Compestine (Cooking with Green Tea) delivers another health-oriented book specializing in Asian cuisine and culture. Heavily emphasizing the Chinese belief in balance, Compestine applies the concept to food, which she divides into cool (yin) and hot (yang) foods with neutral foods in between. After starting with an Asian food pyramid to show the balance of a healthy diet, she offers the "Six Key Ingredients to a Healthy Asian Kitchen," which include the staples of ginger, soy and ginseng. Each ingredient is discussed in all its permutations before going on to "Cooking Basics," which contains sections on cooking equipment, methods and other ingredients. Her recipes begin with the basics, flavorful sauces, some aromatic like the Spicy Sesame Sauce, some cool as with the Yogurt-Mint Sauce and ideal accompaniment to spicy or grilled dishes. Finger foods are not forgotten and include the traditional Fresh Spring Rolls, which are given a healthy twist by using dried rice paper wrappers. She then offers Western salads with Asian influence, such as the Spinach Salad with Avocado and Tofu. The salads lead into "Meals in a Wok," where she explains the technique of stir-frying. Filled with tips, variations, cultural notes and anecdotes the book is well-thought-out, accentuating health and applying it to a popular cuisine. (July)
