Member Reviews
I really enjoy using this cookbook. The recipes aren’t too complicated, and there’s a section in the beginning that gives information on Filipino ingredients. I’ve made quite a few of the distance and they were all delicious. My favorites so far: garlic fried rice, pancit canton, chicken inasal, sweet pork BBQ, shrimp in coconut sauce, and banana lumpia.
My only complaint is that there aren’t pictures for each recipe. There are a few but not enough for me.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This cookbook had some really great recipes. The recipes were easy to understand and not too complicated for the average cook. I enjoyed the illustrations and look forward to making these recipes for years to come.
For those not familiar with Filipino food, you have missed out. It is decidedly Asian, with influences from almost everywhere. Roline Casper has introduced us to dozens of scrumptious Filipino dishes in her cookbook The Easy Filipino Cookbook: 100 Classics Made Simple. This book is excellent, and Casper has managed to capture the ambience of her country so that we can prepare the dishes at home. The only drawback to this book is that there are very few photographs, and there are so many dishes that sound good, that is quite unfortunate, since most of us want to see what we are cooking before we cook.
The dishes featured are mouthwatering, and many can be made with ingredients available at larger grocery stores. Others may require a trip to a good Asian grocery store, but most cities have at least one, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
This cookbook is well-written, and the instructions for each dish are easy to understand. Beginning cooks will have no trouble duplicating the dishes and turning out picture-perfect masterpieces that everyone will love. There is an excellent section that explains ingredients that may not be familiar to some of us, and a section explaining the influences on Filipino food from around the world. She also has suggestions on kitchen equipment, but that equipment isn’t particularly special, and most of us probably have it in our kitchens already.
Sweet & Spicy Shrimp with Garlic is already a favorite, and Casper’s version of Garlic Fried Rice is also good. Pancit dishes are fairly numerous in this book, and they the ones tried so far are delicious. Chicken Adobo, which is most likely the most famous Filipino dish is included, and her recipe is easy and good.
The Easy Filipino Cookbook includes soups, appetizers, rice and noodle dishes, and grilled dishes, as well as a few desserts. Those who already love Filipino food and for those who start cooking from this cookbook and learn that they love Filipino food, this is a must-have cookbook.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
I thought this was a pretty solid cookbook, especially as an introduction to Filipino food! Definitely appreciate the inclusion of simple recipes in there that I can’t buy due to food allergies, such as banana ketchup.
My minor irritation is with the allergy warnings on the different recipes, which seems to be a common issue in cookbooks.
New ethnic cookbooks can be fun. This book then out to be a lot of new fun. I wanted to try some new ethnic recipes and this book did its purpose. I tried two new recipes from the book that turned out not only delicious but they were fairly easy to make. Recommended.
I'm not very familiar with Filipino food which is the primary reason I had hoped to review this book. While I vaguely knew it was a diverse cuisine, I hadn't realized exactly how diverse -- influences from Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Arabian, India, Spain, Mexico, American (literal drool). Most of the basic ingredients I'm familiar with given my background, however it does require a special trip to an international grocery store to find a few ingredients for some recipes. (pigs ears, lumpia wrappers, specific noodles), but the author provides great ingredient tips/substitutions. There weren't as many food photos as I would prefer (one of each recipe but I know that's quite a bit), however between the tips, numbered instructions, and brief history of dishes, I'm set to try a basic Filipino recipe at home.
Loved this cookbook. Really easy to use and understand. All the recipes I made from this recipe book came out delicious.
4.5/5 stars!
The cookbook features 100 recipes based on the Filipino cuisine. It provides an introduction to the history of Filipino food and how it was shaped by other cultures. The cookbook is separated into chapters that includes pork, seafood, and desserts. Foremost that Ms. Casper reiterates is the adaptability of the recipes to fit one's palate and still retain the essence of Filipino fare. The cookbook also provides cooking and substitution tips for cooking ease and taste. Just a note: there are not a lot of images in this cookbook. Overall, I recommend this Filipino cookbook for its staple ethnic recipes and easy cooking instructions.
**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy.**
I have never had Filipino food and have no clue how to make any of it, thus getting the cookbook. Since it said easy on the title, what more could I need? The cookbook has 100 classic recipes made simple, from appetizers to staples. As I was going through the recipes I was surprised to see how much hot dogs are in a lot of recipes. I love hot dogs, have to be good quality ones with skins, but putting them in spaghetti or meatloaf? Hmm, I will stay open about this.
A lot of the recipes sound really good and others not so much, but that is a personal preference. This book will give you an idea of what you need to have on hand, but most of the recipes have some form of chicken or pork. I found a few recipes that I want to try, now that I am in self-prescribed quarantine because of the coronavirus, one of them being Simple Pork Chops, put into a marinade and then fried up. Sounds simple! I also found a staple as Banana Ketchup intriguing.
So if you are interested in Filipino recipes or want to add them to your already Filipino diet, check out The Easy Filipino Cookbook by Roline Casper.