I was born and brought up in a small city in India. Here I lived with my sister and mom while dad served in the army, in some remote location, far away. We were not rich, far from it actually as we lived on an army officer’s salary split between four people. And even though we grew up tight on money, my mom never made us want for much. We always valued what we had. I remember having few possessions or clothes and shoes, yet we were always the best dressed. Mom was amazing at getting the most out of whatever she had. We lived simply and with humility. I never felt I needed much in life back then or even now.
Her simplicity also bled into her kitchen. Simple yet the ultimate, delicious comfort food. Food for the soul. I always saw her in the kitchen. Making her own masalas, using a sil batta to make her pastes and chutneys and tirelessly making fresh bread for every meal. Our food was always fresh with the most basic spices, ground fresh. I know today that nothing can beat that. We were never served left overs, because there were none, because food was always cooked in small quantities to avoid waste. Our ingredients always bought from local farmers and always when in season. Mom’s food was never fancy, but it was always food made with the utmost love for us and respect for what we had.
Heavenly Vegan Dals & Curries is the baby of this inheritance. It is the culmination of all that my mom is, not just in her cooking but also in who she is. She led her life without excess and this is also exactly what she passed on to me. I dislike overabundance in any area of my life. My kitchen is no different. Every meal is cooked to be eaten in its entirety. I explore local Dutch produce to recreate old dishes or recreate and make new ones, all the time. Intermingled in my daily cooking are traditional dishes which come to me so easily and also dishes that I combine with the Dutch kitchen or any other cuisine from around the world.
Heavenly Vegan Dals & Curries didn’t start out vegan. It is not vegan for the sake of being vegan. There are no real substitutes because it needed to be vegan. “Heavenly Vegan Dals & Curries” is vegan because that’s how much variety there is in vegan food and especially in the Indian kitchen. When writing the contents of this book, I realized that out of the recipes I submitted to the publisher, only two recipes were non-vegan. That’s how healthy and naturally vegan the Indian cuisine is. Looking back, growing up, almost all our food was vegan without having to make it an effort to make it so. We called ourselves vegetarians but never realized back then that Indian food for the most part was typically vegan.
Heavenly Vegan Dals & Curries is full of mouthwatering plant based recipes that are going to wow you whether you are vegan or not. This is not just a book for vegans. It is a book full of flavour and oomph, with homemade spice mixes that you’re going to love and most of all its a book for your soul. It is for everyone!
Heavenly Vegan Dals & Curries is available for pre-order now! Published by an American Publisher called Page Street Publishing, the book will be distributed by Macmillan, one of the five biggest publishers. If you are in the US, you will find my book at any bookstore. For people outside America, you can order your copy at depository.com which ships books free, worldwide!
For Americans and the rest of the world, you will find my book in your digital stores and local Amazon stores. Some links below are for:
“As lovers of Indian food we’re absolutely amazed how clever Rakhee combines the best of traditional Indian flavors with seasonal European products to colorful dishes. Beside the delicious recipes, the beautiful photography makes us want to cook each and every thing from this book.”
– Susann & Yannic, cookbook authors and creators of award-winning blog, Krautkopf.
“Rakhee has created a collection of delicious vegan recipes that are not only visually stunning but tease all the senses. Drawing inspiration from the vast Indian cuisine and bringing it full circle with clever modern cooking – this treasure trove of vibrant, fresh and abundant curries will inspire many family meals!”
– Sneh Roy, author of ‘Tasty Express’ and the award-winning blog Cook Republic.
“We have been fans of Rakhee’s work for years—her photography is stunning, and her recipes are always mouthwatering. This colorful and beautifully-styled book features her inventive twists on traditional dishes, and makes Indian cuisine easy, approachable, and fun. From her classic dal paired with Indonesian peanut sauce, to crispy garam masala brussels sprouts served with spiced applesauce, leave it to Rakhee to combine international flavors in new and interesting ways, creating a fusion cuisine that’s as beautiful and unique as she is.”
– Adam Merrin & Ryan Alvarez, cookbook authors and creators of Husbands That Cook.
“Rakhee’s book is just overflowing with mouthwatering dishes that are not only gorgeously shot but will open the box of spice in your kitchen to make some seriously delicious and mouthwatering modern Indian food. Have friends, family and yourself impressed with the recipes from this book and never ever go back to Indian take out after cooking Rakhee’s recipes! “
– Rita Serano, bestselling author, ‘Vegan in 7’ & ‘Vegan for Good’.
“What I love most about Rakhee’s work is the abundance of colour, the stories about her mother, and her love for good food. All this combined makes Rakhee’s work simply inviting; you can smell the dal and curry just by looking at her photos. You wish you could sit down at her dinner table and discuss everything that is going on in the world today.”
– Foodbandits, created by a Dutch couple Suus and Johann. Cookbook authors ‘Andere Koek’. Their work has been featured in Elle, Vogue and Die Zeit magazine.
“Rakhee has brought the robust flavors of India to life in such a fun, alternative way through this beautiful book. The combination of ingredients and the blend of flavors might not seem possible until you open this book. Every page is filled with stunningly photographed, gorgeous meals that would instantly uplift your mood and make you want to cook. I have always loved her food styling and each page in this book is a piece of culinary art.”
– Kankana Saxena, cookbook author, ‘Taste of Eastern India’ and creator of Playful Cooking.
“I couldn’t be more excited about Rakhee’s debut cookbook. I have hungrily followed her gorgeous posts on Instagram for the past few years and they never fail to inspire with their wonderful Indian flavors and beautiful photography. Heavenly Vegan Dals & Curries is a fresh and inventive take on traditional flavors with a modern twist – a true celebration of vibrant plant based eating.”
– Niki is a freelance food consultant, recipe creator, Plantlab raw chef, food stylist, photographer and qualified Holistic health coach. Niki shares her easy and accessible plant based recipes on her award-winning food blog Rebel Recipes.
“Beautifully written and photographed recipes that each tell a special story and and sucks you into Rakhee’s Magical world.”
– Bettina Campolucci Bordi, Plant Based Freelance chef for Bettina´s Kitchen and cookbook author ‘Happy Food’.
“I’ve been an avid follower of Rakhee’s work for some time now, so I was naturally excited to hear that she was publishing a book of her divine recipes. Influenced by her family and Indian culture, her heartfelt recipes have all the ingredients for the healthy minded. Curries for all, I can’t wait to dive into her recipes and plant-based dals! Full of color and flavor, her imagery captures my eye every time. Rakhee’s photography is breathtaking. Every little detail is thought out, evoking her passion for beautiful food and styling. Heavenly Vegan Dals & Curries is full of plant-based inspiration that oozes love and nourishment. I congratulate Rakhee on her latest endeavor and look forward to welcoming her recipes into my dinner repertoire”.
– Taline Gabrielian, Social Influencer, healthy recipe developer, cookbook author and the brains behind the successful plant-based app Hippie Lane – Taline Gabriel has become known for her signature food styling and creative healthy recipes. With a flair for making healthy food look flawless, Taline’s Hippie Lane recipes have gained a cult following worldwide.
“The first thing that struck me about Rakhee’s food photographs are her hands. Other than her fascinating compositions, exquisite use of color and form are the presence of her hands, with an array of beautiful bangles, in her images. In India, food is like a religion and guests are thought to be like gods, so serving them is considered to be an act of divinity. There is a special word in Hindi – “Parosana” (परोसना) which, loosely translated means, “serving with love and respect” … and that’s how food is meant to be served. It’s this very special Indian tradition that Rakhee’s photographs evoke so beautifully and with such tenderness.”
– Dinesh Khanna, celebrated Indian photographer, specializing in portraits, food and travel.
“Everyone has a language of expression. Art through flavors that fills and nourishes us down to our bellies is the most sincere, loveable and soulful way of expressing one’s own feeling. Rakhee’s recipes and the flavorful visuals that accompany them shows her passion and love she puts into every morsel she cooks for the hungry soul. I am so happy to see her find her path.”
– Tarun Khiwal, India’s leading fashion photographer and also the first and only Indian to be honoured with the Hasselblad Masters Award.”
