24 AAPI Cookbooks You Must Have in Your Collection

1. Cook Real Hawai'i — this delectable cookbook comes from celebrity chef Sheldon Simeon. Inside, you'll discover 100 unique Hawaiian recipes, with a diverse range of ingredients. You'll be making dishes like wok-fried poke, pork dumplings made from biscuit dough, crispy cauliflower katsu, and more. Seriously, YUM. 

2. Xi'an Famous Foods: The Cuisine of Western China, from New York's Favorite Noodle Shop — as a regular at Xi'an's, I can vouch for the fact that we are ALL lucky this cookbook is available! Jason Wang's legendary dishes were initially served to customers in Flushing, Queens. Since then, he's become a culinary sensation, and this book will allow you to try his iconic recipes at home. You'll be craving the flatbread with caramelized pork, cumin lamb, and hand-pulled Biang Biang noodles.

3. Korean Home Cooking: Classic and Modern Recipes — this *delicious* cookbook features over 100 classic dishes. Flip through and prepare to fall in love with kimchee, mung bean pancakes, seaweed soup, japchae noodles, soondae (blood sausage)... and the list keeps going! I own this cookbook myself and can personally attest that Sohui Kim's recipes are an absolute MUST-try.

4. The Honeysuckle Cookbook: 100 Healthy, Feel-Good Recipes to Live Deliciously — authored by the creator of the YouTube show "Honeysuckle," this delightful cookbook is ideal for anyone seeking easy, wholesome meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Chef Dzung Lewis takes simple recipes and gives them an exciting twist with unexpected ingredients. Lewis' overnight oats have become a viral sensation for a good reason! 

5. The Boba Book: Bubble Tea and Beyond — written by Andrew Chau and Bin Chen, this creative collection of boba recipes allows readers to ditch the pre-made mixes and craft unique drinks with the precision (and higher-quality ingredients) they deserve. This book celebrates the beloved international beverage in style. 

6. Japanese Home Cooking: Simple Meals, Authentic Flavors — flip through the pages of this cookbook and you'll quickly realize your kitchen was missing something important! With this book in hand, you'll be preparing dishes like vegetable soup with buckwheat dumplings, onigiri, mochi waffles, and irresistible fried chicken (unless you're too ~chicken~ to give these proven methods a try!). 

7. Mooncakes and Milk Bread: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by Chinese Bakeries — if steam buns are your weakness and the idea of kneading dough by hand (without a stand mixer) feels like an insurmountable task, Kristina Cho's cookbook is the "must-have" guide you need. As a cooking instructor and Bay-area native, Cho will show you how sweet the rewards of your effort can be!  

8. Filipinx: Heritage Recipes from the Diaspora — New York Times contributing writer Angela Dimayuga shares deeply personal, memory-filled recipes in this evocative book. For those who consider photography an essential part of the cookbook experience, this 100-recipe collection will have you savoring every stunning image! 

9. Milk & Cardamom: Spectacular Cakes, Custards and More, Inspired by the Flavors of India — Master Chef competitor Hetal Vasavada adds a little extra sweetness to life with this delightful collection of desserts. Your sweet tooth is in for a treat with recipes for brown butter ghee shortbread cookies, pomegranate curd brownies, and mango lassi macaroons that will have you swooning!

10. The Korean Vegan Cookbook: Reflections and Recipes from Omma's Kitchen — vegans, look no further than Joanne Lee Molinaro! Through touching stories from her mother's kitchen, Molinaro invites plant-based eaters to enjoy Korean dishes that are naturally vegan. Why settle for BBQ when you can indulge in Jjajangmyun, Gamja Guk, and sweet bean cake instead? 

11. Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One — this cookbook is a must-have if you're looking to cook at home more but struggle with scaling down recipes for just one person. Experience the joy of cooking for yourself with Michelin-starred chef Anita Lo guiding you along the way! 

12. Vietnamese Home Cooking — in 1995, when The Slanted Door opened, Charles Phan introduced many Americans to the rich and flavorful world of Vietnamese cuisine. With his cookbook, Phan shares the essential techniques that will make preparing these dishes at home just as easy and delicious. 

13. The Poke Cookbook: The Freshest Way to Eat Fish — this collection of 45 vibrant, fresh recipes is designed to help home cooks craft their ideal poke bowls. With ingredients like uni, lychee, mango, jicama, and other summer delights, Martha Cheng has curated a tropical feast for your tastebuds. 

14. To Asia, With Love: Everyday Asian Recipes and Stories From the Heart — Hetty McKinnon, a Brooklyn-based chef, brings her passion for food to this book, which explores how to create traditional Asian dishes with a modern twist. A true fan of this book myself, I’m all in for the clever tips and shortcuts McKinnon shares throughout! 

15. Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill: Classic Recipes for Seafood and Meats Cooked over Charcoal — Leela Punyaratabandhu takes you on a culinary journey with 60 incredible recipes from Southeast Asia. From the grills of Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia, you're sure to uncover new favorites to sizzle up over charcoal. 

16. Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home — in this visually captivating cookbook, Eric Kim brings the vibrant flavors of Korean American cuisine to life. Not only will every dish make your taste buds sing, but the food photography is so gorgeous, you'll want to hang it on your wall! And don’t worry, these recipes were created in Kim’s NYC apartment, so your kitchen can handle it too! 

17. I Am a Filipino: And This Is How We Cook — this dynamic cookbook by Nicole Ponseca offers vibrant recipes like oxtail soup, fish in vinegar, and irresistible street food, perfect for recreating a traditional kamayan feast at home. First released in 2019, it was lauded by The New Yorker, Houston Chronicle, and New York Times as one of the best cookbooks of the year. 

18. Chaat: Recipes from the Kitchens, Markets, and Railways of India — you might recognize Maneet Chauhan from Chopped, but if not, this is the perfect time to dive into her culinary world! With her vibrant take on flavors, Chauhan brings you exciting combinations like roasted sweet potatoes with star fruit, lemon, and spices—talk about a flavor explosion! Get ready for some magic in the kitchen!

19. Vietnamese Food Any Day: Simple Recipes for True, Fresh Flavors — this book earned a spot as an IACP finalist, and it’s no wonder! Nguyen's mother, who fled Vietnam to America, developed some brilliant cooking tricks to recreate the authentic flavors of home. Now, Nguyen's recipes will show you how to bring Vietnamese cuisine to life using ingredients from your local grocery store.

20. My Shanghai: Recipes and Stories from a City on the Water — this latest cookbook by Betty Liu has earned recognition as one of the best cookbooks of the year from New York Times, Business Insider, Glamour, and others! Liu grew up with the homestyle Shanghainese dishes her family made, and that deep-rooted tradition brings a fresh and modern twist to this time-honored cuisine.

21. Molly on the Range: Recipes and Stories from An Unlikely Life on a Farm — Molly Yeh, winner of the IACP cookbook awards *and* the host of Food Network’s Girl Meets Farm, brings you her inspiring story. Yeh, a classical musician who once lived in New York City, made an unexpected move to a sugar beet farm with her partner. Her Jewish/Chinese heritage shines through in inventive dishes such as Asian Scotch eggs and scallion pancake challah bread.

22. Coconut & Sambal: Recipes from my Indonesian Kitchen — chef and author Laura Lee shares her love for Indonesian cuisine in this book, blending stories with irresistible recipes. Discover how to make nasi goreng, beef rendang, chili prawn satay, and pandan cake, with Lee guiding you every step of the way! 

23. Rangoon Sisters — Amy and Emily Chung bring the flavors of Burma to your kitchen with this amazing cookbook. Explore over 80 delicious recipes from Myanmar, including fish chowder, pumpkin curry, and pickled tea leaf salad, along with many other exciting dishes! 

24. Aloha Kitchen: Recipes from Hawai'i — Named Cookbook of the Year by NPR, this vibrant book by Alana Kysar, a Maui native, explores Hawaii’s rich and diverse culture. Kysar offers a fresh take on local favorites, incorporating regional history and modern cooking techniques. Enjoy making iconic dishes like saimin, loco moco, shoyu chicken, and even a refreshing shaved ice recipe! 

When you realize how long you’ve been missing out on these cookbooks:

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