The Asian Vegan Kitchen    by Hema Parekh Order:  USA  Can Kodansha International, 2008 (2008) Softcover     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth More and more people the world over are eschewing animal products in their diets. But, darn it, many of us wonder where has the glamour of a beautifully prepared meal gone? Despair no longer. The Asian Vegan Kitchen to the rescue. Author Hema Parekh, originally from India, now teaches Asian cooking in Tokyo. She has gathered recipes from across Asia, redolent of the spices and wonderful ingredients used in Asian cooking. Glorious color photos in the center of the book feature foods from countries that we may never visit - but we can now enjoy their meat- and dairy-free dishes. From India comes South Indian Salad using mung beans and a fresh hot green chili pepper. The Assorted Vegetables in Cashew Gravy intrigue me. Sounds wonderful. So do Pumpkin Turnovers. From Japan comes Mixed Vegetable Fritters and a Tofu Teriyaki Steak with Sautéed Asparagus and Mushrooms. Both sound divine to me. I'm sure they do to you also. We've all been to a Chinese restaurant or two. Bet you didn't have Vegetable Sweet Corn Soup or Eggplant in Chili Garlic Sauce. Here's your chance to try some authentic ethnic foods. Get with the program. Give it a whirl. Thailand offers Asparagus, Baby Corn, Pepper and Tofu Satay with a Sweet Peanut Sauce. A spicy noodle dish – called Drunkard's Noodles - is credited as not only being good but also a hangover cure. Mango with Sticky Rice would make a great dessert afterwards. Vietnam offers Pancakes Rolled with Vegetables served with Vietnamese Dipping Sauce or Pickled Radish and Carrot. Mushroom Balls with Plum Sauce or Stir-Fried Asparagus would go well with the pancakes. Then there's Deep-Fried Vegetables in Batter from Burma. Can be served with Spicy Besan Batter or Sweet Mango Chutney. And Deep Fried Winter Squash has to be a winner. Tumeric lends a beautiful color to Vegetable Soup from Jakarta, Indonesia. Stir-fried Sugar Snap Peas and Baby Corn comes from Malaysia. Kimchi is almost a staple in Korea. Suggestions for Cabbage Radish Kimchi, Chunky Radish Kimchi, Cucumber Kimchi and Tofu Kimchi should satisfy anyone. There are over two hundred recipes covering Asian countries' foods, alongside wonderful photos to whet the appetite. Remember, all these recipes are both meat and dairy free. The Asian Vegan Kitchen cookbook should satisfy the person already dedicated to vegan living as well as that soul who is contemplating going vegan. Bon Appetit. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews