Susan Feniger's Street Food: Irresistibly Crispy, Creamy, Crunchy, Spicy, Sticky, Sweet Recipes

Can't wait to start making recipes from this!!!

I love this cookbook! I have over 1,000 cookbooks, and this one is not only different, it is fun and very accessible to the home cook - IF you can get your hand on the ingredients!In the introduction, Susan Feniger explains that "aren't we all sick of making the same dishes over and over, mac 'n' cheese and blueberry muffins aside?" Her goal was to write a book that would share her love of street food around the world, and push the home cook to try new and exciting flavors. The book hits the mark, not just because of the recipes, but because Feniger is an entertaining and friendly guide to these places, the people, and their food.I am puzzled by a previous reviewer stating that this is a vegan cookbook - it is not, but many of the recipes can be converted to vegetarian, or in some cases, vegan, by simply eliminating the fish or meat and substituting tofu or tempeh. While some of the recipes have a short list of ingredients, others require many ingredients. Where possible, Feniger provides easier-to-find substitutions for some of them. The good news is that with the internet, you can order a lot of the shelf-stable ingredients (palm sugar, rock sugar, etc.) from Amazon, Kalustyan's, or My Spice Sage. Almost every dish is accompanied by a photo.As for the recipes, I've tried three: Cheese Grits with Three Pepper Relish, Malaysian Black Pepper Clams, and Chilled Soba Noodles with Spicy Orange Sesame and Tofu. All three of them were delicious (I made minor adjustments for my family's tastes). If you want to see other recipes, click on the "search inside the book" option at the top of the page to view recipes and see the table of contents. I am looking forward to trying many more of the recipes in this fun book!

Had been to a couple of author's restaurants in the past. My cookbook dinner club used this book for one of our periodic dinners. We liked some of the recipes (Japanes fried chicken--coating with rice flour) but did not like others (Yuzu mayo dressing for the chicken using suggested Kewpie brand mayo--ugh). And some recipes we made needed some sort of change to the recipes to make them work right. We didn't think the recipes may have been tested enough. Just a guess.

I've been a fan of Susan Feniger's for years. Loved her on Top Chef, Best Things on Food Network - and have enjoyed all her cookbooks.This cookbook got me through waiting for a deposition in the Bronx - I wasn't happy sitting there waiting until I cracked open the book -- the book I did not patiently wait for -- I pestered the hell out of Susan on twitter and facebook - "when will it be out?" "when can we pre-order" - I was the one that actually told her it was available for pre-order because I checked every week! The stories of her travels are filled with details that you feel as if you are sitting there with her cleaning fish or sitting by a fire sharing stories.The recipes - exotic, yet very doable in almost any kitchen - coconut curry caramel corn, miso glazed chicken wings with ginger scallion dipping sauce, banana fritters with coconut kaya jam, Indonesian tek-tek noodles with chopped peanut sauce - all out of this world.Buy this book and take yourself on an international street food vacation!PS - Highlight of our trip across the country - New York to California - was having brunch at her restaurant - the kaya toast - and the chicken croquettes - make your eyes roll back in your head! Delicious (I wish the chicken croquette recipe was in the book).

I love this book! From the moment I read the blurb I was hooked. Recipes are clear and easy to understand and execute. I have so far only made Feniger's Miso-glazed Chicken wings w/ Ginger-scallion dipping sauce (substituted a Chinese chili-soybean paste/sauce for the Korean one that was called for); the flavors work and pop.One thing though, I do not understand the negative comments about this cook book having too many complicated ingredients; I think these people have missed the point of this book.Chef Feniger has brought to you recipes, flavors and tastes of STREET FOOD from around the WORLD. HENCE, you should expect to find that there are foods and flavors that cannot be replicated or substituted. You will have to source many ingredients from ethnic markets, internet purveyors or other creative ways of getting your ingredients (e.g., grow in a garden and/or make the ingredient yourself). A person's local lack of availability of ingredients should not enter into a review about a *multicultural* cookbook.

I'm adding a dissenting opinion here because I was persuaded to buy the book based on favorable reviews and then was disappointed. The book overflows with enthusiasm and is nicely designed; but the recipes are kind of hodge-podge - more melting pot than authentic. The two that I tried were okay (Moroccan Carrot Salad) and a mess (Lebanese Chicken Wrap). The latter simply tasted muddy (I might have wondered more at the combination of za'atar, tahini, yogurt, and olives in the same dish, but it still sounded workable). I could have used a few more details; eg., how big is the lavash that she recommends? - they vary a lot here where I live. And the definition of street food seems overly broad (brussels sprouts salad with goat cheese and hazelnuts,or heirloom tomatoes with black garlic (!) and basil vinaigrette, for example, read more like restaurant recipes). So the book is appealing in style and appearance, but I was let down by the content.

I bought this as a present for my wife, but a present with ulterior motives -- I get to eat what she makes. Having eaten at Susan Feniger's restaurant and even having met the chef, I know that I'd be eating well. I was right on target, and these recipes will delight the happy eater (assuming that you or somebody who loves you knows how to cook).In summation - Since I can't eat at Susan's restaurant every day, I'm glad that I can still have her great food. (Kenneth Weene, author, Widow's Walk)

used book in good condition as advertised....

Street food is coming, First the kebeb, then the food truck, now street food.Cheap, easy to do and full of flavour.Suzan Feniger did a great job compiling recipe from around the world.Book to have in your kitchen to delight your friend and family and should also be in any western chef's bookshelve if he want's to go beyond what he knows and learned before.