Everyday Asian

Everyday Asian, by Marnie Henricksson, capitalizes on the author's experiences running a noodle shop. This sort of restaurant appeals to young people for its variety, simplicity, and economy. The book's recipes recapitulate that theme with such dishes as Vietnamese Cabbage, Chicken, and Mint Salad, whose peanuts and chicken add protein to soothing greens. Korean Beef Noodles emphasize garlic's pungency and chiles' heat. For more substantial fare, Henricksson offers pork chops scented with Indian spices and Singapore Chile Shrimp with its distinctive sweet-hot sauce. All these recipes require a pantry of standard Asian cooking staples, but the ubiquity of these canned and bottled ingredients makes them easy to obtain. Mark Knoblauch