A Spoonful of Ginger : Irresistible Health-Giving Recipes from Asian Kitchens (Hardcover)

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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

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.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; 1 edition (April 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375400362
• ISBN-13: 978-0375400360
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #277,068 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 98 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I would give this book 6 stars if I could., August 18, 1999

By A Customer

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."

49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you love Asian foods, this book is a MUST!, March 3, 2000

By	A cookbook enthusiast (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

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!

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars my favorite cookbook, July 2, 2000

By	sharon topi (clinton, ny United States) - See all my reviews

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.