Tony Tan's Asian Cooking Class

Tony Tan describes his earliest, formative food education as an explosion of flavours and ideas akin to a culinary tsunami. Growing up in Kuantan, on the east coast of Malaysia, the son of Hainanese immigrants - a father who ran a rest house and a mother who was an accomplished, endlessly curious cook - he was blessed with an open mind, attentive parents and a dynamic ever-evolving diaspora around him. His Malay neighbours taught him to cook beef rendang, his Peranakan neighbours gave him an appreciation of chicken cooked with buah keluak, and his Indian-Tamil friends showed him how to eat rotis and chapatis. Across multiple subsequent decades in Australia, the UK and France, through studies of history, language and food, his own restaurants, cooking schools, and food tours, Tan has continued a journey of learning and discovery that endears him to all who know him - and never ends. He lives in the central Victorian town of Trentham, where he runs legendary cooking classes and inspires the next generation of cooks.

• Recipe ListIntroductionMy Asian KitchenNoodles and Rice The Story of Noodles Dim Sum, Dumplings, Buns and Snacks The Right Oil for the TaskMeat Spice Histories, Pastes and Powders PoultrySuperior StocksThe Art of Duck Seafood Hot Wok, Cold OilVegetables Mastering Stir-fry SweetsAcknowledgmentsFurther ReadingIndex

'A cultural grounding reminiscent of the works of Claudia Roden or Elizabeth David.' The Observer 'You'll always leave Tony's classroom full - both of dim sum and a new perspective on Asian cooking. In this book, he's sharing his lifetime of expertise and experience with the world. Let Tony be your teacher.' Yotam Ottolenghi 'An irresistible journey into South-East Asia, where global spices and stories collide in some of the world's most scintillating flavours. Tony Tan is a brilliant teacher and I can't wait to devour his recipes.'Fuchsia Dunlop, author Invitation to a Banquet'Tony Tan is an Australian National Treasure.'Helen Goh, co-author Ottolenghi Comfort'Just when you think you know something about the food of the world, along comes Tony Tan to school you on the subtleties of adding pandan to rice, the ingenuity of Peranakan Nyonya cooks, mastering the complexity of a superior stock, and the joy of properly pinching a potsticker dumpling. The two of us have shared space in kitchens, and sat at tables with dishes steaming, across continents and oceans, but this book is like being welcomed into Tony's spiritual home, where you can rest and be thankful for what he is about to serve, because each dish represents a lifetime of gathering knowledge. The recipe for his mother's cross-cultural "see yauh sai chan" roast chicken is worth the price of admission alone.'Shane Mitchell, Saveur editor at large'This book is pure joy. To pay loving attention to food the way Tony Tan does is to truly be alive. If you can't spend hours in the kitchen learning from the master Tony tan, this elegant distillation of his Asian cooking knowledge is the next best thing.' Jennifer Wong, writer, comedian, eater'Tony Tan is an outstanding and always surprising cook. His mastery of a wide range of Asian and South-Asian techniques and flavours is amazing and it is a delight to eat at Tony's table.'Stephanie Alexander, author The Cook's Companion'Tony Tan isn't an authority on Asian food in Australia - he's the authority on Asian food in Australia. When the crème de la crème of chefs in this country need to check something, they check with Tony. When they have a question, Tony Tan has the answer. And now, for the first time, that authority, that lifetime of experience and those thousands of hours on the road and all that research and knowledge is at the fingertips of anyone who buys this beautiful book. Better still, it's as accessible to the home cook as it is the professional, and Tony's years as a cooking school teacher means that this book is as useful in providing inspiration for Tuesday night's dinner as it is Saturday's grand feast.'Pat Nourse, creative director Melbourne Food & Wine Festival"Tony Tan's encyclopaedic knowledge of Asian cooking is nothing short of remarkable, and I'm awed by his willingness to share it with such ease and humility.'Michael James, author The Tivoli Road Baker'What a wealth of knowledge, good taste and sass this wonderful book is, just like the author himself'.Dave Verheul, chef, owner Embla, author On Sundays 'To cover and do justice to the different cuisines that encompass Asian food is a herculean task, but Tony Tan has done just that, distilling years of his expertise and knowledge in the process. This book will make you a wiser cook and is destined to become a mainstay in kitchens worldwide.' Nik Sharma, author The Flavor Equation and Veg-Table