The cuisine is an indispensable part of every journey to discover new lands. The land of Southeast Asia is not only endowed with wonderful scenery but also the land that provokes the most taste in the world.
Cuisine in Southeast Asian countries is not as luxurious and high-class as European food and drinks, but it always captivates visitors because of the special features in the decoration, the processing, and the unmistakable taste.
If that is enough to make you curious about the cuisine of Southeast Asian countries, then let’s take a look at 10 outstanding Southeast Asian cookbooks by culinary experts to delight your taste at home.
Lemongrass and Lime: Southeast Asian Cooking at Home
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“The layout of the book is easy to follow and we love how the beginning is dedicated to teaching the basics of southeast cooking…”- JustAGuy
Coming to this cookbook, the author will show you how to use staples in the kitchen such as coconut milk, fish sauce (the salt of Southeast Asia), and shrimp paste to delicious effect.
The author introduces more than 125 recipes for addictive street snacks like Grilled Cod in Banana Leaf with Yellow Curry, Crisp Banana Fritters, Lumpia (Filipino spring rolls) to Burmese Eggplant Salad, and even fiery cocktails, this cookbook introduces authentic dishes with modern style.
About the author: Leah Cohen is the cookbook author and owner of Pig & Khao and the Piggyback Bar in New York City. The travels throughout Southeast Asia have inspired the author’s cuisine. She is in charge of the restaurant’s kitchen with the help of her husband.
Sweet, Savory, Spicy: Exciting Street Market Food from Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and More
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“Excellent cookbook, great recipes, clear instructions, and great photos.”- Paterson
In this book, the author opens a world of wonderful flavors to try, from Malaysian Chicken Satay to Vietnamese Crispy Spring Rolls (Cha giò) to Khmer Beef Curry to Hokkien Noodles (Hokkien Mee). Furthermore, you’ll also find guides to making Southeast Asia’s most popular street food.
In particular, the author will pass on to you the secret to creating incredible Southeast Asian dishes, which are sauces. The book includes a chapter of sweet-salty, savory, and spicy options to top off your meal, including Creamy Malaysian Peanut Sauce, Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (Nam Jim Gai), and her Mum’s “Everything” Sauce.
About the author: Sarah Tiong has reached the final round of MasterChef Australia 2017 and returned to MasterChef Australia 2020. She is a commercial attorney, a private chef, and a recipe developer. Sarah also runs her own pop-up market stall, Pork Party. She lives in Sydney, Australia.
Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill: Classic Recipes for Seafood and Meats Cooked over Charcoal [A Cookbook]
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“Very functional and easy to follow cookbook. The flavors of Southeast Asia are all here and most recipes are doable at home on regular backyard grills and tools. The photos are very informative and helpful.”- William F. Jorn
In this book, the author shares a favorite barbecue from Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
You will be inspired by the culinary experts to discover more than 60 delicious recipes like Malaysian Grilled Chicken Wings, Chicken Satay with Coriander and Cinnamon, and Thai Grilled Sticky Rice, as well as recipes for skewered meats, bone-in meats, and even vegetable side dishes and flavorful sauces.
“Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill” is the perfect cookbook for anyone looking for an easy and flavorful way to expand their barbecue repertoire.
About the author: Leela Punyaratabandhu is the author of many excellent cookbooks and is honored by Epicurious as one of the 100 greatest home chefs of all time. Many of the author’s articles have appeared on CNN, Food52, TASTE, The Wall Street Journal, Serious Eats, and Dill Magazine.
Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey Through Southeast Asia
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“This is not just a beautiful book but it inspires beautiful food.”- nancy worth Davis
“Hot Sour Salty Sweet” is a collection of more than 175 recipes for dishes such as spicy salsas, grilled meat salads, welcoming soups, and exotic desserts. Recipes and stories are gorgeously illustrated with over 150 colorful dishes and travel photos.
In chapters, from Salsas to Street Foods, Noodles to Desserts, dishes from different cuisines will appear side by side: a hearty Lao chicken soup alongside Vietnamese ginger chicken soup; Thai vegetable stir-fry comes after spicy stir-fried potatoes from southwest China.
About the author: Jeffrey Alford is a writer and photographer living in northeast Thailand and Cambodia. Besides the books written together with Naomi Duguid, “How Pea Cooks: Food and Life in a Thai-Khmer Village” is a book entirely produced by Jeffrey Alford.
The author is currently developing a series of intensive culinary tours (titled Heritage Food Thailand) through Northeast Thailand and Western Cambodia (Angkor Wat area).
Naomi Duguid is a teacher, photographer, writer, cook, and world traveler. She owns many award-winning cookbooks, such as:
- Burma
- Flatbreads & Flavors: A Baker’s Atlas
- Seductions of Rice
Southeast Asia’s Best Recipes: From Bangkok to Bali [Southeast Asian Cookbook, 121 Recipes]
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In “Southeast Asia’s Best Recipes”, the author will bring you culinary tours from Bangkok to Bali with the most famous and delicious fares. The author has spent more than four decades traveling around Asia collecting the finest recipes from simple country houses to elegant restaurants.
Included with many captivating illustrations, this cookbook shows you how to cook dozens of delicious dishes like:
- Extraordinary Beef Satay
- Lemongrass Beef with Peanuts
- Green Curry Chicken
- Famous Singapore Chili Crab
- Thai Rice Soup with Pork
- Vietnamese Mixed Coconut Rice
- Spicy Sambal Eggplant
About the author: Wendy Hutton is a New Zealand author specializing in tourism and food. She has collected recipes from chefs everywhere. The author has contributed to many Asian cookbooks, including the classic “Singapore Food.” Wendy Hutton is based in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo.
Masano Kawana is an award-winning food photographer. He was born in Japan and headquartered in Singapore. His book Shunju: New Japanese Cuisine won the James Beard Award for the best cookbook photo
Burma Superstar: Addictive Recipes from the Crossroads of Southeast Asia [A Cookbook]
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“The numerous photos are luscious. The writing is heartfelt, unpretentious, and crystal-clear. Recipes are very easy to follow. Terrific ingredient glossary.”- bunnysaver
“Burma Superstar” is a cookbook that gives you the chance to savor the delicious flavors of Myanmar. The book includes outstanding dishes that reflect unique flavor blends like the iconic Tea Leaf Salad, Pork and Pumpkin Stew, Chili Lamb, Spicy Eggplant, Platha (a buttery layered flatbread), and Mohinga – a fish noodle soup that is arguably Myanmar’s national dish.
The 90 recipes in the book have been streamlined to suit home cooks of all levels. Besides, the author also provides many stunning photos and essays about the country that bring a captivating view of this jewel of Southeast Asia.
About the author: Desmond Tan was born in Burma and moved to San Francisco when he was 11 years old. Burma Superstar has been developed into four unique and thriving locations (the fifth is underway). In 2014, he founded Mya Foods – the first Bay Area company to import Burmese ingredients. In particular, you can see laphet – Burmese famous fermented tea leaves.
Kate Leahy is a cookbook writer in San Francisco. She published A16 Food + Wine (Ten Speed Press, 2008), the IACP 2009 Cookbook of the Year, Cookie Love – an NPR Best Book of 2015, and a book about Armenia. In addition, she has written for Eating Well, CNN Parts Unknown, Food52, Chicago Magazine, Epicurious, and Plate. You can visit kateleahycooks.com for information on recipes and cookbook projects.
Southeast Asian Flavors: Adventures in Cooking the Foods of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia & Singapore
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“It is really good written and the pictures are phenomenal. This book is just not for cooks, but for curious people in general with a hunger for knowledge!”- Jorge V.
This book serves to demystify Southeast Asia’s cuisine with recipes translated into years of photography, culinary training, and practical tips on cooking.
With more than 100 recipes, 700 photos, and vivid anecdotes, this cookbook is perfect for anyone who wants to learn about Southeast Asian cuisine flavors.
About the author: Robert Danhi is a chef with 25 years in the culinary world, a culinary educator at the CIA, and R & D across the globe currently leads Chef Danhi & Co. He was the finalist for the “Best Asian Cookbook in the World” cookbook in 2009. Now, Robert is continuing to write for leading food publications across the globe.
Martin Yan lives in San Mateo, California, and is a highly respected food consultant, cooking instructor, and host of various international cooking shows. He is the author of books: Martin Yan’s Asian Favorites, Martin Yan’s Feast, Chinese Cooking for Dummies, and Martin Yan’s Quick & Easy.
Jay Weinstein lives in New York City and is the author of The Ethical Gourmet, A Cup of Comfort Cookbook, and The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook.
Rice. Noodles. Yum.: Everyone’s Favorite Southeast Asian Dishes
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“This is a great recipe book with fabulous photos!”- Katrina Farese
Her travels around Southeast Asia inspired her to create this delicious collection of recipes. Thereby, you can easily bring the taste of Southeast Asian cuisine and in your family’s dishes. This book will teach you how to recreate the rich flavors of home-style Asian cuisine, street food, and everything else.
You will have the opportunity to expand your taste with dishes such as:
- Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken (Khao Soy Gai)
- Filipino-Style Paella (Beringhe)
- Pad Thai
- Pho Bo
- Dumplings
- Spring rolls
- Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Rice Noodles (Bun Thit Nuong)
- Indonesian coconut pancakes (Serabi)
About the author: Abigail Raines is the author of the cookbook and the creator of the food blog Manila Spoon. She has recipes in Taste of Home, The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, and Delish. Abigail Raines lives in Hamden, Connecticut.
Vatch’s Southeast Asian Cookbook
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“What a terrific cookbook! Vatch provides fantastic recipes, great information about equipment and techniques, and menu ideas”- Marie
Southeast Asian countries boast the most vibrant and flavorful culinary scene in the world. In this irresistible collection, the author takes you on a culinary tour of Thailand and neighboring countries.
The book includes over 100 recipes ranging from pungent crab to coconut soup and heavenly pumpkin. In particular, the recipes are filled with fresh ingredients, delicious flavors, and irresistible specialties from countries – Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore.
About the author: Vatcharin Bhumichitr is the author of several cookbooks including Thai Vegetarian and A Taste of Thai. He is the owner and chef of the world-famous Chiang Mai restaurant and Thai Bistro in London. Vatcharin lives in London.
Chicken and Rice: Fresh and Easy Southeast Asian Recipes From a London Kitchen
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“There’s a huge range of recipes and they are easy to follow, and the book is an entertaining read.”-Charlotte Zoe Angel
After the author left Singapore and moved to London to study abroad, she began to cook her own Singapore and Malaysian dishes. The author’s cuisine, taste, and cooking style are bold in China, which influenced her Chinese mother.
Special recipes ranging from Sesame Oil Chicken to Ox Cheek and Venison Rendang will bring you the perfect dinner. In particular, the book includes many delicious and healthy recipes for occasions like:
- Fennel and Minced Pork Stir Fry
- Fried Hor Fun Noodles with Kale and Beansprouts
- Tom Yum Soup with Mussels
- Steamed buns
- Egg noodles
- BBQ Sambal Lemon Sole
About the author: Shu Han Lee is a writer, chef, freelance food stylist, and graphic designer. She was named by The Sunday Times as one of Britain’s best food bloggers. In addition, the author also regularly hosts supper clubs, pop-ups, and workshops.
