Name: Plantasia: Asia's Vegetable Wisdom in Recipes, Stories and Techniques
ISBN: 9798893030877

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Plantasia: Asia's Vegetable Wisdom in Recipes, Stories and Techniques

Pamelia Chia

Hardcover

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Do you recommend this book?

Yes!

Cooks across Asia have been making plant-based meals for centuries--and for just as long, they've been evolving new methods to make them taste deeply, richly satisfying. PlantAsia carries on that tradition of innovation, drawing on traditional techniques to challenge and expand what you imagine when you think of modern vegetarian cooking.

Technique-based chapters showcase recipes from more than fifteen countries, including:

Raw: Mini Kimbap with Ssamjang Mayonnaise, Naengmyeon with Watermelon Dongchimi

Steamed and Blanched: Watercress Noodles with Split Pea Fritters, Chayote and Glass Noodle Dumplings

Simmered: Beet Curry with Coconut Sambol, Butternut Squash Kootu with Spiced Chickpeas

Fried: Ee-Fu Noodles with Braised Shiitake Mushrooms, Fig and Brie Hotteok

Deep-Fried: Spinach Chaat with Chickpeas and Yogurt, Hot Butter Mushrooms

Charred and Grilled: Smoky Eggplant Raita with Focaccia, Grilled Rice Paper with Tofu Sisig

Roasted and Baked: Charred Brussels Sprouts with Grapefruit and Yuba, Butternut Squash Dengaku

Sweetened: Chili-Flecked Jalebis with Mango Yogurt, Blackberry and Peach Gum Shortcake

Interviews and recipes from more than two dozen contributors offer authentic and layered perspectives on the present and future of Asian cooking. Plus, a detailed guide to buying and cooking with Asian ingredients will help you expand your Asian pantry.

Perfect for adventurous foodies, fans of Asian cuisines in search of inspiring and original recipes, and anyone looking for one-of-a-kind, vegetable-forward meals, this ambitious vegetarian cookbook is a stunning tribute to the incredible flavors, textures, and diversity of today's vegetarian cuisine.

With contributions from:

Kimberly Mendoza Camara - O Tama Carey - Cathie Carpio - John Chantarasak - Ivy Chen - C-Y Chia and Shane Stanbridge - R.G. Enriquez-Diez - Cathy Erway - Zoey Xinyi Gong - Julie Kleeman and Yeshi Jampa - Bryan Koh - Jenny Lau - Sunny Lee - Maori Murota - Andrea Quynhgiao Nguyen - Petty Pandean-Elliott - Minal Patel - Gayan Pieris - Sonoko Sakai - Jihee Shin - Cameron Stauch - Hairil Sukaime - Vasunthara - Wayan Kresna Yasa

Book Details

Publisher: Experiment
Publish Date: Oct 28th, 2025
Pages: 304
Language: English
Edition: undefined - undefined
Dimensions: 10.84in - 8.56in - 1.01in - 3.04lb
EAN: 9798893030877
Categories: • Vegetarian• Specific Ingredients - Vegetables• Regional & Cultural - Asian

About the Author

Chia, Pamelia: -

Pamelia Chia is a Singaporean culinary teacher and food writer based in the Netherlands. With a background in food science and experience cooking in professional kitchens, Pamelia is passionate about Asian culinary traditions and providing a platform for cooks from the region to share their knowledge. She's the author of the cookbook Wet Market to Table: A Modern Approach to Fruit and Vegetables and the weekly Asian food newsletter Singapore Noodles.

Praise for this book

One of the season's most anticipated cookbooks.-- "Library Journal"

This is a stunningly original book, rooted in a deep respect for Asian traditions, philosophies, and ingredients and at the same time genuinely progressive in its approach. Pamelia's extensive knowledge of cuisine has enabled her to contextualize her stories and vegetable-starring recipes in a way which demystifies and excites. The focus is on the pleasure-giving and nourishing value of plants rather than substitution or deprivation. I cannot wait to cook my way through the entire book.--Helen Goh, coauthor of Ottolenghi Sweet and columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald

A thrilling collection of recipes from all over Asia. The flavors and colors of Pamelia Chia's recipes leap off the page.--Fuchsia Dunlop, author of Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking

Pamelia has written a vibrant and scrumptious ode to the vegetables of Asia. Her cookbook both honors tradition and pushes the boundaries on what a plant-based feast can look like.--Clarissa Wei, coauthor of Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation

This authoritative guide through Asian techniques and flavors will revolutionize your cooking. Brilliant, innovative, and incredibly inspiring!--Mandy Yin, author of Sambal Shiok: The Malaysian Cookbook

I love everything about PlantAsia, from the vibrant imagery, refreshing design, stories, sketches, and most of all, the beautifully written selection of glorious recipes. I want to cook it all and will happily turn vegetarian for months to do so!--Karan Gokani, author of Hoppers: The Cookbook

PlantAsia provides a beautiful and practical cornucopia of diverse delights. It is an excellent guide for what you might wish to eat, and provides the means for understanding how technique can be usedto produce complex, balanced deliciousness. While reading it, I was compelled to stop, search my pantry, and cook. I may never leave the kitchen!--Holly Davis, author of Ferment: A Guide to the Ancient Art of Culturing Foods

A fantastic cookbook that introduces an adventurous, innovative cooking philosophy alongside a wealth of extraordinary vegan and vegetarian dishes.-- "Foreword Reviews"

What an incredible book! I've never seen anything quite like it. If you're looking to move away from meat but aren't sure where to begin, look no further. These recipes are vibrant, beautiful, and full of love for the cultures that inspired them.--Tim Anderson, chef and author of JapanEasy and Hokkaido

In PlantAsia, Pamelia captures the heart and soul of vegetarian Asian cuisine in an exciting way. Diving into her book will leave you inspired to get into the kitchen and explore dishes with incredible depth of flavor and techniques inspired by centuries of tradition.--Dr. Sheil Shukla, author of James Beard Award-nominated Plant-Based India

PlantAsia provides an abundance of umami-rich, multidimensional vegetable-forward recipes. I love that Pamelia sheds light on unique ingredients and techniques from a variety of cultures. Her dishes and interviews with other cooks will inspire your next meal to be both deliberate and delicious.--Abi Balingit, blogger at The Dusky Kitchen and James Beard Award-winning author of Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed

As a lover of Asian foods and flavors and a recent convert to vegetarianism myself, PlantAsia could not be more timely. Chia and her more than two dozen expert contributors understand that plants are no less capable of supplying depth of flavor, texture, and interest than meats; they just need a little coaxing. This is a gorgeous and inspiring handbook to the use of cooking techniques, creative pairings, and (mostly) pantry ingredients to make vegetables and fruits shine at the center of every meal.--Andrew Janjigian, head baker at the Wordloaf newsletter and author of the forthcoming book Breaducation

If you equate Asian food with meat-centered dishes, avail yourself of this book! Here you will learn not only the deep cultural roots of vegetarianism in Asia, but also instructions for making some of the most delicious dishes in your home kitchen, like Mushroom Rice Rolls with Bean Sprout Salad or Beet Curry with Coconut Sambol. Meat has never been required, and this book proves that with each page.--Abra Berens, chef and author of Ruffage, Grist, and Pulp

Pamelia's newest book takes us on an exhilarating journey to Asian vegetable heaven. With cooks sharing stories and flavor-building techniques, this cookbook is a must-have for vegetable lovers and Asian food lovers alike.--Maureen Tan, culinary teacher and author of Java

PlantAsia is an absolute joy to read. Pamelia's gift for tasty prose and captivating visuals, along with a liberal seasoning of helpful cooking tips and Asian cultural anecdotes, make this a real gem of a cookbook. From tofu to chaat to peach gum--flavors and ingredients of our Asian upbringing that I adored--it's truly gratifying to see all these plant-based Asian ingredients shine!--Loh Yi Jun, writer and founder of Jun & Tonic