DISHKARTE Cookbook by Chef Tatung Sarthou
Some collect stamps, coins and postage stamps. I have friends who love to collect action figures and toys. As for me, I enjoy collecting and reading cook books. I started collecting cooking books and even magazine clippings back in the 90s and I still kept them until now. This year, I already bought three in a book sale and just a few weeks ago, a friend sent me the latest cookbook of Chef Tatung Sarthou entitled ‘DishKarte‘.
I love the colorful illustrations and the recipes were written in Tagalog. I find it quite different and comical compared from other cookbooks that are too formal, making it more enjoyable to read. For example, on page 28, he said “Ulam Ulam Paano ka Ginawa”, it reminds me of a popular Tagalog film written by Lualhati Bautista.
The procedures are easy to follow and even a newbie cook or someone who has no experience or is afraid to work in the kitchen will be encouraged. There’s a QR code as well where you can scan and watch his cooking video tutorials.
Do you know that there are 2 ways of “gisa” or sauteing? One is Chinese-style and the other one is Spanish-style. And how about choosing the right type of oil when deep-frying, sauteing, or preparing a salad dressing? How about marinating the meats or “babad” – before cooking – as one of the best ways to make meats juicy and delicious? – these are just some of the things you will learn from the book of Chef Tatung, Simpol.
Welcome to Simpol DISHKARTE by Chef Tatung Sarthou! This is not your ordinary cookbook but a comprehensive guide for Pinoy cooking that will make kitchen time enjoyable and stress-free. The goal is to provide you with the much-needed kitchen basics, hacks, tips, and tricks, easy-to-follow recipes, step-by-step photos, and illustrations so that you can have a happy & enjoyable cooking experience, whether at home for the family or a home-based business.
The book is divided into three (3) parts: Dish Is It, Dishkubre, and Dishkarte + Recipes.
Part 1: Dish Is It, focuses on simple but basic cooking rules such as choosing the right ingredients, knowing what works with the dish to be cooked, and using the right cookware & knives (do remember using a blunt knife is an accident waiting to happen), the correct way of chopping the ingredients, defrosting tips and others.
Part 2: Dishkubre, tackles the basic cooking techniques like boiling, steaming, sauteing, frying, deep-frying, thickening, or thinning the sauce, preparing the ingredients, and so much more.
Part 3: Dishkarte is all about the different types of beef, pork, and chicken cuts. Also includes the list of flavor enhancers or pampalasa, herbs and spices, noodles, and rice paper, measuring units, and color-coding chopping boards for food safety.
Part 3.5: Recipes. This is where we put the techniques and the basic kitchen concepts into action. Leveled-up Sinigang na Baboy, Molo Soup, Crispy Pata, Adobo cooked 4 ways (with gata, puti, pula and classic), Chicken Inasal, Laing, and different kinds of sauces from Chimichurri to Asian Barbeque Sauce to Classic Pinoy Barbeque Sauce.
Chef Tatung Sarthou, celebrity chef, restaurateur, and award-winning book author, says “Dishkarte was written to bridge the skill gap of home cooks to satisfy the discriminating tastes of people who frequent restaurants when served with home-cooked dishes. It is also written for non-English speakers by providing technical and practical know-how in the kitchen to function in a home or even commercial setting.” Chef Tatung also confirms that “the book is a perfect primer for non-cooks who want to venture into the kitchen. Mga naghahanap ng ibang career or hanapbuhay. Suitable for entry-level or community-based food businesses.”
On a more personal note, Chef Tatung wrote Dishkarte with his household staff in mind as well. “Ang hirap mag explain ng paulit-ulit, not to mention, time-consuming as there is much to cover and clarify.” says Chef Tatung. The book, initially published in 2018, is well-loved by Filipinos all over the world as evidenced by it being awarded as one of the top winners of the Filipino Readers Choice Award in 2022.
With our complete guide for Pinoy cooking in a language that most Filipinos can understand, we hope that everyone can learn how to cook delicious Pinoy dishes, understand the nuances and reasons why certain cooking techniques are done and without spending too much time or effort. So, let’s get started on your culinary journey today. Dapat sa kusina, Ma-Diskarte!
Simpol Dishkarte (Php 390.00) is available in all National Bookstore and Fully Booked outlets, and online on Amazon, Simpol stores in Shopee and Lazada.
