East: 120 Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Beijing [American Measurements]

Simple & Inspring

This is another amazing book from Meera Sodha. My husband and I are not vegetarian but trying to cut back on meat, like many others. Meera's recipes are straightforward, healthy and DELICIOUS. We don't miss the meat at all. So far we've made the Sweet Potato and Tenderstem Bibimbap (twice because it was so good), and also the Amritsari pomegranate chickpeas - which we served with some roasted chicken pieces but were absolutely delicious in their own right. I could eat from this book every night of the week and never get bored.

I was a fan of Meera Sodha before I bought this book and I’ve been quietly raving about it to friends since it’s purchase. The recipes are really easy to scale up (I sometimes cook for 12 people) or down (mostly it’s just me). The ingredients are mostly not that hard to track down - a large supermarket will do nicely - and suggested substitutes are given. I’ve found it so easy to use the recipes as a springboard and build on them as well as cooking the original. At a time when we know eating less meat and dairy has a positive impact on the climate, these recipes really liven up both plate and palate. In general they are quick to prepare and cook - always a bonus. If you want to extend your repertoire beyond tofu - or even increase your range of what to cook with the stuff (recommend the Bahn Mi) - this will soon turn out to be your ‘go to’ cookbook.

The accessibility of these recipes is what delights me; not a massive shopping expedition brought us all the major components of some truly lovely meals, and Meera presents them in a straightforward way. I would happily recommend this book for experienced cooks but also for beginners - people starting out as veggies or vegans, people starting out cooking beyond their usual tastes and techniques...

I already owned Meera Sodha's Fresh India and loved it. So getting East was an absolute no-brainer. And I'm so glad I did! It's so great to have a cookbook full of diverse recipes from throughout Asia that I can cook without having to worry about finding replacements for meat/fish based ingredients. As always, Meera Sodha gives great instructions, writes in the loveliest way, sharing stories which make the recipes all the more appealing.

Can't wait to get cooking. Realistic lists of ingredients (I hate recipe books that require you to use 48 different items to make one meal). Beautiful photos and great instructions.