101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die: Discover a New World of Flavors in Authentic Recipes

311 Pages·2017·9.084 MB·English

by  Jet Tila

101
ASIAN DISHES
YOU NEED TO
COOK BEFORE
YOU DIE
DISCOVER A NEW WORLD OF FLAVORS
IN AUTHENTIC RECIPES
JET TILA
Award-Winning Chef and TV Personality
Begin Reading
Table of Contents
About the Author
Copyright Page
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THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO
ALI, AMAYA AND REN.
YOU ARE ALL THE CENTER OF MY UNIVERSE.

FOREWORD
Just so you know, I pretty much made this book happen.
I was starting a new gig, hosting a culinary game show called
Cutthroat Kitchen. Like so many (OK … all) culinary competitions,
Cutthroat required knowledgeable judges who could evaluate dishes
and make sure at the end of the very long day, there was a winner. It
was decided that we would use a rotating roster of three judges, one
of whom was a guy named Jet Tila. I didn’t know him, so I Googled
around and checked out his credentials. He was a true culinary child
of Los Angeles, raised in his family’s Thai grocery store nestled
among Chinatown, K-Town and Little Tokyo. On top of that, he had a
Mexican aunt and was totally into the burgeoning taco culture that all
but defines the City of Angels. Jet eventually rose to an executive
chef position in one of Vegas’s most celebrated properties. He
became the U.S. Culinary Ambassador to Thailand. He was known
as a solid cook, well connected in the community, and, as near as I
could tell, was a good choice.
When Jet showed up the first day, I was struck first by his
genuineness. He was happy to be there and to be working, and to be
working with me. He was humble in a way that comes from being
totally at home in one’s skin and certain of one’s skills. Speaking of,
Jet’s got some serious sleeves, and that ink means, of course, that
he’s a great chef, right?
We’ll see, I thought.
Now one of the things about Cutthroat Kitchen is that terrible things
happen to the chefs during the rounds, but the judges aren’t there.
They don’t know anything about what’s transpired. But here’s the
thing, with just a few tastes, Jet always knows. He’s able to take a
dish apart in his head. And he can turn to the chef and lay it all on
the table in a way that says, “Brother, I live in your world and I love
you, but …”
By the end of the first day, I was inducted into the Jet Tila fan club.
This guy knew his stuff cold and knew how to talk the talk in a way
that made you love him even as he was showing you the door. He
understands flavor, technique and ingredients, and he has an
obvious passion for communicating what he knows. And then, he
started teaching me how to cook.
OK, I’d like to think I know a thing or two about cuisine, about
cooking, but in the web postshows we produce at the end of each
episode, Jet started seriously schooling me on Thai cuisine. He
taught me how to make better spring rolls, better dipping sauces,
and he showed me where I was going wrong with tempura. He was
patient, watchful and utterly generous with his knowledge. It was
after the tempura escapade that I said, “Damn, Jet, you really should
write a cookbook!”
And here it is. Is it the definitive tome on Chinese or Korean,
Japanese or even Thai cuisine? No. But it’s the most practical guide
to getting Asian flavors on the plate that I’ve ever seen. You know
that swinging door in the back of a kitchen that has the round
window? The one the colorful plates and seductive aromas come out
of? Well, Jet opens that door and invites you in and pretty soon
those dishes and flavors and aromas will be coming out of your
kitchen. And yes, your pad Thai and your Korean BBQ will be just as
good.
So … you’re welcome.
—Alton Brown