The minute I laid my hands on this book, I was transported into a different world. Page after page, it almost seemed like I was stepping back several years back right into my grandmum's garden, that still bustles with leaves of many types.
Recalling all the names is tough, since I didn't know them well enough to start with but I do recall being sent off to the garden to get those curry leaves, sweet basil (which was boiled together with our milk to get rid of those nagging coughs) and fenugreek leaves.
That nostalgic trip, coupled with the splendid presentation of the dishes in 'Cooking with Asian Leaves' sent me off on a little culinary journey of my own. I'm not much of a cook so settling for the can't go wrong recipe served as the perfect starting point.
If you haven't done your share of cooking with Asian leaves and happen to love eggs, the Sambal Egg could well turn out to be the best place to begin with.
This, of course, is pretty basic stuff, so if you are a seasoned chef, then try the 'Fish Wrapped in Noni Leaves' or the 'Masala Fish with Methi Leaves'.
And if you are looking for a curry in a hurry, you just can't go wrong with the 'Agathi Leaves Sothi' which took me about 20 minutes to prepare and serve.
Now if you are getting the idea that this is just another recipe book, it isn't. It all begins with a little journey of the leaves itself - yes, all 29 of them that have been specially hand-picked for this book.
The authors also provide useful tips on buying and storing fresh leaves before telling you what exactly you can do with the leaves.
In just one page you could learn all there is to know about Thai basil for instance. It can be recognized by its spicy, anisey aroma.
In addition to the scent, you can recognize Thai basil by its small leaves, which often have a reddish-purple tinge when young, and by the dark purple stems and flowers.
Thai basils are used in Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian and Vietnamese cooking. And they freshly chopped basil is usually is added just before serving as cooking the leaf dulls its bright flavours.
The book's found a permanent place in my modest cookbook selection and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to experiment with the diverse Asian leaves at our disposal.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Devagi Sanmugam is a cookbook author, food columnist and a cooking instructor. Her culinary journey began 20 years ago and she has penned 10 cookbooks.
Her quest for the original invariably takes her on uncharted journeys that ends up in a sheer delight for the palate.
Christopher Tan is a Singapore-based writer, food consultant, food journalist and photographer. Growing up in a household, where food was an obsession, he found his calling in work that has to do with food.
One look at his appealing work and you know his mission is clearly to 'make dishes and ingredients look fresh, appealing and uncontrived'.
Something he has achieved to perfection in this work. Christopher has contributed to several magazines and has styled food photographs for several cookbooks as well. |
Deepika Shetty is a Producer with Prime Time Morning and takes care of the book segment 'Off The Shelf' as well. | 
