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Simple Thai Food: Classic Recipes from the Thai Home Kitchen Hardcover – May 13, 2014

by Leela Punyaratabandhu (Author)

100 customer reviews

in Thai Cooking, Food & Wine

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Thai takeout meets authentic, regional flavors in this collection of 100 recipes for easy, economical, and accessible Thai classics--from the rising star behind the blog She Simmers.

Who can say no to a delicious plate of Pad Thai with Shrimp; a fresh, tangy Green Papaya Salad; golden Fried Spring Rolls; or a rich, savory Pork Toast with Cucumber Relish? Thai food is not only one of the most vibrant, wonderfully varied cuisines in the world, it also happens to be one of the tastiest, and a favorite among American eaters.

The good news is, with the right ingredients and a few basic tools and techniques, authentic Thai food is easily within reach of home cooks. Take it from Leela Punyaratabandhu, a Bangkok native and author of the popular Thai cooking blog She Simmers. In her much-anticipated debut cookbook, Leela shares her favorite recipes for classic Thai fare, including beloved family recipes, popular street food specialties, and iconic dishes from Thai restaurant menus around the world.

All of Leela’s recipes have been tested and tweaked to ensure that even the busiest cook can prepare them at home. With chapters on key ingredients and tools, base recipes, one-plate meals, classic rice accompaniments, and even Thai sweets, Simple Thai Food is a complete primer for anyone who wants to give Thai cooking a try. By the end of the book, you’ll be whipping up tom yam soup and duck red curry that will put your local takeout joint to shame. But perhaps more importantly, you’ll discover an exciting new world of Thai flavors and dishes—including Stir-Fried Chicken with Chile Jam, Leaf-Wrapped Salad Bites, and Crispy Wings with Three-Flavored Sauce—that will open your eyes to all the wonderful possibilities that real Thai cooking has to offer.

Simple Thai Food: Classic Recipes from the Thai Home Kitchen

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Many ethnic cuisines seem forbidding to the home chef because exotic ingredients aren’t readily available and because of the required painstaking (and time-consuming) preparations. Relax in the hands of newbie author and experienced food-blogger Punyaratabandhu, who streamlines her way to the table with popular dishes like satay, pad thai, curries, and congees, among others. Not content with simplifying instructions, she also identifies which foodstuffs can accept substitutes and which can’t (like lemongrass and galangal). Even better, there’s an appended list of online ordering sources for those nonmetro dwellers. The more than 100 recipes fall into one of four categories: noshes and nibbles, rice accompaniments, one-plate or bowl meals, and sweets, each with a colorful preface. With her instructions (and assurances), readers just might try oxtail soup, rice congee with pork dumplings and eggs, herb-baked cashews, and pumpkin custard. Many of the basic recipes that inform Thai cooking are gathered at the back, from steamed glutinous rice (aka sticky rice) to all types of curry paste. This is a new appreciation for a quiet cuisine. --Barbara Jacobs

Review

"Thai has long been underrepresented in my pantry, my refrigerator and on my cookbook shelves because I never felt I had enough support to cook much beyond a beef curry made with canned coconut milk and a commercial red curry paste. Punyaratabandhu's practical and calming tone -- plus her delicious-sounding recipes -- make me want to do much more Thai cooking." - The Chicago Tribune

"I have generally found "Quick," "Easy," and "Simple" to be disingenuous labels when it comes to Thai cookbooks [...] But Punyaratabandhu seems to pull it off, coming up with recipes that are weeknight-doable yet electric with ingredients you can just about find if you try hard [...]. Shortcuts or not, they're desperately delicious." - National Public Radio

"... blogger Leela Punyaratabandhu (shesimmers.com) has a way of marrying convenience with high flavor ...." - GOOD READS OF 2014, National Public Radio

"Punyaratabandhu [...] does simplify the complexity of Thai cuisine. [...] To write this book, she travelled back to Bangkok where she visited friends and family and interviewed street vendors and other cooks so she could best capture the flavours of her home country in a way that a North American could get." - The Globe and Mail

"... Punyaratabandhu's [...] a masterful hand-holder: If you love Thai food but the ingredients and preparation have you cowed, this is the book to get ..." - THE 20 BEST COOKBOOKS OF 2014, The Globe and Mail

"... The work developed into this, her first cookbook, and it shows a confidence and care absent in many books by more seasoned authors. [...] "Simple Thai Food" is what it says: unusually simple, and still really Thai. It's written with grace, dedication, and humor, and there's nothing like it on the market. [...] In other words, if you want a single Thai book, this is it." - The Boston Globe

"... Written by the popular shesimmers.com blogger, this is the best home Thai book currently available ..." - TOP 10 COOKBOOKS OF 2014, The Boston Globe

"Simple Thai Food [...] takes a measured approach to traditional Thai cuisine; it is neither dogmatic nor full of shortcuts. [...] Punyaratabandhu writes most of these recipes as she would prepare them for Thai guests [...]. Yet in her extensive and detailed headnotes, she includes helpful hints for preparation, shopping tips, and, most importantly, good ideas for substitutes. In this way, readers are given a wealth of options, none more (or less) delicious than the last ..." - THE YEAR IN COOKBOOKS: OUR FAVORITE READS OF 2014, Serious Eats

Best Book of 2014, NPR
Best Cookbook of 2014, The Globe and Mail
Best Cookbooks of 2014—Serious Eats

“Simple Thai Food is just what folks need: a simple, easy-to-follow cookbook on a delicious cuisine (and one of my favorites!) that most people aren’t used to making at home. With clear, friendly instructions and valuable tips and techniques, Leela unlocks the flavors and seasonings of real Thai cooking—spicy salads, coconut-rich soups, blazing bowls of curry, and the fiery, flavorful condiments that go alongside. Thanks to Leela, I’m excited to create these authentic Thai dishes in my own kitchen!”
—David Lebovitz, author of My Paris Kitchen

“In this compendium of favorite Thai dishes, Leela has managed to make the recipes accessible and straightforward for a home cook, and to keep them very true to what a modern Thai cook (in Thailand as well as in the West) would recognize as ‘authentic.’ She does offer substitutions when ingredients are more difficult to find, but they never skew far from what a Thai mom would use in her own kitchen. Leela even sneaks in a few dishes that you might not find in your local Thai restaurant, but will probably become your favorites!”
—Andy Ricker, chef/owner of the Pok Pok restaurants and author of Pok Pok

“Leela has crafted an authoritative, opinionated, and thoroughly down-to-earth collection of traditional Thai recipes, written especially for cooks who weren’t lucky enough to be born in Thailand. All the basics are here, beautifully organized, from curry paste to coconut milk and beyond.”
—David Tanis, author of One Good Dish

“Simple Thai Food is a beautiful snapshot of Leela’s effort to stay connected to her Bangkok roots through food, and a wonderfully practical guide for those of us who want to create authentic Thai flavors at home.”
—James Oseland, editor-in-chief of Saveur and author of Cradle of Flavor

“Leela re-creates her beloved taste memories, and then invites us in—offering tools, inspiration, and fresh context in equal measure. You will want these recipes for so many reasons—the craft, joy, deliciousness, backstory—and you will want (and come close to experiencing) Leela herself at your table, imparting her fine intelligence and warmth.”
—Mollie Katzen, author of The Moosewood Cookbook and The Heart of the Plate

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details

Hardcover: 236 pages
Publisher: Ten Speed Press (May 13, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1607745232
ISBN-13: 978-1607745235
Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 0.9 x 9.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,786 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Asian Cooking > Thai
- #19 in Books > Travel > Asia > Southeast
- #134 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Cooking Methods > Quick & Easy

Customer Reviews

100

4.5 out of 5 stars

5 star		74%
4 star		14%
3 star		6%
2 star		3%
1 star		3%

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Top Customer Reviews

Homemade and authentic Thai Recipes

By SamDi on June 13, 2015

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

I'm a Thai who grew up in Thailand and now live in the US. I have been cooking some simple Thai dishes at home. Now that I'm pregnant and have morning sickness I have no energy to cook. I asked my husband (American) to cook some Thai foods following the instructions in this book. He hasn't cooked any Thai foods before but he has tasted several exotic Thai dishes. I'm very impressed with the results as he carefully follows the recipes and instructions in this cookbook. He said the instructions are very clear and the cooking is fairly simple.
I looked at a few other Thai cookbooks and found this book contained the most day-to-day homemade meals that I grew up with. The cooking style is homemade and authentic Thai. The dishes once done may look different than what you will see from Thai restaurants in the US.
For example, Pad Thai, I grew up seeing how it was made on a daily basis. Pad Thai in Thailand will have a light (clear) color which I prefer while Pad Thai at most Thai restaurants in the US will have red or dark brown color which I believe the sauces have been modified.
Needless to say my husband and I are very happy with this cookbook. If you'd like to try the homemade versions of Thai foods, I highly recommend this book.

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Simply perfect

By Lisa C on June 27, 2014

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

Let me start by saying that I have lived in Thailand for the past two years. Some other reviewers have mentioned the title of the book perhaps being something of a misnomer. I can understand that sentiment, but I disagree. This cookbook is is all about simple Thai food. Not American-simple, "ready in 20 minutes using ingredients always in your pantry," but simple as in truly, simply, the food that is served in Thai homes. Not trendy restaurant Thai, not Thai fusion, not Thai-influenced: simply, Thai.

The recipes are authentic, the instructions detailed, the photography beautiful. Leela gives acceptable substitutes for potentially hard-to-find ingredients when they exist, and when a substitute just won't do she makes that clear as well. She also includes an introduction for most recipes which includes where she got the recipe or the traditional background of that food. In short, this is the perfect cookbook for someone who simply wants to learn about and cook real Thai food.

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Get ready for some serious Thai cooking!

By I Do The Speed Limit TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on May 13, 2014

Format: Kindle Edition

If you like her blog, you will love this cookbook! But be aware, "simple" does not mean quick. And, "simple" does not necessarily mean suitable for week night cooking. And, "simple" does not mean few ingredients, either.

I gave serious thought to my star-rating for this book. (Well, I always give my review ratings serious thought, but this one seemed to be a tougher decision.) Four stars just does not do justice to this book, but it's not a perfect five-star book either....I hope you all don't mind that I've decided on a 4.5 rating, and on Amazon's scale, I've rounded it up. I don't consider it a cop-out: No. I have trouble with the word "Simple" in the title, but there is SO MUCH worthy in this book that it's better than a four-star.

Having some knowledge of Thai foods and having looked at Leela's blog, I should have known that "Simple" Thai Food was a misnomer--at least for me. While I have access to Thai ingredients by way of a home garden and a weekly trip up to the big city, I don't always have access to beautiful fresh fish. And I did not grow up in house where wok cooking and deep frying were everyday occurrences.

I guess I'm saying that "unfamiliar" is rarely "simple", and what is "familiar" is always "simpler.

I have no trouble following her instructions or finding the ingredients, but the recipes are a learning experience for me, therefore, they take more time than I am willing to spend for a week night meal.

Ms. Punyaratabandhu strives to be authentic, and that is very admirable. Some people will purchase this book because they can trust the authenticity of its recipes, and because the dishes remind them of their heritage.Read more ›

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The best cookbook I've ever used

By Rachael Herron on June 11, 2014

Format: Kindle Edition

Seriously, not only is the writing GREAT and the explanation clear, the recipes are to die for. I kind of don't want to eat anything but her food from here on out. She understands how flavors marry each other in a way I've never seen replicated in a cookbook. You need this. I love this.

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Authentic and doable Thai

By K. L. Gallaher on May 22, 2014

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

I have followed the Author through her blog Shesimmmers (dot) com and through her She Simmers Facebook page and this book is true to them. The recipes are doable - they have a reasonable number of ingredients - which most Americans can get, and the results are true Thai - not Thai-American restaurant Thai.
I have made three meals from this book so far - the last Rice Noodles with Chicken and Chinese Broccoli. The family ate every bite. Yum,
Some recipes will be new to most, others familiar - but more authentic. The book give a lot of good tips and also ingredient substitutes where that is possible.
If you want to try Thai cooking this is a great choice.

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But this is the first one that seems to be made for the home cook and is also just wonderful. I love it

By Susan Thompson on January 13, 2015

Format: Hardcover

I own several of the most highly rated Thai cookbooks, such as Dave Thompson's and Andy Rickers, among a handful of others. But this is the first one that seems to be made for the home cook and is also just wonderful. I love it! Yes, you still will need to find an Asian grocer to get some of the ingredients, but nothing out of the ordinary. And she gives great tips for preparing and storing these aromatics. Got my lemongrass in a vase of water right now!

The Thai Curry Paste recipes alone make the book worth buying, but they are, of course, not the only fantastic thing in it. I decided to dedicate a weekend to making these pastes. I trekked to an Asian supermarket and bought all the ingredients and then got to work. Remember your gloves! The whole kitchen smelled wonderful. As I got each one done, I scooped 2 Tbsp portions into silicone cupcake liners, placed them on a baking sheet and froze them. Four hours later I could peel them out and store the disks in a freezer bag for easy access.

I wish I'd done this long ago! I made the Beef Green Curry with Thai Eggplants that night. Oh my! I will never buy jarred curry paste again. It was bright, herby, spicy....AND ACTUALLY GREEN!! None of that limp, brownish, bitter stuff ever again.

I've also made the grilled Turmeric Chicken, the Drunkards Noodles, and the Fried Rice with Chicken. Awesome. Can't wait to keep going.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

A Thai co-worker of mine recommended this book to me

A Thai co-worker of mine recommended this book to me. We tried the chicken ginger stir fry and loved it.

Published 10 days ago by William R. Sutton, IV

Five Stars

Good cook book.

Published 17 days ago by Chief Cynic In Charge

Five Stars

Great Cookbook!

Published 1 month ago by JM Young

which is always good to see in a cookbook (it's easier to look ...

I purchased this as a gift for a wedding couple. It has lots of pictures, which is always good to see in a cookbook (it's easier to look at pictures of food than to actually make... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Mr. Joseph

Five Stars

Gift for my con-in-law chef. He loves it!

Published 1 month ago by heyteach11

Five Stars

outstanding

Published 1 month ago by joe

Excellent!!!

Published 2 months ago by Coxxie

Thai Thai Oh My My

Leela Punyaratabandhu comes off as very pretentious in the way she explains the recipes in traditional Thai cuisine. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Amazon Customer

Five Stars

Excellent product, excellent seller

Published 3 months ago by johnny1329

Love!!

Love!!! I lived in Thailand, now living in the US and my husband is Thai. I have learned to make many Thai dishes well over the years, but I had gotten stuck and was not improving... Read more

Published 4 months ago by Tony

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