East

August 3, 2020
Sodha, a vegan columnist at the Guardian, delivers a cheery compendium of Asian dishes. Many recipes from her column appear here among dozens more; all are either vegan or vegetarian and marked as such. A healthy selection of snacks includes Japanese onigiri rice balls with dabs of a walnut miso mixture, and noodle dishes feature Singapore-style rice vermicelli. Sodha has a relaxed tone and a firm grasp on fundamentals, and her playful voice shines: among the curries on offer is a version of her mother’s subji—a stir-fry of “whatever’s lurking in the fridge in a game we call ‘fridge bingo’.” An entire chapter is dedicated to tofu dishes, including silken tofu with pine nuts and pickled chiles, and tempeh with bok choy and tomato sambal. Sodha offers encouragement and plenty of ingredient substitutes (can’t find fresh silken tofu? Buy it prepackaged, but “make sure you cut carefully along the edges of the carton and open the pack gently so as not to break it up”). While many dishes are familiar, there are a few surprises, such as a loaf of Korean cheddar cheese bread with eggs running end-to-end down the middle, and a vegan semolina pineapple cake from Sri Lanka. Sodha’s generous spirit permeates these enticing and accessible recipes.

Starred review from September 1, 2020
Sodha (Fresh India, 2016; Made in India, 2014) rounds out her trilogy of cookbooks with this vegetable-based offering. Each chapter is a type of food: snacks and small things, salads, noodles, curries, rice, tofu, flour and eggs, legumes, sides, condiments, and sweets. The last chapter, helpful things, is a reference guide to Asian ingredients and a list of online suppliers to find them. The book is further organized by meal type and seasonal foods, which busy readers will find helpful. Each chapter contains information and a little history. For instance, the noodles chapter explains how to cook noodles, portion suggestions, and the different types of noodles and their uses. It also features pictures that label the noodle types so readers can easily identify them. Overall, Sodha's recipes are quick and a joy to make, like the dorayaki pancakes with blueberry cream, which make a wonderful snack. Sodha writes in a thoughtful and caring way with a sincerity that home cooks will find encouraging. Readers might also be inspired by Sodha's journey into veganism. This book is recommended for readers of all cooking levels. It is also recommended for libraries that do cooking programs for teens or adults.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

Starred review from September 1, 2020

For Sodha, author of the Guardian's popular "New Vegan" column, developing plant-based recipes means bringing creativity to each dish. With that in mind, she presents an exciting collection of inventive recipes that she's come to love over the years. Many recipes, such as piccalilli spiced rice, were previously featured in her column, while others, like roast green beans and broccoli with sesame sauce, were inspired by her travels. Through it all, Sodha ensures that each dish is practical in terms of sourcing ingredients, cooking with minimal prep during busy week nights, and satisfying even the pickiest carnivore. While each chapter, from curries to condiments, is a winner in its own right, the section on rice dishes sets itself apart with its innovative approaches to the common ingredient, such as autumn pilau with squash, lacinato kale, and smoked garlic. Illustrations of fruits and vegetables by Forsberg add a touch of fun throughout. VERDICT As in her column, Sodha presents low-effort, high-reward cooking. Home cooks, especially those looking to incorporating more vegetables into ordinary meals, will be won over by her personable advice and reassuring voice.--Stephanie Sendaula, Library Journal

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.