SIMPLE ART OF VIETNAMESE COOKING

American home cooks inclined to tackle Vietnamese cooking will be well served by these co-authors: Chef Binh Duong shares his intimate knowledge of his native cuisine, and food-writer Kiesel (Food & Wine magazine) shows how easily it can be done in American home kitchens. These interesting flavors are different and require some ingredients not found in the average American pantry, though fortunately most recipes can be accomplished with a few extras— such as rice papers to wrap the delightful snacks or appetizers and nuoc man (Thai fish sauce) for a whole range of dishes—now stocked in many supermarkets. More exotic ingredients such as pork-skin threads and perilla leaves can presumably be had from the mail- order sources listed at the book's end. With little meat and heavy use of shrimp, crabs, and rice in many forms, this food fits right into our current standards for health and taste.