 tablespoons unsalted peanuts, dry-roasted and coarsely groundInstructionsSpread the papaya cubes out on a serving platter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, kaffir lime leaf strands, and lemongrass. Toss lightly and put the mixture on top of the papaya cubes. Pour the dressing over the shrimp and papaya, garnish with the cilantro, mint, and peanuts, and toss gently just before serving.VariationsInstead of papaya, substitute fresh peaches, pears, mangoes, or nectarines.Instead of shrimp, substitute grilled chicken, turkey, imitation or real crabmeat, or lobster.Dressing five
Sweet, Salty, Sour, Spicy, Musty, Char-Burnt, Creamy, BrinyMakes 1 1/2 cupsIngredients2 tablespoons fish sauce (namm pla)3 tablespoons palm sugar or light brown sugar1 cup Fresh Unsweetened Coconut Cream 2 tablespoons Roasted Chiles in Oil2 ounces dried smoked tuna or salmon, minced (1/4 cup)6 tablespoons thick tamarind juice InstructionsIn a small saucepan, combine the fish sauce and palm sugar and heat over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coconut cream. Add the roasted chiles in oil, smoked fish, and tamarind juice. Store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.Primary ingredientsDressing Five is used with citrus fruits such as pomelo or orange. Among the other favorites are mixed fruits, including ripe sweet papaya, pineapple, pears, peaches, and apricots.Secondary ingredientsGrilled chicken and fish, as well as shellfish, or both, play nicely against the sweet-soft fruits. Crispy and crunchy vegetables, such as Chinese celery and lettuce, add contrast.Aromas and ColorsSalads made with this dressing are topped with Crispy Garlic, Crispy Shallots , Crispy Dried Chiles, Roasted Fresh Grated Coconut Flakes, dry-roasted ground peanuts, and fresh red chile slivers. Fresh mint, cilantro leaves, and kaffir lime strands are also added.
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