Martin Yan's Asia: Favorite Recipes from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Japan

by Martin Yan

The illustrated companion volume to the current season of the author's popular cooking show on PBS, Yan Can Cook, explores the customs and cuisines of five Asian countries. Original. 40,000 first printing. $40,000 ad/promo. Tour. TV tie-in. IP.

Genres: Cookbooks, Asian Literature, Food

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1997

About the author

Martin Yan (Chinese: 甄文達) is a Chinese-born Hong Kong-American chef and food writer. He has hosted his award-winning PBS-TV cooking show Yan Can Cook since 1982.

Reviews

[Lordoftaipo · Rating 5 out of 5]

～Martin Yan～☆♪
5 pounds guts
5 pounds inquisitiveness
1 kitchen-knife-fits-all
½ teaspoon Cantonese-spiced accent
2 teaspoons confidence
1 tablespoon humour

Until I proactively looked up his shows, I had always felt distant from him. He was the guy on TV, particularly the English channel with less viewership. What feels like a genuine connection is hearing unanticipated Cantonese phrases popping up between his lines.

Despite being a beloved companion to many US homemakers, Yan showed how eager he was to learn new things, be it cuisine or English. I was amazed at how his shows ran on synchronised banter and cookery. In case you missed it, Yan was Cantonese.

That one-of-a-kind diction exposes his ghostwriter—none others but himself. Some footage and this book brought to my attention his style. He would uniquely describe an Asian kitchen’s sweltering temperature (fair) and humidity (that is always over 95% to highlight the toil and steam) in the same breath.

This sort of authenticity is what I was looking for from this odd experience of cookbook perusal. This 1997 work singled out information that predated the Internet, what I perceive as more organically circulated and hence less contaminated.

Asian cuisines are by far the most intricate ones. People have been innovating based on a few staple foods. The shared vocabulary and ingredients show that no two cultures in Southeast Asia are not interwoven. How amazing it is that qualified people took the initiative to document food, especially when most villages of South Asia are undergoing rapid development.

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually find compilations such as this one, covering such a broad swath of cultures and foods, to be lacking. This book is an exception. Martin Yan focuses on elements in each of the 5 geo areas that differentiate them from the others and thus you get a good intro to the foods presented. Martin clearly knows his cultures and knows his food. His experience is appreciated. I am also thankful for the many vegetarian recipes presented, often not the case in Asian overviews. Worth reading.

[Dayna Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really flavorful recipes.

[Faith Kilgore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have the exact read start and finish dates on many books I have read this year. The dates are approximated, as I have been in & out of the hospital, and on bed rest, and read 2-5 books a day depending on the book & length and my ability to focus. All dates are approximated, by month.

This is an amazing book... and his insight's are hilarious. I can hear him speak as I read.
Recipes to die for.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

quick recipies and directions