15 Asian-Authored Cookbooks You For Your Shelf

You haven’t lived until you’ve been to Momofuku to slurp down the most delicious ramen in existence. But, if you don’t live near one of the restaurants, this book will help you recreate the noodle magic at home. 

Chang, who you may have seen on the Netflix show Ugly Delicious, shares stories from his life as well as classic recipes that you’ll be whipping up for years to come. Oh, and that ginger scallion sauce? Get ready to put it on everything. 

In this incredible (and seriously stunning!) cookbook, Jacqueline Chio-Lauri pulls together 30 recipes from Filipino people all over the world, all of whom manage to bring their own styles to their favorite dishes. They share memories, accompanying stories, and even recipe tweaks that will leave you excited to cook every single dish. 

Molly Yeh, who you might know from her Food Network show Girl Meets Farm, has released this cookbook that has just as many stories from her fascinating life as it does scrumptious recipes (and you’ll want more of both). 

Through her recipes, she pays homage to her Chinese-Jewish background, while peppering in interesting ingredients that she’s picked up from her time both in New York City and now on a sugar beet farm, where she lives with her husband.

No one knows bento boxes like Makiko Itoh, who has an entire blog dedicated to this traditional, healthy and honestly super tasty style of food prep. Scope out 25 different bento combinations, and more than 150 recipes. There are even tips on how to organize and prep so you’re always stocked up on nutritious, yummy meals.

Learn how to make perfect kimchi, spicy chicken stew, and even japchae noodles in this beautiful cookbook from Sohui Kim. Not only does it include 100 recipes, but you’ll walk away with a better understanding of the history of traditional Korean cuisine.

Trained at one of the top culinary schools in Taiwan, Taiwanese chef Tsung-Yun Wan shares recipes and stories inspired by her grandparents’ cooking. From signature dishes like pork rice and beef noodles, to stories behind the dishes, you’ll absolutely love Wan’s take on these classics. She also includes step-by-step photos so that you won’t mess up!

Madhur Jaffrey was born in Delhi, India, and her passion for all things culinary is totally contagious. In this book, she walks readers through dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. From small bites that you’ll want to keep on eating, to soups that will become a staple on your menu for years to come, Jaffrey is sure to win your heart with this gorgeous recipe collection.

For a true culinary adventure, grab Greater Mekong by Vietnamese–Australian author Luke Nguyen.  It has such a fun concept: following the Mekong River through Myanmar, northern Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, Nguyen shares recipes from stops along the way.

If you’ve been searching for new, easy to create vegetarian or vegan recipes, look no further than this book by Meera Sodha. Sodha, who was born to Ugandan-Indian parents, shares nostalgic recipes from her mother’s kitchen in a way that is both accessible and delicious.

While growing up in American suburbs, Imatome-Yun learned how to cook from her Korean grandmother. In the book, she covers everything from spicy stir-fried rice cakes and bulgogi, to Korean table manners. She even shares fun stories and lists of Korean pantry essentials, too.

Have you visited Dishoom in London? If not, go ahead and add it to your restaurant bucket list. Here, the authors and restaurant founders share the most sought-after recipes from the menu, including their crispy okra fries, naan roll, and even their chicken ruby. Did we mention that they also make a killer cocktail?

Helen Le is the founder of the most popular Vietnamese cooking channel on YouTube, and it’s with good reason. In this book, Le walks you through preparing the best pho out there in simple ways. She even provides recipes for vegan crispy spring rolls, dipping sauces, and pho noodle soup with beef stew.

You may know him from Iron Chef or even from his episode of Parts Unknown with Anthony Bourdain, so it’s safe to say that Jet Tila knows his way around the global kitchen. 

In this book, Tila shares 101 recipes that you need to cook during your life—from panang beef curry to his famous drunken noodles. Be ready to work these recipes into your weekly rotation.  

Not only is this cookbook visually striking, but Yuki Gomi will walk you through making restaurant-worthy sushi in a way that is easy. Gomi will take you through the fundamentals of sourcing fish all the way up to preparing the perfect rice for your sushi rolls.