Real Thai Cooking - by Nualkhair & Lauren Lulu Taylor (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"I felt like the luckiest person on earth when I not only met Chawadee, but had her as my personal food navigator through Bangkok. We walked, boated, and ate our way through some of the best food I've ever had, all thanks to Chawadee, her warmth and expertise. And now you get to have the next best thing: her fantastic book. Enjoy every delicious bite." --Phil Rosenthal ("Somebody Feed Phil")

Learn the secrets of Thai cooking that only local foodies know about!

Real Thai Cooking is a labor of love by Thailand's leading food blogger and street food expert, Chawadee "Chow" Nualkhair and Lauren Lulu Taylor who did the recipe testing and editing and provided many of the photographs. Her book presents the full range of iconic Thai recipes together with fascinating back stories that enable you to truly appreciate what you are cooking and eating!

This book presents insider recipes and secrets about Thai food that only local foodies know about:

• Chef Black's famous Sriracha Sauce recipe (from Blackitch Artisan Kitchen) and the story of how this hot sauce was invented (most people think it is Vietnamese, but it is really 100% Thai!)
• The world's best Pad Thai and how this dish has come to define Thailand's national identity
• Minced Chicken Kanom Jeen and the Portuguese Influence on Thai Food
• Mee Krob (Fried Rice Noodles)--the dish that saved Siam from colonization
• And many more delicious recipes and nuggets of Thai food lore!

With over 75 recipes and over 200 color photos, this is the cookbook every Thai food lover will want!

Review Quotes

"After traveling to Thailand for many years to eat, I found Chawadee's Bangkok's Fifty Best Food Stalls book online and had the temerity to contact her, hoping for suggestions. Next thing I knew I made a friend for life. But more importantly, I had the best guide to eating in Thailand a Thai food fanatic could ask for. Her palate should be declared a National Treasure." --Robert Mark Kamen, screenwriter and creator of The Karate Kid, Fifth Element, The Transporter and Taken

"Chawadee's new book Real Thai Cooking brings back childhood memories of fabulous foods that are classic and authentic. She has traipsed each region of Thailand and taken their culinary highlights and different cooking styles from family to street, from homegrown to hybrid. It's filled with interesting anecdotes on ingredients, history, recipes and, not to mention, mouth-watering photos of colourful and flavourful food." --Thomas Vitayakul, academic and owner of Ruen Urai

"The authors go a step further, sharing Thai cooking secrets, like using only unscented oils and serving food at room temperature; exploring Thailand's regional cooking styles (northern regions rely on heartier dishes, while southern cuisine tends to be spicier); and offering menu suggestions with various combinations of appetizers, mains, and desserts that go well together." --Booklist

"The variety of Thai street food is so wide that this cookbook will be your best friend to help explore safely the secret flavours of Thai cuisine and not to miss any." --Stephane Junca, director of Secret Retreats (secret-retreats.com)

"What an easy book to like. And what a wonderful book to read and learn to love Thai food. I'm Seduced..." --David Thompson, chef and author of Thai Food

"Bangkok-based food blogger Nualkhair (Thailand's Best Street Food) and Secret Kiwi Kitchen founder Taylor (Feasting on Flowers) explore classic dishes and ongoing culinary innovation in this illuminating tour of Thailand's vibrant cuisine. [...] Home cooks are sure to be inspired." --Publishers Weekly

"This book made me want to jump on a plane and eat my way round Thailand again--and this time, I would finally come to understand the secrets of Thai food customs...Real Thai Cooking is a must-have for any serious Thai food lover!" --Anne Faber, presenter of "Anne's Kitchen" and author of My Luxembourg: Home Sweet Home

"I felt like the luckiest person on earth when I not only met Chawadee, but had her as my personal food navigator through Bangkok. We walked, boated, and ate our way through some of the best food I've ever had, all thanks to Chawadee, her warmth and expertise. And now you get to have the next best thing: her fantastic book. Enjoy every delicious bite." --Phil Rosenthal ("Somebody Feed Phil")

About the Author

Chawadee "Chow" Nualkhair was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is now married with two kids and lives in Bangkok. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College who works as a freelance journalist, mostly writing about food, and the author of the popular "Bangkok Glutton" blog and the bestselling guide to Thai street food: Thailand's Best Street Food: The Complete Guide to Streetside Dining in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Other Areas.

Lauren Lulu Taylor is an American photographer and foodpreneur based in Auckland New Zealand. She has lived in the U.S., France, London and Italy and in each place became totally immersed in the local culinary scene. She is co-founder of the award-winning artisanal food company Secret Kiwi Kitchen and co-writer of the monthly "Foodie Finds" review column for Auckland's Channel Magazine. Beyond her great love of food, Lauren is a professional photographer whose photos have appeared in numerous international publications.

Chef McDang is one of Thailand's most well-known chefs, having written a host of Thai cookbooks, including The Principles of Thai Cookery, and weekly food columns in both English- and Thai-language newspapers. He is also the host of the widely-watched "McDang Show" on Thai television and has made appearances with Gordon Ramsay and Anthony Bourdain. Although best known as "Chef McDang", his real name is M.L. Sirichalerm Svasti, the son of M.R. Thanadsri Svasti (Thailand's most well-known food writer) and a member of the royal family.