The cover and title make this seem like an unremarkable cookbook, but actually it's a powerhouse of ideas for complete meals (mains, sides, desserts). The recipes cover the most popular Asian dishes, grouped according to country: Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai. But it really surprised and pleased me that it also has some dishes from lesser-known Asian cuisines: Vietnamese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Nepalese, Afghani, Filipino, Uzbeki, Tajiki, and Persian. Of course, all of these recipes are adapted to be made in 30 minutes and with ingredients readily available from your local Asian grocer's, but the spirit of inclusion is there. I wouldn't really say that the recipes appear authentic but the flavor profiles can put you in the right direction. I'm the sort of cook that just needs a general idea of ingredients and I can take it the rest of the way to the plate—so it's perfect for weeknight cooking.

I don't say this often, but I think I'm gonna buy this one. I've been eating vegetarian this lent, but my husband is still eating meat. Since most of these recipes are a curry of some sort or another, they are easy to adapt for the both of us. Or alternatively, I could easily use this as a resource for side dishes, since some of my other all-time favorite cookbooks are main courses only. 30 minutes and packed with veggies makes a good side in my book!