Staff Pick
Danielle Chang has run Luckyrice festivals in some of the larger American cities since 2010. Inspired by Asian night markets, gatherings of street food vendors for late-night revelers, Chang has pulled together recipes from "markets, feasts and family tables." In Chang's Lucky Rice, she guides the recipes with additional history of the dish or region it comes from, even when the region is the unexpected Chinese American region (or "ABC," American-born Chinese). It's nice to see Chinese American food get a legit shout-out, because for me and I'm sure others, mild and crunchy Chinese is comfort food. But most of the recipes are based on the actual cuisine of Asian countries.
Browsing Lucky Rice, I looked for a few key things: Is the Hot and Sour Soup actually hot and sour? Yes. Does the Mapo Tofu have plenty of Sichuan peppercorns? Yes. Is there something completely weird that I must have? Yes — Jewish Pastrami Egg Rolls.
For those of us not lucky enough to be able to get to a Luckyrice festival, this is a home-kitchen way to enjoy Asian culture through some wonderful recipes.
(Featured Cookbook, "On the Table") Recommended By Tracey T., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
O, The Oprah Magazine‘s Cookbook of the Month
Yahoo! Food’s Cookbook of the Week
In Lucky Rice, Danielle Chang, founder of the festival of the same name—which brings night markets, grand feasts, and dumpling-making sessions to America’s biggest cities—feeds our obsession for innovative Asian cuisine through 100 recipes inspired by a range of cultures.
Here, comfort foods marry ancient traditions with simple techniques and fresh flavors—and include a few new classics as well: chicken wings marinated in hot Sichuan seasonings; sweet Vietnamese coffee frozen into pops; and one-hour homemade kimchi that transforms pancakes, tacos, and even Bloody Marys. With a foreword by Lisa Ling, this lushly photographed cookbook brings the fun and flavors of modern Asian cooking to your kitchen.
Review
“The recipes, all contributed by Chang herself, steer clear of pseudo-delicacies like California rolls and General Tso’s chicken. Instead, you’ll find Taiwanese beef noodle soup, Thai green curry coconut mussels and kimchi pancakes—the types of dishes fueling America’s obsession with authentic Asian flavors. Here, Chang goes deep and schools us on the variations of night markets, talks about the collision of American and Asian cultures and lets us in on how her passion for Asian cuisine led to the publication of her illuminating new book.” Food Republic
Review
“An introduction to some of the most popular (and most approachable for home cooks) dishes from across Asia, like a simple ma po tofu and Indonesian fried rice. Each is accompanied by a short story that is meant to introduce the dish to readers and act as a sort of invitation, perhaps particularly for those who are new to cooking Asian cuisines.” Tasting Table
Review
“Where [Lucky Rice] shines is in the cultural explorations: Chang shares memories of her grandmother in Taiwan, discusses the US ramen boom of recent years, explains Lunar New Year culinary traditions, and more. Craving context with your spicy pork noodles? Chang’s got you covered.” Epicurious
Review
“As the founder of LuckyRice, which produces Asian food festivals across the U.S., Chang knows plenty about satisfying a range of appetites. Her new cookbook covers everything from quintessential Thai to updated Korean. We’re especially impressed by her knack for using unexpected ingredients in familiar foods—kimchi tacos and pastrami egg rolls, anyone? What to try: Chang’s tomato soup includes the usual ingredients—ripe tomatoes, onion, garlic, butter, and cream—but a tablespoon of ground coriander gives it an Indian-inspired, “what is that amazing flavor?” twist that’ll have you hooked.” O, the Oprah Magazine
Review
“Chang, the founder of the LuckyRice festivals, dispenses her addictively spicy dishes in this gorgeously photographed collection of modern Asian classics.” Entertainment Weekly
About the Author
DANIELLE CHANG is the founder of the LUCKYRICE festival, a national celebration of Asian cultures and cuisines that has taken place in more than seven cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. She is also the host and creator of Lucky Chow, a PBS series about Asian food culture in America. Born in Taipei, Danielle lives with her family in New York.