The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook: 101 Asian Recipes Simple Enough for Tonight's Dinner

by Jaden Hair

You will absolutely love the 101 Asian recipes in this easy-to-use cookbook!

This engaging cookbook includes dozens upon dozens of full-proof Asian recipes that are quick and easy to do--all in time for tonight's supper! The recipes will appeal to Americans' growing interest in Asian cuisines and a taste for foods that range from pot stickers to bulgogi burgers and from satay to summer rolls.

Whether you're hurrying to get a weekday meal on the table for family or entertaining on the weekend, author and blogger Jaden Hair will walk you through the steps of creating fresh, delicious Asian meals without fuss. In an accessible style and a good splash of humor, Jaden takes the trauma out of preparing "foreign" Asian recipes. With Jaden's guiding hand, you'll find it both simple and fun to recreate Asian flavors in your own kitchen and to share the excitement of fresh Asian food with your family and friends!

Asian recipes

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

160 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2009

Reviews

[Just - The romance reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm definitely a fan of Asian food, and enjoy cooking it at home, but I'm not extremely knowledgeable or adventurous with it. I enjoy Japanese hibachi, and my taste for Chinese doesn't good beyond the standards you find at your neighborhood Chinese spot - Sesame Chicken, Sweet n Sour, Beef & Broccoli, egg rolls, you get the idea.

With that said, although I didn't find alot of recipes in this book I see myself making, there were about 5 or 6 I have on my to make list. For the most part the ingredient lists weren't terribly long, and the instructions appear to be pretty easy to understand and very straightforward. I appreciate how Jaden Hair gives commentary on how the recipes fit into her life, and love that there are tons of photos, photos with pretty much every recipe. And I'm really impressed that she(a pretty novice photographer she says) took all the photos herself, in her home.

[Christy Chance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great starter book on Asian cooking. My oldest child loves Asian food, so I picked this up for him. I read through it with him, and we’ve now made several of the recipes. I was impressed with her breakdown of Asian ingredients, and most importantly, what to substitute in each case, since our hometown of Little Rock isn’t a grocery Mecca. Kroger barely keeps anything in stock these days, although I was able to find some of the unique cooking items on Amazon, or follow her handy substitution suggestions. Many of these meals are designed to be simple, yet flavorful, so they make for easy weeknight cooking. We look forward to trying more of them soon!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaden is a funny lady and makes some damn good food. I love a cookbook that you can also enjoy as a book. Jaden's stories before chapters or a recipe only add to the reasons why I love having this on my shelf. Aside from that, the recipes are great. I have never made fried rice that tasted half as good before her. I actually prefer it to takeout, since it has no msg. She really makes you question why someone needs to get takeout at all. Her directions are simple and straightforward and while not every ingredient may be available at your local supermarket, they are not extremely exotic either. I happen to live near a giant Korean grocery, so ingredient seeking is not an issue. The pictures are gorgeous and make you want to try out the recipes for that reason alone. It is not an extensive guide to Asian cuisine, but does cover the basic American tastes as well as a few extras you might not expect.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The intro had a good section on tools and ingredients. This book is chock-full of recipes and each one is accompanied by a beautiful photo. What I found unique about this Asian cookbook compared to other Asian cookbooks is the Sweets and Libations section-- apple ginger mint ice tea and matcha crepes-- what imagination! I had time to try only 2 recipes: Grilled Fish with Kabayaki Sauce and Coconut Shrimp, both of which I found a little disappointing. The first, I found too salty-- and would probably cut the soy sauce and add in more sugar in the future. The strength of the coconut shrimp recipe was its speed-- but could probably benefit from a 30-minute marinade in a coconut milk mixture to improve the flavor.

[Theryn Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every recipe in The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook is illustrated with a photo of the finished dish, making for good inspirational browsing—perfect coffee table material. It opens flat and stays open, which is nice if you’re actually using it to refer to while cooking. Wouldn’t want to get sticky fingerprints on these pages. The book strikes a good balance between personality and practicality. Recipes range from appetizers to dessert and everything in between. I liked that there was a sauce section, as well as various sauces/marinades included throughout—since the right sauce can shift a dish from ok to awesome.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book itself is beautifully written and the pictures are amazing. Jaden Hair is also very likeable and I love her blog as well!! However, the recipes were a bit disappointing. I tried 5 of her recipes, and all of them were either too salty, or bland and none of them I would make again. I'm not going to bother trying any of the other recipes. If possible, I always try to test out a cookbook by borrowing from the library before I purchase it, and thankfully this one was borrowed and I didn't waste my money on it. A beautiful book to browse through and look at the pictures, but the food is nothing special.

[Scotty Schrier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I challenge you to find a chef out there that is more dynamic, more approachable, more down-to-earth, and more lovable than Jaden Hair.

(Hint: You will fail.)

This is another one of those TOP 5 cookbooks. Even if I don't follow the recipes straight out...I can utilize the sauces and marinades for a variety of other things and THEY ALL WORK! Super easy to follow and written like someone who loves food.

I have had the immense pleasure of breaking bread with Jaden and she is good people. Her book bears that out.

(Secret to PERFECT shrimp? It's in the book.)

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best parts of this book is the descriptions of all the different ingredients that the author uses and the brands that she recommends. I like the recipes for the different sauces that you can make yourself and the fact that their are useful tips throughout the book. The writing style is very casual and seems kind of goofy at times but I've really enjoyed the recipes I've made so far.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful cookbook full of yummy, easy to prepare Asian dishes, as well as lots of colorful photos and funny insights from the author. Everything is made from simple ingredients that can be found at your local market. Love the Thai Chicken in Sweet Chili Sauce and the Beef Satay with Cashew Dipping Sauce. The Garlic Butter Noodles are to die for. One of my favorite cookbooks ever. Also, try the Steamy Kitchen blog -- it's awesome.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent cookbook for anyone wanting to foray into the world of Asian cuisine. Every recipe I tried in this book was delicious! I originally found this book at the library after following the author's blog for quite some time. I liked it so much that I asked for it for Christmas, and got it!

[Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the cookbook that got me started on my obsession with Asian cooking. I have made a good number of the recipes in this book and my boyfriend (who is Chinese) and I both love them. I highly recommend this cookbook and her website too. Jaden's recipes are easy to follow and her book gives you all the info you need about techniques and unfamiliar ingredients.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pictures of Recipes? Yes - All of them.
Commentary on Recipes? Yes, with lots of detailed instructions for more intricate tasks.
Nutrition Facts? No
Recipe Style? You will be required to find specialized ingredients in some cases, but overall, almost everything looks amazing.
Any Keepers? Yes, several!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new favorite cookbook, filled with easy, tasty recipes. I really like this one because it reflects the foods we enjoy...Asian or Asian inspired that are quick and easy, and made with ingredients that are easy to find locally.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Cookbook that I have easily made dinners and lunches from! I suggest picking this up if you enjoy - no - love Asian food. If you don;t already, you will after seeing some of the great dishes inside of this book!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am excited with this cookbook, because it has a lot of recipes that appear to be easy to start trying Asian cooking. I also like all the explanations and options when the author describes ingredients. Overall, yum!

[Suzy]

My go to cookbook on Asian Cuisine. Love the intro on how and what to shop for at your Pacific/ Asian Market. 've enjoyed Jaden's sense of humor too! Easy to read recipes that are advanced, but don't require super unusual ingredients.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy and inspiring dishes.. She has the complicated sauces that are typical in Asian foods made less complicated - so the recipes are easier for a weeknight...which is great (and they are still tasty.)

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous step by step instructions for a delicious variety of authentic dishes that are completely approachable by cooks of any culture. Lots of great pics of ingredients to make your trip to the Asian market a breeze.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful indroduction by the author. Beautiful pictures of the food and her family. I have yet to try one of the recipes, but this book is high on my "must try" list.

[Sara ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I copied a BUNCH of recipes from this book! They all look SO delicious!!

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaden Hair is delightful, and that shows in this A-1 cookbook. Great, makeable recipes, fun comments and information plus lots of photos. A must-have!

[bell]

I loved the peanut sauce <3 And there were a number of other recipes I wanted to try out! It'd be worth checking out of the library again.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

strangely, not many recipes sounded that appealing. seems well-written in an engaging style though, and has a mix of asian recipes.

[Charcoal · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a variety of recipes in this book that look pretty tasty and not too difficult to make.

[Cassy · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE this cookbook! so easy to do!!!

[False · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept in terms of making one recipe adaptable to several styles, but not for me. Still. For someone.

[Micah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good cookbook, the recipes are nice. The star, of course, is the photography. You can just go to the blog they have and read everything there. It's all online for free. But it is nice to have something physical that you can take into the kitchen with you in a way you can't (or at least I won't) bring a laptop into the kitchen with me. It's easier to find something I like in a cookbook than online. There's the initial thing of just having less to choose from that's helpful. There's the flash of pictures as you go through it. Obviously free is nicer (even though I get all these cookbooks from the library), but there is something hard to quantify about ease of use.