Food is love Plant-based Indian-inspired recipes to feel joy and connection

Born in India and raised vegetarian, Patel moved to Atlanta at age 12 and later earned a culinary degree, gaining visibility after appearing on Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay. Now she shares plant-based versions of traditional Indian dishes and Indian American fusion offerings, with leek and potato chickpea frittata, peach cardamom buttermilk cake, and chocolate sesame banana bread filling up this latter category, and vegan versions of dal, paneer, and naan occupying the former. Dishes don't venture too far from the familiar, though Patel shares a unique Gujarati chundo (green apple chutney), which she also uses to layer the base of her French-inspired apple tart. A tamarind rasam (aka "immunity soup") will please vegans with its tomato-spice broth to clear the sinuses, using warming spices like asafoetida, ginger, and turmeric. The seekh kebab burger relies on vegan Beyond meat to form substantial and filling grilling-friendly patties. Recipes are fairly simple to prepare and prepped for family-sized portions, giving plant-based eaters a great collection to peruse for weeknight meals.

Food Network Stars finalist Patel (The Chutney Life) digs deep into Indian cuisine in this nutritious outing. Patel's recipes showcase her inventiveness, as in idli made with rolled oats in place of the traditional fermented rice; her curiosity, demonstrated in a flavorful corn chowder based on a soup first tasted in Saudi Arabia; and her light touch in fusing different culinary traditions, as when she substitutes green apples for hard-to-find green mangos in the chundo chutney that features in a savory puff pastry tart. Organization, however, is less of a strong suit. Recipes are divided by "mood and emotion" into vague chapters such as "Joyful" or "Inviting," with little explanation as to why, for example, a chopped salad with sprouted lentils falls under the nostalgic section and Beyond burgers seasoned to taste like seekh kebabs are classified as comfort food. Still, the book's highlights, including the vegetarian "chicken" curry Patel made to win the Food Network show Beat Bobby Flay and a layered biryani with easy-to-follow instructions, outnumber its head-scratchers, like a recipe for an old fashioned cocktail and another for spiced popcorn, neither of which feel particularly on-theme. Patel's breezy tone keeps the whole thing upbeat and appealing. There are plenty of gems here. (May)