Simply Vegetarian Thai Cooking

Chef and food writer McDermott (300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes), who spent three years living in Thailand, has created a wonderful collection of distinctly Thai dishes. This strictly vegetarian cookbook features 125 recipes, of which 100 are also vegan. They include snacks and soups, curries and stir-fries, and drinks and sweets. For those looking to entertain, the book also features a suggested menu section from which to select complete meals. It contains a useful glossary of foods and cooking techniques. Fresh vegetables make for colorful meals while coconut milk, Asian bean sauce, and curry heighten flavor and excite the senses. While the recipes are relatively easy to follow and cooking times are short, the preparation time can be long as one cuts and trims vegetables, but it is well worth the effort. Many items contain egg or tofu, which are introduced in imaginative yet easy ways and add distinctive taste and texture to already scrumptious dishes. This is a perfect cookbook for the health conscious in search of new culinary experiences and the delight of fragrances and tastes typical of Thai cuisine. Photos are beautiful but somewhat sparse. (Mar.)