The Best of Vietnamese & Thai Cooking: Favorite Recipes from Lemon Grass Restaurant and Cafes (Paperback)

~ Mai Pham (Author) "Years ago, when I was asked to develop a cooking class topic based on the inherent healthfulness of Vietnamese and Thai cuisine..." (more)
Key Phrases: ground chili paste, large nonstick fry pan, minced lemon grass, Southeast Asia, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Mai Pham has woven wonderful memories between the recipes of this beautiful book: memories of her childhood in Bangkok, her Vietnamese family and their reverence for good food, her husband's search for the best pho recipe in Saigon. The recipes themselves are light, healthy, and loaded with the unique flavors -- strong and delicate, tangy and mild, sweet and mouth-puckeringly sour, always exotic and delicious -- of Southeast Asia. Pham owns the Lemon Grass Restaurant and Cafes in Sacramento, and is a well-known teacher of Southeast Asian cooking.

Review

Light, Fresh, Exotic, and Delicious! -- Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Prima Lifestyles (October 11, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761500162
• ISBN-13: 978-0761500162
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #71,831 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #6 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Asian > Vietnamese
  #11 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Asian > Thai

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Authenticity aside, the recipes are good, November 4, 2003

By	Cynthia S. Froning "astrocyn" (Longmont, CO United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As can be gathered from the reviews below, there is some disagreement as to whether the recipes in Mai Pham's cookbook represent "authentic" Thai and/or Vietnamese cooking. I'm neither Thai nor Vietnamese, but my guess would be that the recipes, which come largely from Pham's American restaurant, have been adapted somewhat to appeal to non-native palates (the spice level in the Thai recipes seems low, for example). Those looking for "authentic" Thai or Vietnamese recipes may want to look elsewhere.

That having been said, I sometimes find the authenticity fetish a bit much. If you read Pham's chapter introductions, you discover that she is a woman who has moved around a great deal, and her cooking has been influenced by multiple native traditions. Cooking in America is a real melting pot venture, and while this has led to some deserved ribbing from those whose countries have more developed palates, it has also led to a dynamic, creative treatment of food. I think Pham's work falls on the positive side of this dichotomy. To put it plainly, her recipes taste good, are well written and tested, and combine different cuisines with good results. Her recipes are not fusion, and are not ground-breaking in the way of those of say, Ming Tsai, but they are simple and tasty.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best I've seen, January 18, 2002

By	D. Waldman (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is my favorite Thai cookbook, and I have about 6. I even went to Bangkok to take a cooking class, and still came back cooking some of the stuff in this book. The recipes are easy and authentic, and I've never been disappointed with the results from the recipes that I've used (more of the thai than vietnamese).

Like all of the good asian cookbooks, it has a section on ingredients with pictures to help you find them in your asian grocer. I will say that these ingredients are often essential (always are when you are cooking SE Asian food)- do your best to find these at a market or an online supplier if you want a really authentic taste.

The strengths of the book include the sauces (VERY easy and quick), the vietnamese spring rolls, the curries, the "Gooey Ginger chicken" and some of the other stir fry dishes. The weakness: The Phad Thai is good- but not very authentic and much more labor intensive than how the Thai actually make it. I know some people just want to make Phad Thai, so in that case- look elsewhere. Otherwise, a lot of fun.

Highly recommended.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic, easy Vietamese and Thai cooking, August 25, 1999

By A Customer

I have searched high and low for a book with authentic vietnamese and Thai recipes, and Mai Pham's book is the best i have found! Her recipes are easy to follow and mouth watering! I also love this book because of the touching stories she puts at the beginning of each chapter. That added a very personal touch and insight into the way the food should be prepared and eaten. Overall, a perfect book for lovers of Asian food!