Photo by David Loftus
Sorry to be Gush Central, but I am such a fan of Meera Sodha’s food: there isn’t a book of hers I don’t treasure, but I think that this one, her fourth, may be my favourite. It is, as India Knight wrote on her Substack recently, “instantly indispensable”. It bounces with ideas that make me want to scuttle off into the kitchen, and this seems all the more heartening, all the more impressive, given that it was written after a period of depression and burnout. From being a source of dejection, the kitchen became a force for renewal, and this collection of recipes reads as a touching and emphatic celebration of life.
This is a book that’s filled with the food that restored Sodha’s confidence and spirits, both in and out of the kitchen and I have faith that these recipes will do the same for you. Should you be feeling worn down by the grind of deciding what to cook every night, be in need of getting your mojo back, or simply want a reliable supply of doable deliciousness, look no further! The fact that Dinner is subtitled 120 Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes for the Most Important Meal of the Day absolutely does not diminish its value to meat-eaters, too. In fact, those of us who are more used to cooking vegetables as a supporting side-dish to the main event may well find even more fresh inspiration in its pages. That’s certainly my experience.
It’s a cliché of cookbook-reviewing, I know, to say that there isn’t a recipe I don’t want to cook, but it happens to be true; every page of this hungry-making, mood-enhancing book fills me with joy and greed in equal measure. Those of you who read Sodha in the Guardian every weekend know that I’m not overstating the case — though I should add that this is more than a collection of just those recipes. I’ve compiled a shortlist for you, but in doing so, I am woefully aware of the recipes I’m unfairly leaving out. Be that as it may, you need to know about the Roast Aubergine with Silken Tofu, Tahini and Crispy Chilli; the Gujarati Potato and Cabbage Curry; Miso Butter Greens Pasta, Sodha’s take on the wonderful Joshua McFadden’s kale sauce; Persian Herb, Lime and Kidney Bean Stew; Xi’an-Style Pappardelle with Pak Choi; Coconut-Braised Winter Greens; Sticky Mango and Lime Paneer Naans; Shiitake Rice with Chilli Pecan Oil; Caramelized Onion, Saffron and Potato Pie; Oyster Mushroom Larb with Sticky Rice; Malaysian Dal Curry; XL Two-Potato Curry Puffs; the life-giving Egyptian rice, macaroni and lentil dish, Koshari; Mango and Paneer Curry; and, for pudding, Cereal Milk Ice-Cream Sandwiches, Coconut and Cardamom Dream Cake and 1000-Hole Pancakes with Peanuts and Chocolate.
I cannot tell you how long it took me to decide which one recipe to share with you today but, in the end, it just had to be her Marmite Risotto with Tomato and Crispy Chilli Butter!
Dinner: 120 vegan and vegetarian recipes for the most important meal of the day by Meera Sodha is published on 1 August by Fig Tree, £27.
Photos by David Loftus.
