About lemongrass & limes

lemongrass & limes is the essential Thai cookbook to have in your library. Author Naam Pruitt really breathes life into Thai food. The book is arranged by menus - with dishes designed to complement each other, rather than by the more traditional subject-by-subject format.

Beginning with the chapter ‘New Converts” Naam offers a simple, tasty meal designed for ease of preparation and guaranteed to win over any timid newcomer to Thai cuisine. The chapters continue to explore further into traditional and contemporary Thai foods, adding complexity and building the cook’s repertoire with each chapter. Chapter selections include:

• New Converts
• Traditional Dinner
• Esaan Style for Everyone
• Satisfying Seafood
• Thai Lunchbox
• Vegetarians Only
• Curry in a Hurry
• Noodles Noodles Noodles
• Refreshingly Low Fat
• Everyday Home Cooking
• Street Snacks
• More Desserts, Please

But the novice cook need have no fear. Naam, an accomplished teacher, explains every step, and includes handy time-saving tips, including how to prepare some dishes one day and even one month before the day of the meal. There is a glossary of commonly used Thai ingredients and instructions on creating basic Thai garnishes. Also included in each chapter head are narratives from the author that describe how the dishes are traditionally served.

Each recipe title is accompanied by a phonetically spelled pronunciation of the Thai name, as well as the title spelled out in Thai script. She ends each recipe with a “Thai tidbit,” just a little factoid about this fascinating culture.

If all of this sounds like too much information, the easy-to-follow layout of the book and beautiful food photography ensure that both the cook and casual reader will enjoy this immensely satisfying volume. lemongrass & limes deserves a place on every food lover’s shelf.