Bowl: Vegetarian Recipes for Ramen, Pho, Bibimbap, Dumplings, and Other One-Dish Meals

I love Ramen, Pho and other variations of one dish type meals so was so excited to see this book dedicated to vegetarian renditions of these types of dishes –and this book certainly did not disappoint. It is creative, attainable and chock full of meals that use in season produce; and takes me back to the amazing ramen dishes of my favorite bay Area restaurant which I have tried so hard, yet failed to reproduce -until now.The book begins with a basic introduction which I loved -the stormy weather that called for a bowl of something warm and deeply satisfying; that dish being ramen; and the author conjures up a vivid image of the restaurant he eats at that night, and the tastes, textures and ingredients of that dish. It’s almost to the point that I wanted to stop right there and whip up a bowl on the spot. This is followed by a simple yet informative guide and ingredients that you might want to explore, and I loved the guide to dumpling wrappers, sea vegetables and condiments, some of which we new to me, and things I need to procure before cooking some of these dishes -though it is worth noting that this book does indeed use many straight forward items too.The rest of the book features the recipes: Ramen and other wheat noodle bowls. Pho, bibimbap and other rice noodle and rice bowls. Grain bowls and dumpling bowls. The recipes differ widely in terms of simplicity or complexity, and ingredients; which means there is something for everyone – including the fact that this includes breakfast items such as a breakfast rice bowl with eggs, spinach and sweet potato, and savory oatmeal –taking oats and adding chard, garlic, eggs and chili oil. I began with the Cauliflower couscous bowl -cheating somewhat as I had to use a packed of grated Cauliflower “rice” from Trader Joes that was getting too close to expiring! It was really quite simple making a seed brittle to top a veggie laden dish!It I could change one thing -and it’s a personal thing for me, so might not be a concern for others -I would have preferred some more photos. I think part of the allure of cooking, is seeing those pictures of competed meals and having some gauge of what I should be aiming for. Where there are photos such as the black rice burrito bowl and spring pho, they are stunning and inspiring; but a few more would have been nice. That said, the pages are taken up with more recipes and more detail which is always useful!I have read a couple of other vegetarian one pot meal books and was left unimpressed. But this book is a keeper – its creative, with lots of really fun, flavorful options and even I , not the best in the kitchen, can attempt many of these!

I just made the savory oatmeal bowl from this book, and while it was definitely not a quick breakfast, it was so worth it. The dish was extremely filling and flavorful. Also, all of the recipes in this book are packed with good-for-you ingredients, and like another reviewer said, they seem simple at first but have so much depth in flavor. I love the one-bowl aspect of these dishes, and it's great that the cookbook has informative sections on both ingredients and techniques. I highly recommend this cookbook and I can't wait to try more recipes.

Whilst the dumpling folding is a bit tricky if you want more than a half moon or triangle, the flavours of the finished dumplings are divine. I bought the book after noticing the beetroot and tahini dumplings and have also tried the pumpkin with fennel and ginger. I'm looking forward to trying the kimchi ones next... The dumplings freeze perfectly and steam from frozen in 5 minutes so are perfect for quick fix dinners.

I am finding these bowls pack a lot of flavor and that I am full without extra fat or other things I want to eat less of. I also found once I made one or two I could easily wing it. So fun ideas and good flavor combinations. I was not as picky about some of the ingredients being organic and such. But that was the point, very flexible and variations easy to implement.

The recipes in here are all delicious (at least that I've tried) however some of very labor intensive which has prevented me from trying them. It would be nice to see some substitutes that are commercially available for some of the condiments so that I can make a choice how to do it depending on how much time I'm willing to commit.

One of those cookbooks that change the way you cook. I've done two recipes so far (rice bowls) and they have been amazingly satisfying (I'm not a vegan). While I didn't have all the ingredients required in the recipes, substitutions were easy and lead to equally tasty results. I'll be trying a ramen bowl next. Highly recommended.

This is a terrific book which both beginner and more accomplished home cooks will truly enjoy. The recipes aren't overly complicated but their seeming simplicity doesn't detract from their originality or sophistication. These one-pot meals are packed with protein and veggies. There is a clearly pronounced emphasis on seasonality, with recipe variations for different times of the year. "Bowl" offers recipes that can be made from a diverse array of ingredients, be it soba noodles, polenta, lentils, buckwheat or even oatmeal. I am especially looking forward to testing recipes from the dumplings chapter (e.g., spicy carrot or sesame beet dumplings, chickpea potstickers). That said, you can treat yourself and those you love to bowls inspired by Asian, Mexican, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. None of the ingredients seems to be particularly exotic or fancy. But if you have a hard time locating, say, forbidden rice at your local grocery store, the author provides a list of sources from which you can order it. There's no overly processed stuff either. Additionally, Lukas Volger dispenses helpful suggestions throughout the book, such as drink pairings, knife tips or advice about streamlining the process of composing your bowls. I cannot not mention gorgeous photography although more photos would be certainly appreciated. I would have also preferred for the book to come out in hardcover format as I foresee using it frequently and for a long time. Overall, Lukas Volger has certainly created a strong contender for the best vegetarian cookbook of the year.

I have made two dishes from the book so far. The beet and tahini dumplings were possibly the best dish I have ever cooked. The sushi bowl was not far behind. Buy it!

Christmas present

I've made several of the recipes in this book now. Instructions and measurements are precise, leading to great tasting food. Asian vegetarian recipes are not easily found, and this book amazingly fills that gap.

Excellent condition

Very creative recipes! Lots of things are easily substituted if you have an allergy or dislike. Made the winter bibimbap and loved it!

Amazing book. So many great combinations! I've made a lot of these recipes and have never been disappointed.