Having spent many years visiting the region, she has rewritten it and included recipes from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam which in the 1960s were inaccessible to Westerners. These join old and new recipes from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in a large new hardback edition (Hardie Grant Books).
In her introduction she explains the social and economic changes that have taken place in these countries in the past 40 or 50 years, the shortcuts and modern techniques used now, but also the loss of domestic heritage and traditions, as parents are too busy to cook at home - something no culture seems immune to.
Besides the broad range, covering six countries and various styles of cuisine, what makes this book stand above many of the numerous books of recipes from this region is her authoritative introductions to each section, putting the dishes in their culinary and cultural context, explaining the cuisines and customs of each region, their origins and influences, which make for both fascinating reading and a greater understanding of Southeast Asian food.
Elizabeth David said of the first edition "A book every serious cook should possess," and that applies equally to the updated and rewritten edition.
