3 Essential Asian cookbooks for vegans

Asia is not only known for its stunning places to visit and rich culture, but also for its savory cuisine. Moreover, it is pretty plant-based friendly. Dishes contain plenty of fresh vegetables and herbs. And by replacing meat and fish with tofu and tempeh, veganizing is easily done. When eating out, watch out for fish sauce and dashi though! These are common ingredients in amongst others vegetarian curries.

With these vegan cookbooks, you can enjoy Asian cuisine every day:

The Veggie Chinese Take-Away Cookbook – by Kwoklyn Wan

Enjoy the tastes of your takeaway favorites at home! The Veggie Chinese Takeaway Cookbook offers over 70 amazing recipes for delicious soups, starters, mains, and side dishes, packed with fresh vegetables and rich flavors. All recipes are vegetarian, most of which can easily be made vegan. Then alternatives are mentioned in the list of ingredients, like using silken tofu to substitute eggs.

The dishes are easy to prepare and the ingredients are available in supermarkets. However, going to a Toko or Asian supermarket is what we prefer. Preparation time and cooking time are clearly stated in the recipes. And to get you started, the book starts with lists of cookware, basic supplies, and the "holy three ingredients" that are used in almost all Cantonese dishes. The colorful pictures of the dishes make it almost difficult to choose what to make. Our favorites are Veggie Wonton soup, Asparagus with ginger soy, and Udon noodles with Five-spice tofu.

Author, head chef, and BBC-presenter Kwoklyn Wan literally grew up in his Dad's kitchens of Chinese takeaways and restaurants, which fuelled his obsession with food. Over the years he has run a variety of business activities, but cooking has always remained at the heart of his DNA.

Vegan Japaneasy – by Tim Anderson

Both the recipes and the design of this cookbook are pleasures for the senses. Chef Tim Anderson collected 70 mouth-watering plant-based recipes from classics like vegetable tempura and curry ramen to vegan conversions including cauliflower katsu curry. Don't miss the chapters with drinks and desserts. There are surprising recipes for cocktails. And you definitely want to try the soy sauce butterscotch brownies.

Vegan Japaneasy takes you into Japan's rich culture of cookery. The Japanese cuisine is quite vegan-friendly, since the rich flavors are usually based in fermented soybeans, like miso, and rice products. Also, ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, seaweed, and zingy ponzu can't be missed when cooking Japanese. The cookbook starts with some very handy tips and tricks to get you started, such as the must-have ingredients for many Japanese dishes, how to cook Japanese rice, and the cook's notes. Alongside every recipe, the number of servings and the level of difficulty are indicated. Time for preparation and cooking are not mentioned though. And we would recommend going shopping at a Toko or Asian supermarket instead of a regular supermarket to collect all ingredients that are required.

Tim Anderson is a chef, food writer, and cookbook author, who studied Japanese food culture at university and lived in Japan for two years. Now he is one of the UK's most prominent voices on Japanese food, American food, and craft beer.

East – by Meera Sodha

The Guardian 'New Vegan' columnist and cookbook author Meera Sodha found inspiration for 120 delicious vegetarian and vegan recipes in India, East Asia, and Southeast Asia, bundled in cookbook East. The recipes from a wide range of Asian cuisines are easy to make and put vegetables at the center. Vegan constraints were a catalyst for Meera Sodha's creativity and on her journey, she discovered the world of fermented, pickled, and salted ingredients to add rich flavors to Asian dishes. Many ingredients for the recipes can be bought in supermarkets, though she recommends going to Indian or Chinese supermarkets for really good-quality and fresh products.

The recipes in the cookbook are conveniently clustered into types of meals or main ingredients: curries, noodles, snacks, rice, tofu, pulses etcetera. The vegan recipes are clearly marked with V or VO (vegan option). Our favorites are Sodha family masala omelet and Black-eyed beans and chickpea usal, just to name a few. Every recipe is accompanied by an introduction to the meal, whether it is about its heritage or Sodha's source of inspiration. The number of servings and the list of ingredients are indicated. However, times for preparation and cooking are only mentioned in the instructions.

Meera Sodha is The Guardian 'New Vegan' columnist and before East she has authored the award-winning cookbook Fresh India. When writing her cookbook East she has been drawn from her previous travel experiences in various Asian countries and she went on an extensive 'food safari' in London, let by her curiosity and finding inspiration by many unexpected findings and conversations.