The Complete Asian Cookbook Charmaine Solomon

by Charmaine Solomon

800 authentic Asian recipes made simple, for that is what it is all about real Asian food, created with a minimum of fuss in a Western kitchen.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Reference, Nonfiction, Asian Literature, Culinary

511 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1976

Reviews

[notgettingenough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Down Australia way this has been the definitive general text since long before I started cooking.

Like anything that does so much not all of it is going to work. I was disappointed to find the laksa recipe nowhere near as good as my favourite restaurant versions. It's true, it was one of my early sorties into cooking, but still....

Her Sri Lankan section is wonderful - not surprising since she is herself Sri Lankan, though since she moved to Australia in 1959, we may be forgiven for thinking of her as a local.

There are other sections of her book that I don't use, but may be excellent. I simply have enough good specialist books in the area, thinking now of Indian food in particular.

As an example of what she does so well, try this:

Sri Lankan chicken curry.

1.5 kg chicken pieces (NOT breasts!!!)
3 tablespoons ghee or oil
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
sprig of fresh curry leaves
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1-2 teaspoons chilli powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons paprika (optional)
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cardamom pods, bruised
1 stick cinnamon
1 stalk lemon grass
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup thick coconut milk
lime juice (optional)

Directions

Cut chicken into curry pieces. Heat ghee or oil and on low heat fry fenugreek seeds and curry leaves until they start to brown. Add onion, garlic and ginger and fry gently until onions are soft and golden. Add turmeric, chilli, coriander, cumin, fennel, salt and vinegar. If the curry isn't quite red enough, add the paprika because while it isn't used in Sri Lanka, using enough chilli to give the required colour would mean a curry too hot for most people. Stir well, add chicken and turn the pieces in the mixture. Add tomatoes, whole spices and lemon grass. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Add coconut milk, cook uncovered for a further few minutes, then remove from heat and stir in a squeeze of lime juice if desired. Serve with rice and accompaniments.

Yum.

[notgettingenough · Rating 1 out of 5]

These observations pertain only to the Hardie Grant recent revised hard cover edition of this book. (The paperback edition does not suffer from this, it had a different publisher.)

It sucks. It fucking sucks.

I already have a sore head from looking at it today. Why? Because they have used a weird font to introduce the recipes; it looks cute and Asiany, which is no doubt what the 'book stylist' (Lord save us from stylists) thought would look good, but the only important thing to a font is that it is fucking readable.

I'm cross.

[Riley Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Australian classic which is quite dated now, as a lot of the ingredients are substitute compromises from the bad old days when you couldn't get the real thing in the major cities of Australia. (which I guess would still be handy if you live somewhere further afield where the ingredients are tough to get.) However, it was originally well ahead of its time, and I grew up eating great food cooked by people following the recipes in this book. A sentimental favourite which I still use from time to time and probably always will.

[Jeff Gehrig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've used this book for over thirty years. I've never had a failure. Over the last 25 years the ingredients have become easier and easier to get, almost to the point where even the ordinary supermarkets carry them all. I'm also surrounded by Asian and Indian supermarkets and grocery stores which makes it even easier. My favourite and most spectacular success, is the Raan, I've probably cooked it 30 - 40 times and the aroma is sensational.No wonder we regard Charmaine as a "National Treasure".

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book and I have forgotten about it till now while searching for a recipe for Laksa. And wella, this book was on my shelf and with the Laksa recipe! Furthermore, it goes to show that I need to revisit this forgotten jewel.

Several winners from this book are:
- Fried Chicken Szechuan Style
- Oven Roasted Spiced Chicken
- Stir Fried Beef with Onions and Mushrooms
- Chicken with Pineapple
- Basic Chicken Stock

[Dolf van der Haven · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tend to go cover-to-cover with cookery books nowadays and am over halfway this one now. I have not found a single recipe yet that actually tastes authentic. How can you write a whole chapter about Indian food and not in a single recipe use chillies? Replacing them with chilly powder is fake and only caters for western audiences that cannot stand the heat. In similar ways, other recipes are westernised somehow. I managed to "save" various recipes by using better ingredients than those indicated, based on the more authentic cookery books I have. This book on its own does not give an authentic taste of Asian cuisine, though.

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a copy after reading my parents' copy a lot of times and gaining a respect for it. Something makes this feel less accessible than some - perhaps just the weight and number of pages, or the number of countries covered, but every time I've started cooking a different cuisine it contains, I've come back to this book and found the chapter to be a surprisingly good set of recipes. If you had only the space or patience to buy one book and wanted to play with exotic cuisines of the world, this would win.

[Jdbaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific introduction to all things Asian. This was my first Asian cookbook, given to me as a gift 8 years ago, and it ignited a passion unlike any other for Asian cooking. The tips on stocking your pantry for each cuisine are invaluable, and the recipes are a terrific introduction to the many and varied flavors of the region. A must read for the newly inspired or the established but branching out cook.

[Mystica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is concise comprehensive and a classic. I like the way it makes the recipes clear and precise even for a novice. I've got the kindle version so I don't know whether the very few illustrations is because of that.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few favourites in here for me but I'm particularly impressed with the large Indian and Sri Lankan recipes. Can't wait to try them . A couple of great Satay recipes too, one Malaysian and one Indonesian. They both sounded so good that I had to try straight away but couldn't do either of the whole recipes. So inspired by both mine was between the two. I could never have done anything so good without these as a guide (Pretty much the way I use all recipes)

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a delight and as the title says complete. This book covers the cuisine of Southeast Asia.
Originally written in 1975 and now updated the book has a whole section on ingredients. It gives information about each typical ingredient, what they are, where to find them. It talks about how the availability of some ingredients has changed in the 45 years since the book was published. Some ingredients are still hard to get, usually only available at Asian markets.

The author has traveled extensively in the area and has many stories to tell about the people she has meet and her experiences.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the recipes and exploring dishes I have not tried before. Since Covid started I am missing my favorite Thai restaurant and my husband is missing his favorite Pho shop. Neither are close enough for take-out. So I read the book, got some ideas of thing to try to cook at home and dream about when we can go back to our favorite restaurants.

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice large Asian cookbook. Well presented by country and then by main type of ingredient. My one critique is that each of these countries needs their own book and that large cuisines like China get equal play with smaller countries like Laos. Still a nice compendium well presented.

[Coco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cookery book which has been a popular cookbook among our family. Have tried recipes from many countries. The best Asian cookbook on the market.

[Canaan Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had to keep just one cookbook it would be this one. A masterpiece.

[Paris]

Great reference for work- authentic recipes

[Opal Edgar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it must have been amazing at the time. Today the book is dated and you will be able to find better elsewhere.

[Tressa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Complete Asian Cookbook has a variety and a large amount of recipes from several countries in Asia. The book’s sections are divided by country.

[kadairh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent cookbook, use it as one of my main cookbooks, up there with Women's Weekly Original and Delia's 😁

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

800 recipes from 18 countries... this is a comprehensive cookery book covering food from everywhere east of Pakistan.

It loses a star for having the measurements for dry ingredients in Australian cups and not providing alternatives in grammes/ounces. Like I can be arsed to find a cup that is 250ml. Shame the publishers didn't think to provide the weights and measures for an international readership e.g. 2 cups/250g flour, when selling the book overseas.

Each chapter begins with a foodie introduction to the region, along with any specialist utensils and ingredients you will need. Then follows a wide range of recipes arranged in subsections - spice mixes, soups, snacks, appetisers, curries, rice, noodles, seafood, poultry, meat, vegetables, desserts, sweets etc. depending on the country. The recipes are easy to follow, though more photographs of the end result would be nice, and while many familiar dishes are included, there are plenty of new ones for me to try.

Overall, a great addition to the cookbook shelf, giving me lots of ideas for new and unusual dishes to try out on family and friends.

Finally, there is a very comprehensive index and a thorough glossary. I particularly like the 'translation' guide for American readers :-0

[Trudy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the definitive Asian cookbook with over 800 authentic recipes from 16 countries. Each country is divided into a separate section and includes a description of the cuisine, cooking methods and food customs plus a list of common ingredients. The recipes are easy to follow and I haven't come across a recipe yet that's less than delicious. Also, each recipe has its native name along with the English version underneath, and there's a handy ingredient glossary at the back.

[Julian Cribb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Charmaine, where would my curry dinners have been without you? You have guided me for more than 30 years in my culinary fumblings, with deftness, grace, flavour, spice, imagination and mouth-watering deliciousness. This is a new, enlarged edition of her classic work and in my humble estimate is quite simply the best all-round Asian cookbook available. Covers each Asian country with many traditional and some more modern or non traditional recipes.

[Dyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Complete Asian Cookbook" by Charmaine Solomon, buku besar hardcover setebal 512 halaman yang beratnya paling enggak 2 kilo sendiri. Isinya lengkap dengan resep masakan-masakan khas Asia : India, Pakistan, Srilanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Burma, Thailand, Kamboja, Laos, Vietnam, Phillipines, China, Korea, Jepang.

[Tina Mumm · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the best cookbooks i have ever owned. only minor hitch is sometimes finding the ingredients that the recipes call for - many times i have to do additional research on the ingredients/cooking/presentation methods (which is really no big deal). i plan on owning/using this cookbook for many, many years.

[Bruce Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Came back from my first overseas trip in 1988, determined to learn more about food. After six months in Europe, I bought, at the suggestion of a friend, the Complete Asian Cookbook. It changed my life.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic that preserves Great Recipes from a particular time period and before without dumbing them down. Indispensable as a cook's reference, the book also features great food writing; it would be a mistake not to read the vivid descriptions of meals and people in each section's introduction.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sampling of recipes from various Asian countries. The concepts and purpose of food in Asian societies is discussed and well a the butchering of chickens and fish. Thirteen different countries are represented. There are numerous color photographs.

[Ariel Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warm and informative companion, with me since 1976. Some reviews panned it. Harshly, I think. I guess even recipe books can be obtained, used, for different objectives, aims. This book was my first cookbook. Tastes have changed, and so have cookbooks. But some last forever.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapters broken down by region/country. Insane amount of information (this books is over 400 pages). Given to me by Kiran's mum (who is on her 3rd copy), so you know its got to be good.

[limber tender · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have lived out of this cookbook for years!

[Gene Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I needed to know regarding Asian and Pacific Rim cuisines. Very informative, a classic!