I have a little bit of a cookbook problem. You see, when we moved to our current home, we dedicated a reasonable sized bookcase to the cookbooks. It had four shelves, was about two and a half feet wide, and seemed perfectly fine. Until I started putting my cookbooks on it. There was a little overflow, a few cookbooks I put on another shelf, some books that I recategorized as “travel books.” But the problem only got worse. It’s not that I buy a ton of cookbooks — I mean, I do buy a few, sometimes to cook with, sometimes as a souvenir when I’m traveling, sometimes because I really can’t resist a used book sale. But I also receive cookbooks as gifts. And cookbooks have a way of finding their way into my house in other ways too. As a result, I have several cookbooks that are more for recreational reading than actual cooking, per se, and several more that never really see the light of day (but do look so ornamental on that bookcase. And the surrounding bookcases as well.)
The point is, I have a lot of cookbooks, and while I don’t mind this, my husband seems to think my collection is a bit … excessive. So you know a new cookbook is good when he comes up to me and says “You know, that cookbook really fills a niche that I think was missing from your cookbook collection.” This cookbook isn’t only endorsed by me, it’s endorsed by him, and that is a rare thing indeed, when it comes to cookbooks.
The cookbook in question is, of course, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook by Jaden Hair
I like Asian food, but apart from a liberal use of sriracha and some hybrid recipes, like my super quick Thai style turkey or Vietnamese style sandwiches, I had never cooked it much at home. The markets were a little too intimidating, and most of the cookbooks, with their focus on authenticity, were intimidatingly dense. The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook makes Asian recipes accessible and approachable. The cookbook features recipes that are influenced by Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, and includes techniques and tips for everything from making good, fluffy fried rice (use rice that’s at least a day old) to shopping in an Asian market.
I don’t like to review cookbooks the second I get my hot little hands on them. I like to live with a cookbook, to see how it fits into my life, before I come on here and recommend it. And this is one that fits in quite well. Thanks to Jaden, I felt armed to go into the local Asian Supermarket, and now I have the ingredients to make things like Beef with Broccoli (my husband’s favorite takeout dish) that actually taste like they’re supposed to, only better and fresher, and homemade (sadly, I live across town from the good Chinese takeout). I learned that the savory bits in the braised string beans, my favorite dish at the Chinese restaurant I ate in growing up, were not pork as I had thought, but preserved radish, and what’s more, I can make it for myself whenever I want. I’ve been introduced to furikake, a Japanese answer to seasoning salt, which enhances everything from crispy kale to baked potatoes, and lap sieung, a Chinese dried sausage, which has been featuring prominently in my Okonomiyaki as well as the fried rice I’ve made according to her instructions (pictured above). And I finally feel like I have the confidence and the resources to cook good Chinese food in my own kitchen.
The really lovely thing is that Jaden isn’t dogmatic about her ingredients. She’s fairly cavalier about using cross-cultural influences in her own dishes (the above mentioned fried rice, for example, which is Chinese in origin, is flavored with Thai fish sauce instead of the heavier soy), and when asked about the type of noodles used for the recipe below, she said that spaghetti would be fine. The cookbook and the recipes therein focus on flavor rather than authenticity, and as a result this is a book you feel comfortable cooking with.
One of the recipes that has become a mainstay in our household for weekend lunch is these garlic butter noodles. The basic idea — garlic, butter and sugar — lends itself to many iterations — I’ve made it with tofu, plain or with the shrimp as pictured. Sometimes I’ve replaced the scallions called for in Jaden’s recipe with sauteed onions, sometimes with garlic chives. I happen to not have any oyster sauce in the house, so I’ve replaced it with both Japanese tonkatsu sauce and with an Americanized teriyaki sauce. And it’s been delicious every time. This is a cookbook that I keep going back to, and I’d recommend that you go back to it, too.
- 7 ounces skinny dry egg noodles or chow mein noodles(half the package)
- 4 oz. raw, peeled shrimp
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon maggi seasoning or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
- 3.5 tablespoons butter
- Boil the noodles according to the package directions -- they should be just slightly al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat about 2 T of the butter, then cook the shrimp until pink. Pull out the shrimp and set aside.
- Add the remaining butter to the butter in the pan. Add the onions, and fry until translucent -- add the garlic a little bit in, but careful not to let it burn. Add brown sugar, fish sauce and teriyaki sauce.
- Add the noodles, fry for a couple of minutes, and stir thoroughly to coat the noodles with the sauce. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Serve warm.
These look and sound amazing! Bookmarking this!
I’ve really been meaning to get her book, your review really sealed it for me. Plus, I planned to make shrimp tonight and I’ve got all the ingredients on hand to make the garlic butter noodles, so I’m going to make that!
Cookbooks, gotta love them! My shelves overflowith also! The shrimp recipe looks great! Thanks again for another good post. (love-love your blog!!)
If ever I write a cookbook I’d ask to have you review it :-). Isn’t it amazing how cookbooks increase and multiply? I learned a trick a few years back. When a new book is permanently added to the collection an old one has to go. It’s amazing how discriminating one becomes.
What amazing noodles and a lovely blog…..found ur comment on good life and wanted to share with u my barely there ,little know about butter chicken n korma ie to answer ur question ,they are different yeah ,though both are pretty cream but butter chicken has tomato puree /paste and all the indian garam masala’s while korma has jus a few of ’em …love ’em both…this is to best of my knowledge …and yeah for butter chicken we do grind cashewnuts and for korma Almonds…
cheers and a wonderful weekend to ya while i browse thru ur lovely blog….
I’ll have to take a look at her book! But my cookbook bookcase is full so I’ll have to make some changes…which probably involve buying another bookcase.
99 ranch is a great store but you know, the asian stores can get a little crazy. My hubby is Chinese and I’m half-Japanese and I don’t cook asian food at all. Eating it is good but cooking is scares me. I need to try this!
PS the fact that you have okonomiyaki on here just made my day!
Great review of Steamy Kitchen. I have yet to peruse this cookbook. Never would have thought those were preserved radishes in the Braised String Beans, I also thought they were pork!
Gotta try the Furikake on my baked kale chips….love that seasoning!
I absolutely LOVE this book! I’ve had it for a month or so now, and have yet to put it down!! Your review is dead on! I agree 100%!!!!
Every single recipe I have made from Jaden’s book has been a hit in our home. Such a great book to have! I’ve made the summer rolls with dipping sauce, meatballs, beef with broccoli (3 times already), coconut shrimp, and at least 1 other that I’m forgetting.
I’m glad to read this because although I have not used this book yet, I got it for Christmas.
This is what I mean.
I bought it for myself, wrapped it up, and put it under the tree. (That way I didn’t have to depend on anybody getting for me!)
Sounds like we have a similar addiction. Great minds and all that, right? I have yet to cook from this book but glad to hear (from a trusted source) that it is a good one!
Happened onto this site while searching for a recipe for some turkey cutlets in my freezer that I want to work into a stir fry. I too have cookbook addiction and my shelves are overflowing, but I also just purchased The Steamy Kitchen. I haven’t cooked from it yet, but have enjoyed reading through it. Mostly I was struck by her flexibility which is how I roll in the kitchen, so it’s right down my alley.
i love jaden…not only is she so sweet and kind hearted, her recipes are all amazing!
I also have a cookbook problem. I can’t seem to walk by a bookstore without going in and I can’t seem to go in without buying a book. There should be a support group, Book Addicts Anonymous…..but, there’s always room for one more!
I have this cookbook too and that’s one of the recipes earmarked for me to try soon!
I haven’t even made one recipe yet. I better get on it. Everything you made sounds delicious and the garlic noodles look great! Are you going to Blogher Food this time???
oh my goodness! I’m blushing! Thanks so much!!!