Cookbooks

Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia

by James Oseland

W.W. Norton, 384 pp., $35

There's an old Indonesian folk saying that asserts "If you don't know it, you can't love it." Because so few Indonesians live in the States, few Americans have ever had the opportunity to taste the cuisine. James Oseland's Cradle of Flavor showcases his talents as a culinary and cultural translator, a man on a personal mission to introduce America to the varied and exotic cuisines of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The editor in chief at Saveur, he traveled to the region for the first time 24 years ago, and every year he is drawn back to his adopted home to cook and learn in the kitchens of strangers he meets in markets, street vendor stalls, and cafes all through the islands. The book tells their stories in a captivating manner, exposing the reader to not only the foods of the region but to the people as well.

In making the richly spiced but simple fare, the ingredients might perplex a novice were it not for the 50 pages devoted to the detailed nuances of the components. Basic kitchen equipment is required, and the accessible recipes are written in a comprehensive style enabling anyone to produce exciting, authentic results.

The 100 recipes in Cradle of Flavor focus on classic home-style dishes, each beginning with a headnote explaining the context of the dish and each recipe ending with menu suggestions. The tastes and aromas of this food will make your head spin, whether it's a Nyonya-braised pork dish from Malacca (described in the accompanying cook's notes as tasting "like a great, big hug") or a thick, seductive Sumatran beef rending or an ethereal Sulawesi grilled coconut chicken with lemon basil. With every paragraph, you can smell the spice markets, hear the gamelan music, see the lush jungle, and feel the salty humidity. The bonus, of course, is the glorious food Oseland persuades us to prepare.