Photo by Mark Roper
It was in Australia that I first came across Tony Tan — not him in person, but in the shape of his 2018 book Hong Kong: Food City — and I’ve been a fan of his ever since. So it means a lot to me that his latest book, Tony Tan’s Asian Cooking Class has come to CookbookCorner. Frankly, it’s not before time. And if ever someone were qualified to give an Asian cooking class it’s him: the son of Chinese immigrants, he was born and brought up in Malaysia, he’s got 4 decades of teaching under his belt, has been immersed in food and learning for longer, and is rightly regarded as something as a national treasure in Australia, the country in which he’s made his home. As Nik Sharma says, “To cover and do justice to the different cuisines that encompass Asian food is a herculean task, and Tony Tan achieves just that. Distilled in this book are years of his expertise and knowledge. It will make you a wiser cook and is destined to become a mainstay in kitchens worldwide.” All this is true. On top of which, it will make you happy — on the page, in the kitchen, and at the table.
I think one of the reasons Tan is such a great teacher is that he clearly has such a passionate enthusiasm for learning. He knows when rules matters and when you can break free of them, which allows for joyful but respectfull riffs on classical dishes. And he encourages you with charm, authority, clarity and kindness, though the sheer deliciousness of his food is inspirational in itself. It’s a fool’s errand to try and capture the breadth of the book’s scope, but I shall slip into list mode and tell you what I’ve bookmarked thus far. Bear in mind that this is a rudimentary shortlist, but let me mention to you his Chinese Bolognese; Mushroom Dumplings with Curry Oil; Thai Duck Curry Dumplings; Squid Ink Potstickers; Alice’s Ultimate Meat Patties (a sort of spiced minced pork/omelette combo); Penang Nyonya Braised Pork; Slow-Cooked Duck with Cumin and Black Pepper; his Mother’s Roast Chicken, with its glaze of English mustard, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce; Vietnamese Honey-Roasted Quail; Calamari and Green Mango Salad; Steamed Mussels with XO Sauce; Lemongrass Tofu; Spicy Sichuan Mung Bean Noodles; Pineapple Curry; Spicy Pickled Chinese Cabbage; Fluffy Pancakes with Roasted Peanuts and Sesame Seeds; Rhubarb, Cardamom and Rosewater Sorbet; and Makrut Lime Leaf Crème Brûlée. It all makes me want to dash into the kitchen and cook: that’s the kind of cooking teacher Tony Tan is.
And the recipe I’m thrilled to be sharing with you today is his version of ‘Ants Climbing a Tree”, the irresistible Glass Noodles with Minced Pork, Shiitake and Garlic Chives.
Tony Tan's Asian Cooking Class by Tony Tan is published by Murdoch Books, £30.00, www.murdochbooks.co.uk.
Photo © Mark Roper 2024.
