Review by Booklist Review
As in many Asian cultures, Have you eaten?--Sudah makan belum?--is a common greeting in Indonesia, turning "hello" into an opportunity to share a meal, snack, or drink. "Food is very personal to Indonesians," writes Indonesian-born, London-domiciled food writer-chef Pandean-Elliot in her delectable presentation of Indonesian gastronomy. As the world's fourth most populous country, with 270 million inhabitants spread over 17,000 islands speaking 700-plus local languages, the diversity of cultures and, therefore, food seems limitless. Far beyond satay and sambal, "the marriage of Arabic, Indian, European (Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish), Chinese and Peranakan influences with our indigenous ingredients has culminated in a fantastically original culinary tapestry." Layered into Pandean-Elliott's extensive introduction and carefully curated sections--which clearly distinguish vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free options--are stories from her peripatetic childhood and, most distinctly, inspirational lessons from her maternal grandmother's kitchen and gardens. Mindful of global chefs, Pandean-Elliott thoughtfully includes regional adaptations, even providing both metric and imperial measures. Gorgeously toothsome are vibrant photographs enhancing step-by-step recipes enabling hungry cooks to create hoped-for feasts.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"I have a vision for modern Indonesian cuisine," writes Pandean-Elliott (Jakarta Bites) in this comprehensive exploration of her homeland's major gastronomic regions: "to preserve the great traditions of classic recipes while exploring exciting, new possibilities." The U.K.-based chef identifies melting-pot influences inherent in Indonesian food thanks to the spice trade while keeping in mind a home cook's access to ingredients. In her recipes, bird's-eye chilies or mild red ones can be used instead of the curly red chilies found in Sumatran markets, and fish sauce can stand in for the shrimp pastes unique to Bali and Java. Java's signature street-food dish of chicken noodles and Bali's sate lilit, a seafood satay on lemongrass skewers, are both featured. The ubiquitous chili condiment sambal gets riffed upon with garlic, shallot, and different herbs, and appears alongside such dishes as banana fritters, a fragrant beef stew, and stir-fried leafy vegetables. Rice, too, is a mainstay on Indonesian tables, whether it is simply steamed, fried, compressed, rolled into balls, or stirred into porridge. (The author favors a preparation from her childhood that cooks jasmine rice with coarsely ground cornmeal.) Pandean-Elliott's extensive travels and knowledge of the archipelago's flavors makes this a go-to for authentic Indonesian fare. (Apr.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Pandean-Elliott (Jakarta Bites) presents a culinary journey through Indonesia, opening with her early years in Manado before moving to Jakarta and later the UK, to explore the culinary influences behind modern Indonesian cuisine, while noting the power of food to maintain a link to one's culture and establish new connections. Chapters include sections on essentials; snacks; salads; soups, sotos, and noodle soups; satays; curries; tempeh, tofu, and vegetables; fish and seafood; meat and poultry; rice and other staples; noodles; sweets; and drinks, along with a handy key to help cooks identify recipes that are vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, or nut-free, can be made in 30 minutes or less, and/or feature five or fewer ingredients. In setting out to preserve Indonesian traditions, Pandean-Elliott paves the way for a new generation of home cooks to find inspiration, providing the fundamentals along with a number of easy-to-follow recipes for those who want to try their hand at Indonesian cuisine without the challenge of acquiring ingredients that might be hard to find in the U.S. VERDICT A good read for home cooks looking to expand their knowledge of Indonesian cuisine along with their palate.--Gricel Dominguez
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