101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die

Chef and media personality Tila presents an inspiring collection of classic Asian dishes as well as novel riffs on them. Tila hits all the high notes, with spot-on recipes for familiar dishes such as beef and broccoli, General Tso’s chicken, pineapple fried rice, and pad thai. He also suggests inventive mash-ups such as Thai barbecue chicken with sweet chili sauce and provides recipes for dishes less commonly known to Westerners, for example a curry braised beef with rice noodles from northern Thailand and Pad See You with Chicken, his take on a Thai dish made with sweet Chinese soy sauce. Home cooks pressed for time will appreciate Tila’s streamlined beef pho that comes together in a little under an hour instead of the entire day it usually requires, while foodies interested in stretching their abilities may want to try making their own sriracha or whipping up chap chae, a lesser-known Korean dish with glass noodles and sweet, slightly salty beef that can be prepared in minutes. Readers of all skill levels and heat tolerances will appreciate Tila’s instructions, which emphasize flavor without calling for hours of prep or multiple trips to specialty stores. (June)