Kansha - by Elizabeth Andoh (Hardcover)

About the Book

This first book to introduce Japanese vegetarian and vegan cooking to Western cooks is written by an authority on Japanese cuisine. With its range of elegant and satisfying recipes, "Kansha" will appeal to anyone with an interest in the food of Japan.

Book Synopsis

A celebration of Japan's vegan and vegetarian traditions with 100 vegan recipes.

"The Japanese-food expert expands vegans' repertoire while making tofu appealing to all."--The New York Times Book Review

Kansha is an expression of gratitude for nature's gifts and the efforts and ingenuity of those who transform nature's bounty into marvelous food. The spirit of kansha, deeply rooted in Buddhist philosophy and practice, encourages all cooks to prepare nutritionally sound and aesthetically satisfying meals that avoid waste, conserve energy, and preserve our natural resources.

In these pages, with kansha as credo, Japan culinary authority Elizabeth Andoh offers more than 100 carefully crafted vegan recipes. She has culled classics from shōjin ryōri, or Buddhist temple cuisine (Creamy Sesame Pudding, Glazed Eel Look-Alike); gathered essentials of macrobiotic cooking (Toasted Hand-Pressed Brown Rice with Hijiki, Robust Miso); selected dishes rooted in history (Skillet-Scrambled Tofu with Leafy Greens, Pungent Pickles); and included inventive modern fare (Eggplant Sushi, Tōfu-Tōfu Burgers).

Decades of living immersed in Japanese culture and years of culinary training have given Andoh a unique platform from which to teach. She explains basic cutting techniques, cooking methods, and equipment that will help you enhance flavor, eliminate waste, and speed meal preparation. Then she demystifies ingredients that are staples in Japanese pantries that will boost your kitchen repertoire--vegan or omnivore--to new heights.

Review Quotes

"The kansha lifestyle asks for us to slow down and be more deliberate, and to cultivate an awareness of our surroundings, the seasons and the nature of our own appetites. How refreshing and wise!"--TheKitchn

"The Japanese-food expert expands vegans' repertoire while making tofu appealing to all."--The New York Times Book Review

"The word "kansha" means "appreciation," and there's much to appreciate with Elizabeth Andoh's celebration of Japanese vegan and vegetarian traditions. Andoh, who was Gourmet magazine's Japan correspondent for more than three decades, offers more than 100 recipes, many of them complicated enough for experienced cooks looking for a good challenge."--Portland Oregonian

"Because any cookbook by Elizabeth Andoh deserves a long, thoughtful look. Her latest, Kansha, is an elegant spread of vegan and vegetarian Japanese dishes, as narrated in her characteristic cultural history discovery tone."--Los Angeles Weekly

"It's great to open up a cookbook and absorb all the years and effort that an author puts into the publication. If you're into Japanese, vegan, or vegetarian cooking, Elizabeth Andoh's Kansha should be in your collection."--Andrea Nguyen, Viet World Kitchen

"Kansha is a large, lavish book, beautifully packaged and packed with foolproof recipes. More than that, though, it is a detailed compendium of Japanese food culture, making it the perfect gift for anyone interested in cooking and eating, irrespective of whether or not they are vegetarian."--The Japan Times

"Because of the lack of books available on this topic, this will be much appreciated not only by vegetarians, vegans, and Japanese food enthusiasts but by any adventurous cook looking for a distinctive perspective on fresh, healthy food."--Library Journal, starred review

"Kansha is a beautiful collection of gentle, thrifty recipes, and a fascinating introduction to Japanese vegetarian cooking. Elizabeth Andoh writes with authority and an infectious love of Japan and its culinary traditions."--Fuchsia Dunlop, author of Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China

"What a fresh and deeply informative book. The recipes are beguiling, and at last I can make sense out of Japanese ingredients I've long found mystifying. But I especially love the sensibility of Kansha, an approach to life and to food that feels so right."--Deborah Madison, author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and Seasonal Fruit Desserts

"Andoh is at once lyrical and meticulous, taking the reader effortlessly from the profundities of Japanese culinary philosophy to practical and novel culinary techniques."--Rachel Laudan, food historian and author of The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii's Culinary Heritage

About the Author

ELIZABETH ANDOH is the American authority on Japanese cuisine. She has made Japan her home since 1967 and divides her time between Tokyo and Osaka, directing a culinary program called A Taste of Culture. Her book Washoku won the 2006 IACP Jane Grigson award for distinguished scholarship in food writing and was nominated for a James Beard Award.