The Asian Grill: Great Recipes, Bold Flavors

There's much more to grilling than crackling flames, a good pair of tongs and a nice cut of meat. Trang has cooked her way through countless dishes from China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and India, learning about spices and sauces and grilling techniques all the way. She draws upon her experiences to create this wide-ranging compendium of recipes for flavorful dishes that embrace the yin-yang principle: "simple-to-make menus consisting of one grilled food served alongside nongrilled but simple-to-prepare dishes." From condiments to breads, vegetables to meats, no food group goes unaddressed. Among the 80 recipes are ones for Miso Salad Dressing, Scallion Flat Breads, Sour Mango Salad, Chicken Satay and Grilled Sardines, and Asian Clambake. Trang (Authentic Vietnamese Cooking ) explores and emphasizes flavor and texture, and two comprehensive introductory chapters impart details about the history of Asian grilling, how to stock an Asian pantry and the best grilling tools and techniques. A simple, elegant layout boosts readability, and the text's friendly, encouraging tone will surely give even hesitant home cooks the gumption to make Sweet Coconut Tapioca with Summer Corn and Banana. Photos. (May)