EASY PEASY, VEGAN JAPANEASY:
A REVIEW OF TIM ANDERSON’S LATEST OFFERING
WORDS BY DANIEL CALLAGHAN
With vegan adaptations of Japanese ingredients, dishes and methods, Vegan JapanEasy is an ideal combination of the traditional and the contemporary.
Authored by food writer, chef and winner of MasterChef UK 2011 Tim Anderson, Vegan JapanEasy is a uniquely vegan take on traditional Japanese cuisine that explores new and surprising methods of cooking. I’ll just say right off the bat that I am neither a vegan nor a vegetarian. While I respect the ethics of veganism, it’s never been a particular interest of mine. Having read Tim’s insightful and highly entertaining take on the vegan side of Japanese cooking, I’m now tempted to give it a go—or at least opt for more vegan dishes in my everyday cooking. Anderson’s MasterChef-winning clout might have helped with that!
Tim lived in Japan for two years to study the country’s food culture and has become a leading British voice in Japanese food; Vegan JapanEasy proves why that is the case. From the first passage of the cookbook, Tim sets the tone with a charming and inviting style that carries throughout Vegan JapanEasy.
Whether he’s translating a recipe for western readers or detailing his own experiences with discovering new cuisine styles, his approach makes for extremely engaging and educational reading. This enjoyment factor is increased by the way in which Vegan JapanEasy manages to be incredibly informative while also being surprisingly simple and accessible: perfect for aspiring cooks who are just beginning to test their skillsets; experts who seek to brush up on old techniques while potentially acquiring new ones; and everyone in-between.
Putting my praise for how Tim has presented this cookbook aside for a minute, you may find yourself wondering: what do Japanese vegan dishes have to do with fermentation—the main topic of this edition of Forkful? While being geared primarily toward those seeking new cooking and food experiences, Vegan JapanEasy also satisfies the curiosity of those wanting to find out more about fermented foods. This is aided by the fact that fermented foods form a noticeably large basis of Japanese cooking. Ingredients and dishes such as miso, kimchi and soy—all fermented foods—feature strongly throughout the cookbook, so you can rest assured that you will discover more about fermentation and fermented products through the lens of Japanese cuisine.
‘Perfect for aspiring cooks who are just beginning to test their skillsets; experts who seek to brush up on old techniques while potentially acquiring new ones; and everyone in-between.’
As a meat-eater, what I really appreciate about the cookbook is that Tim doesn’t feel the need to shame people who still consume meat and animal products, subverting a common stereotype that the average reader might associate with veganism. Thanks to his endearing and captivating execution, Tim ensures that Vegan JapanEasy has universal appeal. In saying that, anyone who reads Vegan JapanEasy and isn’t either a vegan or a vegetarian may just find themselves adopting a new outlook on food.
As for the recipes in Vegan JapanEasy, what may seem like a daunting undertaking for beginners Tim turns into something simple, both in concept and execution. The book itself is divided into five distinct chapters of cooking: Basic Seasoning & Sauces; Snacks, Small Dishes & Sides; Big Dishes; Big Rice & Noodle Dishes; and Desserts & Drinks. Each chapter provides a wide range of recipes for different dishes, and every recipe is comprehensive and written with tantalising detail—from the Vegan Japanese Mayo and the Proper Miso Soup; to the Pesto Udon and the Bloody Mariko. A few of the recipes include illustrated diagrams which further help to simplify the cooking process, giving readers an easy-to-follow visual representation of some of the fiddlier procedures.
One point of difference in Vegan JapanEasy, when compared with other cookbooks, is how Tim presents recipe methodologies. For the most part, recipe instructions are grouped together in a single paragraph instead of conforming to a traditional step-by-step structure. For me, this arrangement worked: it didn’t hamper my reading of the book or my cooking of the recipes. But for those who prefer to follow along with each step, it may take some getting used to. Admittedly though, this is somewhat of a nit-pick and more a question of personal preference than critique. In all honesty I found it hard to find anything in this cookbook that I would consider to be a genuine flaw.
Vegan and vegetarian readers of Vegan JapanEasy will definitely find themselves pleased with the array of new and wild recipes to try out. This statement also applies to anyone wanting to be more experimental with their cooking and to those seeking to broaden their palates. For my money, I’m happy to say that Tim’s Vegan JapanEasy will certainly leave a great taste in people’s mouths.
Score designation: Excellent
Vegan JapanEasy
Tim Anderson
Published by Hardie Grant
Available in all good bookstores