Coconut and Sambal: Recipes From My Indonesian Kitchen

With over 17,000 islands and hundreds of spoken languages and ethnic groups, Indonesia is as vast and diverse, as food writer and chef Lara Lee shows, as the dazzling variety of culinary traditions it boasts to offer. Lee grew up in Australia and moved to London, where, after cooking professionally, set off on a culinary journey across Indonesia to trace the flavors that marked her childhood. Between the tantalizing introduction and an ample glossary of key ingredients are over 80 authentic recipes, from classics (beef rendang) and regional favorites (Timorese fish soup) to specialties of her Indonesian grandmother Popo (fried spicy soft-boiled eggs). The sambal of the title is the country’s ubiquitous chili-based relish. No meal is complete without some sambal, and Lee includes 10 distinctive versions, from tomato sambal to one with green chilies and salted anchovies. The engaging book will send you immediately into the kitchen. Expect your copy to be quickly stained with sambal.