"Lara Lee writes that an overflowing generosity is central to Indonesian culture; meals are shared freely between neighbors and friends. This generosity fills the pages of Coconut & Sambal , each recipe heightening the sense that as a reader, you''ve been let in on something special . a gorgeous document that sets in stone food traditions passed down through generations, as well as some she''s created herself. You''ll want to dedicate an evening to turning the pages of this book, planning out feasts of green chile braised duck, Balinese roasted pork belly, and perhaps some sticky ginger toffee pudding to top it all off." -- Eater, The Best Fall Cookbooks of 2020 "As gorgeous as it is useful, and it''ll have you getting in the kitchen to make beef rendang or caramelized shallot sambal or a multi-layered, appealingly mint green pandan cake." - Food & Wine "Lee brings an intimate knowledge of Indonesian cuisine to this stunningly photographed debut collection of recipes gathered from the author''s Indonesian grandmother and from cooks Lee met traveling through the island nation. This sumptuous collection is perfect for home cooks and armchair travelers alike." -- Publishers Weekly "Memories and mentorship take Lara Lee on an intriguing journey into Indonesia''s food.

This piece of paradise, made up of 17,000 islands, is definitely where I would go to discover new tantalizing flavours. I would start with Lara''s fragrant chicken soup (soto ayam), do lots of exploring on the way whilst dousing everything with spoonfuls of sambal, and end with her coconut and pandan sponge cake (kue pandan dan kelapa)" -- Yotam Ottolenghi "It''s a book that tells the story of the food, both through memories and evocative explanations, as it introduces us to the flavours and feel of the Indonesian kitchen, and explains not only how to cook the food, but how to eat it. It''s impossible to read it without being both inspired and very hungry!" -- Nigella Lawson " Coconut and Sambal is as colourful as Lee''s grandmother''s kitchen, with both the food and photography offering an escape to the fishing villages of the Maluku islands, the food markets in Ubud and the street food stands of Jakarta." -- Caterer "Alive with the fabulous flavours of Indonesia." -- Western Morning News "Her anecdotes are food for the soul, as are the recipes. This book is a gem." -- Delicious "I have travelled in Indonesia, a fascinating nation with an incredibly diverse yet barely known cuisine. It''s packed with flavour, tradition and stories.

Lara brings to life the food of Indonesia through her grandmother Popo''s recipes with favourites that are absolutely delicious and easy to make. I, for one, will be making her peanut kerupuk again and again." -- Peter Gordon "Lara Lee shares beautiful stories and the food of her Indonesian heritage. With delicious recipes that showcase the diverse tastes of traditional Indonesian food, this is truly a cookbook worth discovering." -- William Wongso "A heartfelt homage to her Indonesian culinary heritage, with an exciting and panoramic selection of dishes and snacks from all over the archipelago. The clear instructions and lively descriptions make this lavishly flavoured cuisine both appealing and accessible." -- Fuchsia Dunlop "I urge you to follow Lara''s recipes and without a doubt, you will have an incredibly delicious Indonesian meal on your table every time." -- Jeremy Pang "An excellent primer on an overlooked cuisine.

Lee thoroughly describes traditional techniques, along with sensible shortcuts and alternatives while instructing on the many influences on Indonesian cookery. Alongside each recipe is its country of origin, spice level, cooking how-to, and sometimes Lee''s personal reflections. Notably, many recipes include vegetarian or vegan variations, and beautiful photographs accompany most dishes." - Library Journal "[Lee] journeys across the country, learning from both experts and home cooks along the way, paying particularly beautiful homage to her Indonesian grandmother ''Popo,'' a onetime baker who lived with Lee''s family in Sydney. It''s a celebration of a cuisine I don''t know very much about -- Indonesian -- and Lee''s voice and style make it look so enticing." - Cup of Jo "A vibrant and expansive collection of tempting recipes. Each section of this volume shines. Lee''s writing is similarly multi-faceted, balancing charming anecdotes and clear cooking instructions to accommodate cooks with varied resources and dietary restrictions.

Personal and palate-pleasing, the recipes of Coconut & Sambal are surely a delight to cook." - Shelf Awareness, starred review.