Customer Reviews

A Vegan Taste of East Africa (Vegan Cookbooks)

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The book contains recipes from a broad swath of East African nations, from Ethiopia and Sudan to Kenya and Tanzania. Some recipes (such as for injera) require more adaptation to the American or European kitchen than others. The author also includes recipes that wouldn't, it seems, be perceived by European/American readers as "exotic" enough on their own, by for example, adding grated coconut into chapati dough, which is not typically done.

Some things lose their authenticity when "translated" into vegan. This book strikes me as being more for the vegan Londoner seeking new flavors than actually reflective of the East African diet, what with its ingredient lists for soy yogurt and the like.

The book is divided into SOUPS, SNACKS, MAIN COURSES (multiple vegetables in a stew), GRAINS, VEGETABLES (mostly single vegetables), BREADS, SALADS, SAUCES AND RELISHES, DESSERTS, CAKES AND PASTRIES, and DRINKS.

It is a simple cookbook with no pictures and minimal formatting and perhaps serves as a helpful introduction to a region that is oft-forgotten in the culinary (and non-culinary) world.

"Vegan dishes vaguely inspired by East African Cuisine" would have been a more accurate title. It's definately not a good representation of East African cuisine and while there's a few good recipes in there, the sort that you'd copy down if you'd borrowed the book, it's certainly not worth buying.