This book is a true reflection of the skillful master of Nouveau Japanese cooking – Morimoto aka Iron Chef! Morimoto’s in depth knowledge of traditional cuisine along with his gumption to challenge traditions and embrace other cuisines make his style of cooking absolutely irresistible to me. Unusual dishes like Chocolate Coated Sweetfish Liver, Squid Strawberry Ice Candy, Caviar Tempura, Lobster Masala and traditional Japanese favorites like Hayashi Stew and Sushi Omelet co exist in perfect harmony in Morimoto’s latest print creation. What I like the best about this book is that the flavors in every recipe are unmistably Japanese yet it is not something you would find in any traditional Japanese restaurant. The skilful use of unusual ingredients adds an element of surprise to the recipes yet do not take away from the essence of Japanese cuisine! I cannot complete this review without mentioning that the striking photography makes this book an absolute delight to read.

Click here to buy the book from Amazon

 Perhaps my view on this book would be slightly prejudiced because I happen to admire Padma Lakshmi very much. It is indeed tough to ignore her gorgeously good looks and celebrity status and take her seriously as a chef. But, give her new book a try and you’ll see what I mean. If you can actually get past the beautiful cover on the book, you’ll discover one the most interestingly written cook books of the recent times. The book takes you through the journey of Padma’s life, the dominating influences on her cooking style. Easy to make recipes from around the world along with tit bits on Padma’s life and of course the unexpected collage of Padma’s personal pictures make this book a very interesting reading. In fact, I see it as an autobiography or sorts. Either way you look at it, this is a great addition for your cookbook library.

Click here to buy the book from amazon