From the best-selling authority on Chinese cooking, a groundbreaking cookbook based on the Asian philosophy of food as health-giving. These 200 delectable recipes not only taste superb but also have specific healing properties. It’s a question of balance: countering yin, or cooling, foods, with yang, or hot, foods, and neutralizers like rice and
noodles. It is all here in this remarkable book. From the exotic to the earthy, Simonds will convince you that you can enjoy marvelous food every day—relishing its good taste and knowing it is good for you.
A Spoonful of Ginger
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Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Part cookbook, part primer of Chinese medicine, Nina Simonds's A Spoonful of Ginger offers dietary advice, herbal home remedies, and lively, unintimidating Asian recipes for the American home cook. Try Braised Duck with Tangerine Peel and Sweet Potato as a cure for high blood pressure. Baked Black Bean Shrimp might be just the dish to get you over that bout of depression. Simonds presents the ailing reader with concoctions to relieve everything from hangovers to frostbite.
And lovers of fine food need not despair--medical advice is kept brief, presumably to make room for more delicious recipes. For example, Steamed Fish with Black Mushrooms and Prosciutto makes no claims to cure anything but hunger. And any volume on health food that features a substantial section on pork (check out Spicy Pork Tenderloin with Leeks and Fennel) can hardly be called austere or old-fashioned. With tastes from all over Asia represented, from Indian curries to Japanese miso, these 200 dishes are tasty riffs on Chinese themes that should cure even the most jaded of palates. --David Kalil --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
Diverging from what she believes is the Western tendency to regard food as the "enemy," Asian food authority Simonds (Classic Chinese Cuisine; Asian Noodles) has compiled a cookbook espousing the Asian holistic philosophy of food as a "nurturing, benevolent friend that maintains and restores health." Simonds describes the Chinese holistic approach to food and eating as one that is in sync with the seasons, matched to individual body type and specific developmental periods (infancy through mature adulthood). She also explains how the key concepts of yin and yang are applied to achieve dietary balance and harmony. Divided into soups, seafoods, poultry, meats, vegetables and "neutralizers" (rice, breads and noodles), each of the 200 recipes contains purported therapeutic properties based on traditional Chinese medicine: Spicy Garlic Lobster is recommended for impotence and improving appetite, and Red-Cooked Lamb with Sweet Potatoes will help with general weakness and anemia. Engaging anecdotes and sidebars spoon-feed nuggets of Chinese holistic wisdom (for example, ginger is believed to rid the body of toxins, and duck dishes are prescribed to alleviate dizziness from hypertension). The last three chapters are devoted specifically to "food as medicine," including immune system-fortifiers tofu and soybeans, therapeutic sweet soups (Steamed Asian Pears with Honey and Almonds, for sore throats) and constitutional tonics (Lotus Root Cooler, for detoxifying the liver). Prescribing recipes for wellness in easily palatable prose, Simonds offers a well-researched and practical guide to holistic cooking (and eating) with sensuous, Eastern flair.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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More About the Author
Nina Simonds is one of the country's leading authorities on Asian cooking and is an award-winning journalist. She is the author of 11 books on Chinese cuisine and culture, including the best-selling Asian Noodles and A Spoonful of Ginger, which won both the IACP and the James Beard Foundation Book Award for health. Simonds' last book Spices of Life: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Great Health was selected by Cooking Light Magazine as their #1 choice for the best "Healthy" cookbook published in the last 25 years. She has won three James Beard awards. Her website with innovative video blogs (www.spicesoflife.com) was launched in February of 2007 and is featured regularly on The Daily Beast. Her articles have appeared at GourmetLive.com, Epicurious.com, and in the "Off Duty" section of The Wall Street Journal.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
107 of 108 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
This is one of the best books for busy people who want to eat healthy, flavorful meals. I've prepared several dishes from this book and every one is a winner. Simonds' recipes use easy to find ingredients; they are quick to prepare and, best of all, they are delicious. The flavors are crisp and clean. If your only experience with Asian food is the local carry-out Chinese outlet, you will be amazed at what Asian home cooking can taste like.In addition, Simmond provides a fascinating insight into traditional Chinese medicine. This is a wonderful companion book her excellent "Asian Noodle."
52 of 52 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I got this book online a week ago after thumbing through it at my local bookstore. Already I've made two of the recipes in the book, and they tasted heavenly! This cookbook is a MUST for the Asian foods enthusiast. Very easy to follow instructions, and easy to find ingredients. Contains recipes from many different Asian cuisines. I bought it primarily because I was looking for good oriental soup recipes, and the soup recipe I tried last night is just outstanding (Chicken Miso Soup with Snow Peas). My 19-month old toddler just loved it, and asked for seconds. I also tried a vegetable dish with a nice sauce, and again my little girl surprised me by eagerly eating all the veggies. The sauce is very versatile, and I've used it a second time with other vegetables I had on hand. Highly recommend this cookbook!
39 of 42 people found the following review helpful
By sharon topi
Format:Hardcover
I absolutely love this cookbook! I have searched for years to find a good Asian cookbook and this is it. Next to my Joy of Cooking, I can't live without it. The recipes are delicious, simple, easy to make; the ingredients easy to find (and I live in an area where not many people seem to be into Asian cuisine, unfortunately). Even those who don't care for most Asian food will find recipes they love in this book. My children love these recipes, and they are typical McDonald's lovin' preschoolers. Two thumbs up! You must give this cookbook a try! It is definitely the best Asian cookbook I have ever tested.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Definate Winner
She is an amazing author. She chooses her ingredients,many can be used from recipe to recipe, and the best cooking style. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Frank Bach
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
I have encountered numerous problems with this book. Some of these problems are:
1) The instructions can be too vague, such as when she simply uses the phrase, cook for... Read more
1) The instructions can be too vague, such as when she simply uses the phrase, cook for... Read more
Published 18 months ago by David S. Goldy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good book
This book has some great recipes. The photos are very nice as well. If you are looking for new ways to use ginger, this is the book. Read more
Published 19 months ago by TP
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
A wonderful book which came in a timely fashion and was in better condition than it was said to be. My experience was very satisfactory.
Published 21 months ago by penny
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good recipes, paired with info on Chinese medicine
This book is one of my favorites for Asian cooking. The recipes are easy to follow and the dishes are tasty, so I make a number of them regularly. Read more
Published on November 4, 2010 by madaboutbrubeck
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
I was excited about this book, couldn't wait to start cooking. Much to my surprise it has almost no pictures. It is not fun to have a cook book without the visuals. Read more
Published on October 25, 2010 by Ebru Giritligil
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Asian Dishes
I love this book. This was my first mostly Chinese cook book in my kitchen. I've made
-Ma Po Tofu
-Spicey Seafood Stew
-Turkey Congee w/ rice instead of Barley... Read more
-Ma Po Tofu
-Spicey Seafood Stew
-Turkey Congee w/ rice instead of Barley... Read more
Published on April 26, 2010 by Justin Lau
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Spoonful of Ginger
My husband's acupuncturist has this book in his office, available for his patients to browse and borrow. Steve brought it home for me to read and I was sold! Read more
Published on April 11, 2010 by Pamela Bolton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome, Delicious, Nutritious--it doesn't get better than this!
After being consistently surprised with the quality of recipes I've made from this cookbook, I felt compelled to throw in my . Read more
Published on September 6, 2008 by WendyGirl
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great cookbook
I love this cookbook! The blurb on the jacket by Nora Pouillon says it better than I could. "Recipes that not only are full of flavor and taste delicious but most of all are good... Read more
Published on June 25, 2007 by Eaman
