Your favorite regional vegetarian cookbooks plz
August 17, 2022 9:12 AM Subscribe
What are your favorite cookbooks from historically-vegetarian regions? My family is trying to move towards a weekday-vegetarian diet, and I find the most inspiration from pretty cookbooks and regional cuisines.
Throughout Covid, I've gotten a lot of inspiration for meal-planning from my cookbooks, and I'm looking for more veggie-focused ones.
I'm specifically interested in cuisines from regions with a deep history with vegetarian meals - and less interested in a modern generically-vegetarian cookbook (but if you have your veggie cookbook that changed your life and you need to share it, go for it).
Bonus points for beauty - I enjoy the pleasure of flipping through cookbooks; I'm less interested in 1000 page encyclopedic tomes. I have little interest in meat-substitutes, I'm in it for the veggies!
So for example: your favorite lovingly-illustrated/photographed vegetarian Ethiopian cookbook would be great, and even better would be a more regionally or culturally specific cookbook.
Throughout Covid, I've gotten a lot of inspiration for meal-planning from my cookbooks, and I'm looking for more veggie-focused ones.
I'm specifically interested in cuisines from regions with a deep history with vegetarian meals - and less interested in a modern generically-vegetarian cookbook (but if you have your veggie cookbook that changed your life and you need to share it, go for it).
Bonus points for beauty - I enjoy the pleasure of flipping through cookbooks; I'm less interested in 1000 page encyclopedic tomes. I have little interest in meat-substitutes, I'm in it for the veggies!
So for example: your favorite lovingly-illustrated/photographed vegetarian Ethiopian cookbook would be great, and even better would be a more regionally or culturally specific cookbook.
I think Ottolenghi's Plenty likely fits the bill, especially on the beautiful photos front!
posted by capricorn at 9:35 AM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by capricorn at 9:35 AM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'm a fan of Madhur Jaffrey's World of the East Vegetarian Cooking, which collects Indian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and other veg recipes. It's much more utilitarian than pretty, though.
posted by moonmilk at 9:35 AM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by moonmilk at 9:35 AM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Madhur Jaffrey's Vegetarian India: A Journey Through The Best Of Indian Home Cooking. Madhur's recipes have never let me down.
I also recently purchased Teff Love: Adventures in Vegan Ethiopian Cooking, and everything I've made from it has been delicious.
posted by essexjan at 9:37 AM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
I also recently purchased Teff Love: Adventures in Vegan Ethiopian Cooking, and everything I've made from it has been delicious.
posted by essexjan at 9:37 AM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
You might like Elizabeth Andoh's Kansha: Celebrating Japan's Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions
posted by emmling at 9:37 AM on August 17, 2022
posted by emmling at 9:37 AM on August 17, 2022
Claire's Corner Copia Cookbook is regionally significant in that it comes from a longstanding and much-beloved vegetarian restaurant in New Haven, CT.
First page you should flip to is the white bean and sweet potato soup ...
posted by mccxxiii at 9:42 AM on August 17, 2022
First page you should flip to is the white bean and sweet potato soup ...
posted by mccxxiii at 9:42 AM on August 17, 2022
East: 120 Vegetarian and Vegan recipes from Bangalore to Beijing by Sodha Meera
posted by veery at 9:49 AM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by veery at 9:49 AM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Meera Sodha is great! She also has two Indian books which I highly recommend -- Fresh India, which is 100% vegetarian, and Made in India, which is largely but not entirely vegetarian. (I've cooked from both books and have found that my personal tastes stray toward the non-meat recipes.)
posted by andrewesque at 9:56 AM on August 17, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by andrewesque at 9:56 AM on August 17, 2022 [3 favorites]
Came in to recommend Madhur Jaffrey. Not all of her recipes are vegetarian, but even her non-vegetarian cookbooks are heavily veg.
posted by theora55 at 10:14 AM on August 17, 2022
posted by theora55 at 10:14 AM on August 17, 2022
Another vote for Madhur Jaffrey.
The Food of Sichuan is a beautiful book. It isn't vegetarian, but I bought it because I wanted to learn more about vegetarian Chinese food, and I had tried a couple of recipes Fuchsia Dunlop presented in the media. I have not regretted.
For inspiring pictures, River Cottage Veg is a treat, even though it isn't regional in the sense you probably mean it, but seasonal, which is also a good approach. The author, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, has also made a book called Hugh's Three Good Things, which is not vegetarian, but vegetable leaning. His recipes are all very family friendly, in the sense that they are easy to make on a weeknight, and kids can participate.
posted by mumimor at 11:12 AM on August 17, 2022
The Food of Sichuan is a beautiful book. It isn't vegetarian, but I bought it because I wanted to learn more about vegetarian Chinese food, and I had tried a couple of recipes Fuchsia Dunlop presented in the media. I have not regretted.
For inspiring pictures, River Cottage Veg is a treat, even though it isn't regional in the sense you probably mean it, but seasonal, which is also a good approach. The author, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, has also made a book called Hugh's Three Good Things, which is not vegetarian, but vegetable leaning. His recipes are all very family friendly, in the sense that they are easy to make on a weeknight, and kids can participate.
posted by mumimor at 11:12 AM on August 17, 2022
I really like Hetty McKinnon, specifically To Asia, With Love. There's a super simple udon noodle recipe that blew my mind.
This is how her website copy describes it: "'To Asia, With Love is my homecoming, a joyous return to the humble, yet deeply nurturing flavours and meals of my childhood as a Chinese girl born in Australia. It is also a celebration of the exciting and delicious possibilities of modern Asian cooking.'
Recipes range from the traditional - salt and pepper eggplant, red curry laksa, congee, a perfectly simple egg, pea and ginger fried rice - to Hetty's uniquely modern interpretations, such as buttery miso vegemite noodles, stir-fried salt and vinegar potatoes, cacio e pepe udon noodles and grilled wombok caesar salad with wonton crackers. All share an emphasis on seasonal vegetables and creating irresistible Asian(ish) flavours using pantry staples."
posted by velocipedestrienne at 12:00 PM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
This is how her website copy describes it: "'To Asia, With Love is my homecoming, a joyous return to the humble, yet deeply nurturing flavours and meals of my childhood as a Chinese girl born in Australia. It is also a celebration of the exciting and delicious possibilities of modern Asian cooking.'
Recipes range from the traditional - salt and pepper eggplant, red curry laksa, congee, a perfectly simple egg, pea and ginger fried rice - to Hetty's uniquely modern interpretations, such as buttery miso vegemite noodles, stir-fried salt and vinegar potatoes, cacio e pepe udon noodles and grilled wombok caesar salad with wonton crackers. All share an emphasis on seasonal vegetables and creating irresistible Asian(ish) flavours using pantry staples."
posted by velocipedestrienne at 12:00 PM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Honestly, as a long time vegetarian & cookbook collector, in my experience buying non-vegetarian cookbooks is often the only way to access particular cuisines, so I don't shy away from that even if much of any particular book is useless to me. I also think that most regions, including ones we don't think of as "historically vegetarian" virtually all have rich vegetable traditions (meat is not/was not every day fare for much of the world, much of the time) so I think there's a lot to access and enjoy from non-vegetarian books from all over. That said, here are a few vegetarian only books from my collection that might be what you are looking for:
Nistisima: The Secret to Delicious Vegan Cooking from the Mediterranean and Beyond
by Georgina Hayden (Hayden is a Cypriot author, so while this book is broadly Mediterranean, there is a special focus on Cypriot cuisine).
Afro Vegan: Family Recipes from a British-Nigerian Kitchen by Zoe Alakija
Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food: Deliciously Doable Ways to Cook Greens, Tofu, and Other Plant-Based Ingredients
by Hsiao-Ching Chou. (Also of note coming out soon, and with a focus I believe on traditional Chinese vegetarian dishes is The Vegan Chinese Kitchen : Recipes and Modern Stories from a Thousand-Year-Old Tradition by Hanna Che).
Fresh from Poland: New Vegetarian Cooking from the Old Country
by Michal Korkosz (A lovely little book highlighting a cuisine not often thought of as veg friendly)
Vegetarian Dishes from Across the Middle East
by Arto der Haroutunian
The Korean Vegan Cookbook: Reflections and Recipes from Omma's Kitchen
by Joanne Lee Molinaro
I absolutely second the recommendations upthread for Meera Sodha, Hetty McKinnon, and Fuschia Dunlop (Her home cooking Sichaun book, Every Grain of Rice, is particularly veg friendly)
posted by MeadowlarkMaude at 12:13 PM on August 17, 2022 [6 favorites]
Nistisima: The Secret to Delicious Vegan Cooking from the Mediterranean and Beyond
by Georgina Hayden (Hayden is a Cypriot author, so while this book is broadly Mediterranean, there is a special focus on Cypriot cuisine).
Afro Vegan: Family Recipes from a British-Nigerian Kitchen by Zoe Alakija
Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food: Deliciously Doable Ways to Cook Greens, Tofu, and Other Plant-Based Ingredients
by Hsiao-Ching Chou. (Also of note coming out soon, and with a focus I believe on traditional Chinese vegetarian dishes is The Vegan Chinese Kitchen : Recipes and Modern Stories from a Thousand-Year-Old Tradition by Hanna Che).
Fresh from Poland: New Vegetarian Cooking from the Old Country
by Michal Korkosz (A lovely little book highlighting a cuisine not often thought of as veg friendly)
Vegetarian Dishes from Across the Middle East
by Arto der Haroutunian
The Korean Vegan Cookbook: Reflections and Recipes from Omma's Kitchen
by Joanne Lee Molinaro
I absolutely second the recommendations upthread for Meera Sodha, Hetty McKinnon, and Fuschia Dunlop (Her home cooking Sichaun book, Every Grain of Rice, is particularly veg friendly)
posted by MeadowlarkMaude at 12:13 PM on August 17, 2022 [6 favorites]
"Olive Trees and Honey: Jewish Vegetarian Cooking" is an absolute treasure trove and you can read it by region if you want
posted by MarianHalcombe at 12:30 PM on August 17, 2022
posted by MarianHalcombe at 12:30 PM on August 17, 2022
Bonus points for beauty - I enjoy the pleasure of flipping through cookbooks;
milk street vegetarian recipes
posted by SunPower at 1:02 PM on August 17, 2022
milk street vegetarian recipes
posted by SunPower at 1:02 PM on August 17, 2022
My wallet is going to need MUCH FEWER of these recommendations, thanks. (Just kidding, loving this, keep them coming!)
posted by atomicstone at 1:18 PM on August 17, 2022
posted by atomicstone at 1:18 PM on August 17, 2022
Also, I was recommended the Korean Vegan cookbook on askmetafiler that MeadowlarkMaude recommends and it has been a JOY to cook from. Very much recommend.
posted by atomicstone at 1:32 PM on August 17, 2022
posted by atomicstone at 1:32 PM on August 17, 2022
Nthing Madhur Jaffrey and Sodha Meera. Some others that I like:
* The Greek Vegetarian by Diane Kochilas
* Persepolis: Vegetarian Recipes from Peckham, Persia and beyond by Sally Butcher, and the same writer's Veggiestan: a vegetable lover's tour of the Middle East
* Bazaar: Vibrant Vegetarian and Plant-Based Recipes, by Sabrina Ghayour
* India: The World Vegetarian, by Roopa Gulati
* Chetna's Healthy Indian: Vegetarian, by Chetna Makan
* Zaitoun: Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen by Yasmin Khan (not entirely vegetarian)
* Tarkari: Vegetarian and Vegan Indian Dishes with Heart and Soul, by Rohit Ghai
* Vegetarian Indian Cooking: Prashad, by Kaushy Patel
* Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey, by Najmieh Batmanglij
I have also just ordered The Syrian Spoon, a short cookbook about Syrian vegetarian food, the profits from which support Syrian refugees. And a friend has recommended Lands of the Curry Leaf: A Vegetarian Food Journey from Sri Lanka to Nepal, by Peter Kuruvita.
posted by paduasoy at 2:04 PM on August 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
* The Greek Vegetarian by Diane Kochilas
* Persepolis: Vegetarian Recipes from Peckham, Persia and beyond by Sally Butcher, and the same writer's Veggiestan: a vegetable lover's tour of the Middle East
* Bazaar: Vibrant Vegetarian and Plant-Based Recipes, by Sabrina Ghayour
* India: The World Vegetarian, by Roopa Gulati
* Chetna's Healthy Indian: Vegetarian, by Chetna Makan
* Zaitoun: Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen by Yasmin Khan (not entirely vegetarian)
* Tarkari: Vegetarian and Vegan Indian Dishes with Heart and Soul, by Rohit Ghai
* Vegetarian Indian Cooking: Prashad, by Kaushy Patel
* Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey, by Najmieh Batmanglij
I have also just ordered The Syrian Spoon, a short cookbook about Syrian vegetarian food, the profits from which support Syrian refugees. And a friend has recommended Lands of the Curry Leaf: A Vegetarian Food Journey from Sri Lanka to Nepal, by Peter Kuruvita.
posted by paduasoy at 2:04 PM on August 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Strongly seconding:
The Korean Vegan
Afro Vegan (by Zoe Alakija, though the Bryant Terry cookbook of just about the same name is good too!)
Teff Love
I also like Vegan Richa's books. Only one of her books is focused specifically on Indian food and it's not particularly regionally-specific as far as I remember, but the recipes are both excellent and very manageable for weeknight dinners. I also own Dakhshin, which is great to read but I have not had much success with it (to be fair, I've only used it for recipes far outside my usual experience, so the problem may be user error!).
And, though this isn't regional (unless NYC is an acceptable region per your definition), I think the Superiority Burger Cookbook might be up your alley (no meat subs, many, many interesting vegetable-based dishes - make the tahini ranch salad with bread & butter cauliflower!).
posted by snaw at 4:04 AM on August 18, 2022
The Korean Vegan
Afro Vegan (by Zoe Alakija, though the Bryant Terry cookbook of just about the same name is good too!)
Teff Love
I also like Vegan Richa's books. Only one of her books is focused specifically on Indian food and it's not particularly regionally-specific as far as I remember, but the recipes are both excellent and very manageable for weeknight dinners. I also own Dakhshin, which is great to read but I have not had much success with it (to be fair, I've only used it for recipes far outside my usual experience, so the problem may be user error!).
And, though this isn't regional (unless NYC is an acceptable region per your definition), I think the Superiority Burger Cookbook might be up your alley (no meat subs, many, many interesting vegetable-based dishes - make the tahini ranch salad with bread & butter cauliflower!).
posted by snaw at 4:04 AM on August 18, 2022
The Polish cookbook came today (I also bought the Ethiopian one, but it is still in transit) and I am in love with it, just flipping through. A definite recommend. Light, fresh salads, soups, entrees, amazing perogies and dumplings, breads, desserts....and gorgeous pictures and cute little stories. RECOMMEND
posted by atomicstone at 1:42 PM on August 18, 2022
posted by atomicstone at 1:42 PM on August 18, 2022
It does not fit your regional requirements but I absolutely love Appetite for Reduction. The title makes it sound like a "diet book," and indeed the focus is on low-fat vegan cooking, but the recipes are truly delicious and you don't feel like you are missing out on anything. The author also shies away from specialty vegan ingredients, and I've usually been able to replicate the recipes easily from my standing omnivore pantry.
posted by rpfields at 9:26 AM on August 20, 2022
posted by rpfields at 9:26 AM on August 20, 2022
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posted by 10ch at 9:30 AM on August 17, 2022 [2 favorites]