Plant-Based India: Nourishing Recipes Rooted in Tradition

by Dr Sheil Shukla

India is home to a vibrant tapestry of culinary traditions—and to more vegetarians than anywhere else in the world. It’s also where Dr. Sheil Shukla learned to love traditional Gujarati fare, cooking alongside his adored ba (grandmother) over summers in Mumbai.

During his medical training, Dr. Shukla discovered the power of plant-based nutrition to prevent and manage chronic illness—and so began his mission to reinvent the classic vegetarian dishes of his heritage.

Plant-Based India presents over 100 completely vegan recipes for shak (spiced vegetable dishes), dal (legume stews), rotli (flatbreads), bhat (rice dishes), and more. From a comforting Palak Tofu that transcends dairy-based paneer, to vegan Nan, festive Navratan Rice, hearty Dal Makhani, and summery Chocolate Chai Mousse with Berries, these are recipes from the heart—filled with nourishing ingredients at their seasonal best.

• ISBN10: 1615198539
• ISBN13: 9781615198535
• Publish Date: 2 August 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: The Experiment LLC
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 256
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Plant-Based India is an impressively comprehensive, beautifully curated collection of plant based Indian recipes by Dr. Sheil Shukla. Due out 7th June 2022 from The Experiment, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is a warmly written, inviting, and gorgeously photographed cookbook with dairy free (vegan friendly) recipes. There is a great deal of additional information included throughout the book with tips on the chemically active ingredients and nutritional value of spices, and other items used in the recipes. I found these tables interesting and very useful.

The recipes are grouped thematically: Starters and Lighter Meals; Snacks and Sides, Soups and Salads, Vegetable Dishes, Gravy Dishes - Curries, Dal - Legume Stews, Rice Dishes, Rotli - Flatbreads, Desserts, Drinks, Chutneys and other Condiments, and Spice Blends. Each recipe contains an introduction/description, yields and prep times. Ingredients are listed bullet style in a sidebar and ingredient measurements are given in American standard units with metric in parentheses (yay!), followed by step-by-step preparation instructions. Every recipe is accompanied by a full color photo. Serving suggestions are appropriate and appetizingly styled. The nutritional information is somewhat surprisingly not included for these dishes.

The photography throughout is superlative, truly standout. The recipes are varied and from a wide number of geographical regions which are helpfully specified in each recipe as well as the chapter introduction pages.

Five stars. This is a wonderfully useful cookbook.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.