The sound of a mortar and pestle...

  

A new cookbook by Andy Ricker is called Pok Pok because yes, pok pok is the sound of a mortar and pestle! He developed a love of Thai food staying in Chiang Mai with friends and went to a restaurant that specialized in Northern Thai food. After his epiphany he made many trips to Thailand studying the food and eventually opened a Thai restaurant on a shoestring budget in Portland.
This cookbook is approachable, the author claims he has no recipes that have unobtainable ingredients. That said, this is not for those who want easy...there are equipment lists and pantry lists. You need a mortar and pestle. You will make chili pastes! The satay recipe (grilled chicken with peanut sauce) specifies boneless pork loin, cut into strips that are 3 inches long, 1 inch wide , and 1/4 inch thick.
 This book is beautiful, lots of big photographs woven in with recipes and stories. So if you are like me, a tad too lazy to cook authentic Thai food, then take it home and spend an entertaining evening! ML