Dishoom: The first ever cookbook from the much-loved Indian restaurant

It was the cookbook which got me into cooking. I have since become a teaching chef at the Jamie Oliver Cookery School in London. It is a beautiful book which I treasure, learned from, and now enjoy passing on and gifting to others.

What a fabulous book. So full of information and amazing recipes. Beautifully put together

A beautifully written book, giving an authentic perspective of being in Bombay. I consider myself to be a pretty competent cook when it comes to Indian cooking since having my interest awakened during Covid. The recipes in this book has taken my interest (and cooking) to another level. I’m now using ingredients that I previously hadn’t heard of (all readily available to buy on Amazon). A book of substantial size that is a pleasure to read and discover new, amazing Indian dishes. Highly recommended !

This is more than just a cookbook — it’s a large, beautifully presented collection of Indian recipes inspired by the Dishoom restaurants. Curry lovers will find a wealth of dishes here, from rich vegetarian meals to bold meat curries. Since buying it, I’ve returned again and again to the lamb curry recipes — they’re hot, deeply spiced, and capture the authentic Bombay flavours Dishoom is known for. What really sets this book apart is the balance between food and storytelling. The cultural notes and anecdotes bring the recipes to life, making it feel like a journey through Indian cooking traditions as much as a step-by-step guide. This isn’t a quick weeknight cookbook, but rather one to savour. The recipes reward a little extra time and attention, and the results feel truly restaurant-style. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys Indian cuisine, wants to recreate Dishoom dishes at home, or simply appreciates a cookbook that’s as enjoyable to read as it is to cook from. 👉 Hope you enjoy the recipes and find this useful.

The story: Whenever I typed the words ‘vegetarian or vegan cookbook’ in Amazon’s search engine, this book kept cropping up. I’ve never heard of Dishoom let alone visited the restaurants. As I’ve decided to give Indian cooking a go this Autumn/Winter, I thought I’d have a look Ü The book: Comprising of 399 pages in hardcover, with teal blue coloured front and backboards with navy ink drawings and narrative and gold blocked title heading. The spine being trimmed in navy gold blocked cloth. Measuring H28cmx W19cmx D4.25cm, this is a very smart, good looking book, complete with page ribbon. Open the front cover to reveal a pull-out map of Bombay depicting points of interest within the area. On the reverse is an advertising treat for those who love vintage advertising ephemera. The book commences with a dedication page to Rashmi Thakrar whose son and nephew are two of the authors. The title page is followed by three double page photographic spreads and a single, which are not described. The contents page is split into Breakfast, Mid-morning snacks, Lunch, Afternoon refreshments, Sunset snacks, First, Second and Third Dinners, Pudding and Tipples, followed by Ingredients & cookery guidance, Preparatory recipes, Breads, Chutneys, pickles & dressings and Menu suggestions. Commencing with ‘Welcome to Bombay’ we are introduced to a colourful and amusing description of what one will encounter on arrival. This lasts for 12 pages. Breakfast at 08:00 hrs I was expecting the commencement of recipes, but no, more narrative for a further 9 pages then a recipe for Akuri which is similar to scrambled eggs which is an Iranian café classic we’re told. This is page 36. There follows three further egg inspired breakfasts then you’re greeted by Chicken Livers on Toast. The recipes go on with various dead animal concoctions, then the obligatory baked beans, porridge, granola, breakfast lassi, marmalade and jams. 13 recipes in all, plus how to make something known as ‘Fire Toast’; yes its toast and butter... Mid-Morning snacks at 10:00 hrs more narrative for 11 pages, followed by 7 recipes for buns, puffs (pastry parcels), cheese sticks, biscuits and Masala Chai. Lunch at ‘midday’, you guessed it, more narrative for 9 pages. The first ‘real’ recipe i.e. a curry and we are now on page 100. The book continues in this vain throughout. All measurements are in grams, tsp and tbsp. Being a cook from scratch kind-a gal, my pantry is pretty well stocked. In the Ingredients section of the book, I found three items that I’ve never used; Charoli seeds, Fine sev and Kewda water, available from Asian stores, further investigation found them in larger supermarkets and their websites and from online retailers as well. Therefore all ingredients in the book are easily obtainable in the UK. The verdict: Might have been a prudent move on my part to read the reviews first; this book is not vegetarian let alone vegan (!) There are ‘recipes’ for; eggs on toast ‘Kejriwal’, toast and butter ‘Fire Toast’, grilling corn-on-the-cob ‘Butter-Bhutta’, cheese on toast ‘Chilli Cheese Toast’ and cocktails - Really? I’m stating nothing further. Some reviewers have mentioned that the masalas take a few hours to make. However, in the Cookery Guidance section it states ‘... ready-prepared spice masalas are used... because their lengthy ingredient lists make them impractical to prepare, namely channa masala, pav bhaji masala and chaat masala’. As with most things there’s always a work around. Another reviewer stated that ‘it doesn’t have many photos of the end results’. Every single recipe has an accompanying photograph. If you’re a novice to Indian cuisine, impatient or time lacking, this may be a book to bypass. The recipes are not for the feint hearted; some call for an inordinate amount of preparation work, but if you’re the type that has patience and likes to spend weekends cooking, then go for it. I would suggest however, that the instructions are read through first as you may find that there is a cross reference to another recipe requiring further ingredients and preparation. Unfortunately, I will not be keeping the book and nor will I be able to experience the ‘incredible food’ served in the restaurants as I am vegan. However, it is a wonderful personal diary/travel/history book (with recipes thrown in) and if that is your thing, you will not be disappointed.

Wonderful cookbook. Already have this book so bought as a gift for a relatives Christmas present hamper which will include some of the more difficult to source ingredients like urid beans (also available from Amazon). Some of the best recipes are the Dishoom classics like the house Daal and the chicken ruby which both take a while to prepare but are well worth the effort for a special occasion.bought on Amazon for a great price

As regular patrons of the Dishoom restaurants in Edinburgh and London, my partner and I were thrilled to get our hands on their first-ever cookbook. We were not disappointed - the book is a beautiful and comprehensive collection of their most-loved dishes, with stunning photography and engaging anecdotes. One of the things we appreciate about Dishoom is their dedication to preserving the legacy and heritage of Bombay's Irani cafes. This is reflected in the recipes, which are authentic and true to the spirit of these iconic cafes. We've tried several of the recipes at home, and have been blown away by the depth of flavor and authenticity. But what we love most about Dishoom is the sense of community and hospitality they create, both in their restaurants and through their website. Even if we can't make it to one of their locations, we can still enjoy their delicious food by ordering meals to prepare at home from their website. The meals come with clear and easy-to-follow instructions, and the end result is always mouth-watering. Overall, we highly recommend Dishoom: The first ever cookbook from the much-loved Indian restaurant to anyone who appreciates good food and good stories. This cookbook captures the magic of Dishoom, and is a must-have for any home cook who wants to bring a taste of Bombay's Irani cafes to their kitchen. And if you're not up for cooking, the option to order meals from their website is a real treat - we've never been disappointed.

What a lovely book! Large format, beautiful photos and the text is very engaging to read. This is not a cookbook in the traditional sense, it's more a cultural history with photos and a wealth of recipes. This is the type book you can open at random and start reading or start at the beginning, as the mood strikes. I have not yet cooked any of the recipes but they are easy to follow and well explained, so I'm sure the results in the kitchen will be great. I use my Kindle for most book purchases now but I purchased Dishoom in printed, book form and I strongly suggest you do as well. This is one that would loose a lot on a small screen. As a printed book it's fantastic, I can't wait to get a few oil smudges on it propped up in my kitchen next to the stove while I chop onions!

Love this cookbook!!

This is a fantastic book. I wish all cook books were like this. I am from the south of India, but this book makes you fall in love with South Mumbai. The photographs and the write ups - in addition to the recipes - are to be experienced. It was such a joy to read this book.

This is THE Mumbai cookbook. Literal standard bearer for cookbooks. It’s not pedantic or complicated with weird English. Just (short) interesting stories, beautiful photographs and PERFECT recipes. Meaning the measurements and directions are so on point and accurate. You can not mess it up which is important given how many expensive ingredients Indian food has. Americans should buy Anchor Hocking glass measuring cups (4 cup and 2 cup) when you buy this. It will have liters and grams printed alongside the ounces which will take all the thinking out of the British measurements. You can just measure like you normally would. Whenever my “Angrezi” friends (white) ask for an Indian recipe or cookbook, this is the one. Clear, concise, accurate and DELICIOUS. Printed in Italy, this is the book to have when it comes to Indian cooking. Bear in mind India is a very big country/sub continent and these are not all encompassing. No butter chicken type stuff. But I would go so far as to compare this to the Julia Child cookbook for French cooking, it’s a must have in this day and age of internet recipes, you will actually use this one to look things up and will not need to sift through reviews to find the best one. Especially the desserts; Indian desserts are complicated and these are perfectly authentic and explained. We’ll worth the money.

Ate at the Edinburgh Dishoom restaurant in August 2022 - for breakfast! It was lovely. The bacon naan wraps were incredible and the spiced eggs were a big hit (we "shared") at the table! I made the naan wraps for Christmas breakfast this year for the family - complete with never ending chai and handmade tomato relish/dipping sauce. I am ready to try out more recipes but I'm also learning about the cultures that contribute to this wonderful place and book.