This cookbook is a paradise for the senses. In Asian cooking (and in this case, "Asian" includes India and a few African dishes, as well as the familiar Southeast Asian countries), spices do more than flavor the food. They add color, smell and texture, transforming simple meats and vegetables into a seductive and sumptuous feast, one that is consumed with the eyes and nose as well as the mouth and tongue. The combination of heat and spice is what really makes Asian cooking stand out, combining flaming chili peppers with cinnamon and coconuts, or lemongrass and lime leaves.