Kalaya chef "Nok" Suntaranon shares Thai recipes in new cookbook

Driving the news: "Kalaya's Southern Thai Kitchen" ($35) is a how-to guide for "real Southern Thai food," with recipes for curries, stir-fries, rice dishes and desserts, per the book.

• Plus: A rundown of the essential spices, ingredients and equipment you'll need to pull it off.

Pro tips: Don't be intimidated, follow the recipes and "trust the process," Suntaranon advises in her book.

• "Southern Thai food is some of the spiciest in Thailand, and I serve my food the way it should be, but that doesn't mean my food is 'too spicy,' either," she writes.

Preorder your copy here.