Cracking the Coconut

Chef and cooking teacher Su-Mei Yu shares the Thai love of cooking in Cracking the Coconut, the first cookbook to present Thai recipes prepared in the authentic and traditional manner. While other cookbooks on the subject suggest using convenience ingredients (which only dilute the complex flavors of Thai food), Su-Mei explains how to make these preparations from scratch, including chile pastes, coconut milk and cream and spice mixtures. The results are nothing short of extraordinary. This book contains more than 175 recipes, but is much more than just a recipe collection. Su-Mei presents a history of Thai cooking woven through with the people and customs that shaped it. Every cooking technique is described in exquisite detail, from wrapping ingredients with banana leaves to the hand motions used for grinding in a mortar and pestle. The cultural significance of ingredients and recipes is illuminated through carefully researched history and family stories. The author discusses how to prepare and use exotic foods and spices, how to match flavors and everything else necessary for building a foundation for authentic Thai cooking.