cover image Mission Vegan: Wildly Delicious Food for Everyone

Mission Vegan: Wildly Delicious Food for Everyone

Danny Bowien with J.J. Goode. Ecco, $39.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-06-301298-1

Bowien (The Mission Chinese Food Cookbook), cofounder of New York and San Francisco’s Mission Chinese restaurants, combines Korean influences and his own flair for the dramatic in this innovative collection of vegan delights. The fun kicks off with a variety of creative kimchis and pickles, including pineapple and watermelon kimchis that take less than a week to ferment, and passion fruit cucumber pickles and dried mushroom pickles. Tofu is in abundance in a colorful soup and stew chapter, as are thin noodles, with the two joining forces along with beans, mushrooms, and herbs in an army stew inspired by the ones first served up in the aftermath of the Korean War. There are plenty of spicy recipes that turn up the heat, but Bowien also excels in showcasing subtler flavors, too, as exemplified by a cold somyeon in iced soy milk. Similarly, an inventive section of fried rice dishes places delicate golden fried rice with enoki mushrooms next to the untamed dolsot-bibimbap with grapefruit gochujang. For dessert, there are twists on old favorites, such as seaweed Rice Krispies treats, as well as a marvelous burnt banana with blueberries and walnuts, featuring an entire, unpeeled banana charred black and resting in a berry sauce. Mixing bold ingredients and techniques, this enthralling collection will satisfy vegans and carnivores alike. (Aug.)