Category Archives: Asian Recipes

Fast & Furious — And Super Garlicky

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Fish cooked in plenty of garlic -- in the style of shrimp made famous by Hawaiian food trucks.
Fish cooked in plenty of garlic — in the style of shrimp made famous by Hawaiian food trucks.

Soaring airfares may make you think twice about traveling these days.

But transporting yourself to the tropical paradise of Hawaii and beyond is just a recipe away with “Kimi’s Kitchen” (Ten Speed Press), of which I received a review copy.

It’s a good bet that you’ve never encountered a cookbook by a national champion freediving and spearfisher. But that’s just what accomplished author Kimi Werner is, along with being a chef and environmental conservation advocate who lives on the North Shore of Oahu.

She wrote it with assistance from Jennifer Fiedler, an Oahu-based food writer; and Nicole Gormley, an award-winning filmaker, photographer and ocean advocate whose lavish photos in the book make you feel as if you could plunge right into the mesmerizing blue waters on the pages.

Werner grew up spearfishing with her father from a young age. More than sport, it was sustenance for the family that grew up in the early years with little. Throughout her life, the ocean has been a source of growth and inspiration. In her cookbook, she takes you along on her dives and inside her kitchen to learn how she prepares her favorite recipes. While many of the recipes focus on seafood, there are others that center around meat or are vegetarian instead.

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Handy-Dandy Garlic & Pepper Pork Ribs

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A delicious dish perfect for harried households.
A delicious dish perfect for harried households.

Because my parents worked full-time while raising three kids, my mom always had a stash of recipes in her arsenal that she could prep and cook in a flash. There were tender strips of flank steak stir-fried in black bean sauce. Prawns sauteed with slivers of broccoli stems in oyster sauce. And chicken steamed with shiitakes and plenty of ginger.

So, when I came upon “Garlic & Pepper Pork Ribs” it hit home in so many ways.

This easy recipe is from “My Cambodia: A Khmer Cookbook” (4 Color Books, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Nite Yun, chef-owner of Lunette Cambodia inside San Francisco’s Ferry Building, with assistance from Tien Nguyen, a food and culture writer who teaches food journalism at the University of California.

Yun was born in a refugee camp in Thailand after hear parents escaped war-torn Cambodia. When she was 2 years old, her family immigrated to the United States, settling in Stockton. She’s made it her mission to highlight Khmer cuisine, not only to preserve its history and traditions, but as a way to better comprehend her parents, as well as herself.

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Ginger-Braised Chicken — With the Emphasis on Ginger

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Fabulous Vietnamese-style chicken wings.
Fabulous Vietnamese-style chicken wings.

Anyone who knows me well knows full well how much I love ginger.

In baked goods. In beverages, hot and cold. In soups, stir-fries, and stews. And even inhaled by the handful when candied.

So, when I came across a recipe for a dish that uses an entire cup of julienned fresh ginger, I was all in.

“Ginger-Braised Chicken” did not disappoint.

Shards and shards of ginger flavor chicken wings in a sweet, sticky, savory sauce full of sharpness and warmth.

This ginger-loving recipe is from “Vietnamese American Recipes from Phu Quoc, Oakland, and the Spaces Between” (4 Color Books, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

It is by Tu David Phu, a Vietnamese American chef raised in Oakland, who competed on “Top Chef” Season 15. He is now the owner of Gigi’s, a Vietnamese wine bar in San Francisco.

It was co-written by Soleil Ho, a Vietnamese American writer, podcaster, and former restaurant reviewer at the San Francisco Chronicle.

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When the Name Doesn’t Do It Justice

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A one-pot chicken and rice supper with Chinese flavors.
A one-pot chicken and rice supper with Chinese flavors.

Yup, that’s right: “Roast Chicken and Rice Casserole” is the name of this dish. It sounds so basic. But it is so far from that.

The title might make you think of an old-school Americana dish. But it’s really one with a delicious Chinese flair to it with coconut milk enriching the rice, and lemongrass and ginger perfuming everything.

This easy one-pot dish is from “Down South + East” (Abrams), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Ron Hsu, the culinary director and partner in Michelin-starred Lazy Betty in Atlanta., with an assist from Hugh Amano, a writer and chef at the now-shuttered Fat Rice in Chicago.

A Chinese American who grew up in Atlanta, Hsu grew up helping his parents at their chain of seven Hunan Village restaurants on the outskirts of the city. His own restaurant is affectionately named for her.

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Festive Pearl Meatballs for Lunar New Year — and Beyond

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Ring in the Lunar New Year with these delectable pearl meatballs.
Ring in the Lunar New Year with these delectable pearl meatballs.

Now’s the time go all in on festive gold, jade, and pearls for the Lunar New Year.

Especially when it comes to “Pearl Meatballs.”

This celebratory dish was believed to have been served in the imperial court in central China, as far back as 700 years ago. Covered in glutinous rice, these juicy meatballs are thought to resemble pearls, symbols of unity and prosperity.

A dim sum staple these days, they are also very much a New Year’s essential. And best yet, they are a cinch to make at home.

Although there are many recipes for them, with their own small variations, this particular one comes from “Classic Chinese Recipes” (Hamlyn, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

This 7-inch-by-5 1/4-inch book may be small, but it’s mighty. That’s because it was written by Ken Hom, the legendary Chinese American chef, cookbook author, culinary instructor, and television host who helped popularize and demystify authentic Chinese cooking for Western palates. For a time, he studied art history at the University of California at Berkeley, then segued into teaching cooking classes, most notably at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.

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