Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey

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Author(s):

Najmieh Batmanglij

Label: Mage Publishers
Publisher(s):

Mage Publishers

Studio: Mage Publishers
Manufacturer: Mage Publishers
Binding: Paperback
List Price: $35.00

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book is at once an exploration, a celebration, and a little-known tale of unity. It presents 150 delicious vegetarian dishes that together trace a fascinating story of culinary linkage. As renowned cookbook writer and teacher Najmieh Batmanglij explains, all have their origins along the ancient network of trade routes known as the Silk Road, stretching from China in the east to the Mediterranean in the west. On this highway moved not just trade goods but also ideas, customs, tastes and such basics of life as cooking ingredients. The result was the connecting and enrichment of dozens of cuisines. In Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey, Najmieh Batmanglij recounts that process and brings it into the modern kitchen in the form of recipes that are venturesome and yet within reach of any cook. They are intended for vegetarian, partial-vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike -- anyone who is looking for balanced, unusual and exceptionally tasty dishes. The book offers a wealth of information derived from the authorÍs extensive research and her travels along the Silk Road during the past 25 years. She complements the recipes with stories, pictures, histories of ingredients, and words of wisdom from her favorite poets and writers of the region.

The scope of her culinary journey of discovery is vast -- from Xian in China, to Samarkand in present-day Uzbekistan, to Isfahan in Iran, to Istanbul in Turkey, and to the westernmost terminus of the ancient trade routes in Italy. Her recipes -- all of them personal favorites -- include such exotic yet simple fare as Sichuan Crispy Cucumber Pickles; Afghan Boulani, a savory pastry stuffed with garlic chives; Persian Pomegranate and Walnut Salad; Kermani Pistachio and Saffron Polow with Rose Petals; Chinese Hot and Sour Tofu Noodle Soup; Turkish Almond and Rice Flour Pudding; Uzbek Candied Quince with Walnuts; and Sicilian Sour Cherry Crostata. Fortunately, all the ingredients for these recipes can be obtained at local supermarkets and farmersÍ markets. In recent years America has become a kind of modern Silk Road, where wonderful ingredients from all over the world are available to everyone.

Customer Reviews

Beautiful, inspiring, adventurous

Not only is this a cookbook, it is beautiful and inspiring enough to be used as a coffeetable book! Sometimes I like to look through it just for fun - the exotic ingredients, beautiful images, and snippets of written information provide oodles of eye-candy, interesting and useful information, and fodder for inspiring daydreams of travel. Recipes are approachable, and ingredient glossary in the back answers any questions you might have about unusual or harder to find ingredients. Every recipe I've ever made from this book has been a success. If you are an adventurous cook, this is a highly recommended book that you'll keep for years to come and reference often!

An Adventure in Taste

The silk road from China to Italy traverses an unbelievable diversity of cooking styles and tastes, yet Najmieh Batmanglij somehow manages to conquer this complexity. All of the recipes are well-developed, creating dishes with the full flavor and aroma one would expect if each night one walked into a Persian, a Turkish, Indian or even Thai restaurant.

The book is lavishly illustrated with pictures and stories from the regions of the recipes. Although broadly diverse, the cooking of Batmanglij's native Iran is exceptionally well-represented.

The recipes themselves are easy to follow, but not intended for the casual cook. Pomegranate juice, rose water, pistachios and saffron are common, but a prepared cook will find the rewards worthy the effort and expense. It has been a delightful change for my carnivorous family to reduce our meat consumption and enliven our larder.

Silk Road Cooking - The Road to Rapture

I work for a large metro area public library system, have access to tons of books, and as a result, don't often buy them. My personal purchasing guideline: if I've checked out a book at least three times, am reluctant to return it, and find myself copying large sections of it, it's time to buy. Silk Road Cooking was one of those books. Avid foodies (vegetarian or not) will love it for its recipes based on the cuisines of countries along the old Silk Road, such as Persia, India and China. The recipes include spice mixtures, coffess & teas. Travel nuts will enjoy the essays on people and places. Beautifully photographed. Worth every penny.

Incomparable Journey

The Silk Road is alive in the present, thanks to this remarkable work of research and investigation, which relates geography not only to its history and circumstances, but to its products and flavors, its culinary tradition, its hospitality, and thanks to the tradition of the ancient trade lanes, to its sublime cosmopolitanism.

Recipes are impractical & not very impressive

The recipes are certainly unique but most are extremely time consuming & just not practical for a hectic schedule. Also, several of them don't turn out as fabulous as you'd expect for the time involved. They could possibly be adapted to make them easier & more feasible, but that's time consuming as well. The ingredients are also extremely obscure & difficult to find. I cook ethnic cuisine on a regular basis & I still find these unrealistic.

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