Awakening the Appetite aims to perk up the meals and appetites of cancer patients.

There is only one word that best describes the cookbook Awakening the Appetite and that is Complete.

Banish all thoughts of hospital food and fare for the ailing with this colourful publication from the Parkway Cancer Centre which aims to perk up the meals and appetites of cancer patients.

It is a mistake to dismiss this as a mere cookbook best for a care-giver or someone in poor health. The recipes can easily be whipped up for any table, with the upside being the health factor.

While each recipe was developed to appeal to cancer patients, the classy suggested dishes which range from the likes of Truffle Chawan Mushi to Spicy Coconut Seafood Stew, can easily be shared with the rest of the family, making meal-times even more special and part of the healing process.

A Good Read

The recipes are the contributions of nine chefs who helm top Singapore restaurant kitchens and like most cookbooks, this will see you savouring the photos and hungry to try them out in your kitchen.

Before jumping into the food, it is however worth to spend time on the first 34 pages, starting with the foreword by Dr Ang Peng Tiam, Medical Director and Senior Consultant at Parkway Cancer Centre who puts into perspective why such a cookbook is worthy of any kitchen.

Odd as it may sound for a cookbook, but the writing throughout is warm and sincere, like an understanding friend sharing thoughts on cancer, nutrition and must-try recipes.

Even if you are not suffering from cancer, you would appreciate Awakening the Appetite which is filled with useful information in Chapter 1.

Especially useful is the A-Z of Healthful Ingredients which provides useful nuggets of information, from the benefits of dark chocolate, to kumquats and quinoa. There is also a page advising caregivers on how to cope, and also how to plan meals, all presented in an easy-to-read manner that will see you picking up tips without even having to search.

The practical cookbook even offers the Good-to-Buy-Organic vs. Okay-to-Buy-Organic shopping list.

This is a refreshing touch since many have heard of the benefits of eating organic, and seeing organic items in stores still wonder, “is it worth it?”. This list, though not exhaustive, will set you right.

The recipes follow from Chapter 2 onwards, and are divided for easy reference, from Breakfast, down to Soups, dips and savoury puddings, a chapter each on Meat, Fish and Noodles, before finishing with the sweets which as the authors chirp, “are a bit on the indulgent side but you deserve some treats”.

Treats from Kitchen to Table

Those who think being in poor health means eating poorly will be set right with this book.

The photos by Edmund Ho capture well the exquisite dishes, some of which are a feast to the eyes since cancer sufferers are at times too fatigued to eat or lack an appetite.

Each recipe is accompanied with a nutrition analysis and a colourful stub to indicate if it’s easy to make or requires some pre-preparation.

It's good to note that few of the recipes run past one page from ingredients to preparation, which hint at just how hassle-free the cooking can be.

The notes that accompany each recipe, such as chef Kunio Aoki’s story about the time he served a Japanese expat a dish of Renkon Kinpira, which is a simple lotus root preparation, also offer a nice touch to the overall presentation.

Editor Vivian Pei along with nutritionist Fahma Sunarja also lend a hand in this cookbook, offering extra tips with the recipes, such as how to pick a ripe avocado or speed up its ripening, and why it’s best to eat kiwi fruit, skin and all.

Pretty pictures and great reading aside, a cookbook is only as good as its results in the kitchen.

Awakening the Appetite passes the test hands down.

Despite a bout of gastroenteritis, the cookbook managed to inspire an effort to get off the couch, ignore the fatigue and nausea, and make it to the supermarket for a few heads of broccoli.

The Potato and Broccoli Soup by Bakerzin's Daniel Tay, proved to be a one-pot effort finished off with a hand-blender that saved on the extra washing up.  Apart from being fast and simple to create, the thick and hearty soup that was packed with vitamins to help get over the flu, was truly delicious.

Next on the menu is breakfast favourite, Granola Bars, as well as Tuffle Chawan Mushi and a herbal fish broth contributed by Eu Yan Sang, a healthcare company grounded in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The inclusion of contributions and comments on TCM in Awakening the Appetite subtly but definitely clears the air on TCM, which the book points out,  “is a great complement to Western medicine”.

Whether you're a novice cook, kitchen pro or just in search of a tasty read, it's worth picking up a copy of Awakening the Appetite which is available at all major bookstores as well as at Parkway Cancer Centre, and costs S$52.40 with nett sales proceeds donated to the Singapore Cancer Society.

With a variety of both Asian and Western recipes, Awakening the Appetite is a cookbook that is a must-have for any kitchen and bookshelf, whether as a gift or a handy reference for your home.