The Delicious Book of Dhal

A cookbook showcasing the delicious diversity of dhal in over 55 supremely comforting vegan and vegetarian recipes from Indian chef Nitisha Patel.

Dhal is the term used in India for dried split lentils, pulses, beans, and peas. It refers to both the ingredient as well as the final cooked dish. No longer mainly India’s culinary secret, its reputation as a divine form of comfort food now traverses many cultures. With the ever-rising prevalence of plant-based diets, so the popularity of dhal has risen globally too. Lentils are highly nutritious, a good source of protein and great for digestive health. As a chef with Indian heritage (where most food is naturally vegan or veggie) creating delicious meat-free meals is something that comes naturally to author Nitisha Patel. In this book, Nitisha shares an astonishing array of variations on dhal—using different spices, herbs, and vegetables, in different formats and with different accompaniments. Whether thin and soupy, thick and saucy or dry and stir-fried, moulded into pakoras, burgers, dosa or even used in desserts. The chapters are divided into Toor Dhal, Masoor Dhal, Channa Dhal, Urad Dhal, Moong Dhal, Rajma Dhal, Chori Dhal, Mixed Dhal, and Sweet Dhal, with helpful tips on types of lentils, layering spices, batch cooking and more.

Nitisha Patel is an award-winning chef and food consultant from Wolverhampton. She is passionate about authentic Indian cooking and draws on her family experience with her Gujarati parents. Having previously worked in recipe development for global food manufacturers, Nitisha now runs and manages her own food consultancy business, working with clients to develop first-to-market creations across a variety of categories, from ready meals and recipe meal boxes to restaurant menus. Nitisha lives in Wolverhampton and is also the author of My Modern Indian Kitchen for Ryland Peters & Small.