The Vegetarian Table: Thailand
by Jacki Passmore
Steven Rothfeld (Photographer)

nyone who cooks for vegetarians and omnivores can sympathize with William Ralph Inge: "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favour of vegetarianism, while the wolf remains of a different opinion." With Thai cuisine, skipping meat doesn't feel like a compromise; one can make spicy flavorful dishes for the sheep, and the wolf won't know the difference. Passmore (Fire and Spice) has chosen well, collecting recipes that aren't difficult or weighed down with an ominous list of ingredients.

In each section. Passmore manages to give a sense of the full range of Thai cooking, from the expected curry paste, ginger, coconut flavor of Mushrooms in Coconut Soup with Crisp Noodle Croutons to the less expected Mussaman Curry of Potato and Pumpkin with Peanuts (and cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, tamarind) and Clay Pot of Fried Tofu and Vegetables in Brown Sauce. The first chapter includes a fairly complete glossary of ingredients. Although the difference between coconut cream (made from the first extraction of coconut meat) and the ubiquitous sugary cream of coconut used for piña coladas is not clarified. Passmore does recognize that many Thai ingredients are not universally available. The suggested substitutions (e.g., tapioca for sago; grapefruit instead of pomelos; lime zest for kaffir lime leaves; chayote for Chinese melon) will help bring the delights of Thai cuisine to many vegetarian tables.

This unbeatable collection of vegetarian Thai recipes skillfully sidesteps meat without missing any favorites. From essentials like Cucumber Salad with Roast Peanut Dressing to zesty curries, soups, stir-fries, and more, THE VEGETARIAN TABLE: THAILAND deserves a central place in any kitchen where spice, adventure, and delicious vegetarian foods are welcome. 32 color photos.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Very similiar to a vegetarian cookbook..., December 29, 2000
By "dayveg" (New York, NY USA)

This book has a lot of good recipes. Unfortunately, I am not convinced the recipes were designed for vegetarians. Many of the recipes have ingredient lists like "Fish sauce (or light soy sauce)".

Apart from that, book has lots of pretty pictures, is well organized and has most of the Thai food that vegetarians would order in a restaurant (curries, pad thai, pineapple fried rice). No Drunken Noodle though!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The exotic made easy, October 27, 1999
By Eda (Edmonton Canada)

This is a great book! Easy to follow instructions take the mystery out of Thai cooking while the beautiful illustrations are a feast for the eye. When non-vegetarians tell me that vegetarian food is boring, I use this cookbook to prove them wrong and get rave reviews at the table. Be sure to try the Jungle curry.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Pungent, , Exotic, and EASY, October 10, 1999
By A Customer

Interesting combinations, easy to understand, easy to find ingredients (well, in Toronto's Chinatown it is). Try the Spiced Corn Cakes with Cucumber Dipping Sauces and the Hot and Sour Thai Soup,and the Golden Spring Rolls.