Flavour Heroes - by Gurdeep Loyal (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Gurdeep makes things simple: he shows that with a well-stocked pantry and an open mind, ingredients can transport you anywhere you want to go. This book is full of flavour and practical ideas for every cook." - Yotam Ottolenghi

Flavour Heroes is a collection of clever, flavour-forward, sweet and savoury recipes that, thanks to a capsule of global pantry ingredients, will satisfy every craving.

With the help of his 15 favourite pantry heroes, Gurdeep Loyal demonstrates how any home cook - of any ability - can elevate their daily cooking with minimal effort for maximum reward.

Those essential ingredients are... harissa, pecorino Romano, gochujang, Thai green paste, yuzu koshō, tamarind, mango chutney, chipotle paste, toasted sesame oil, miso, 'nduja, Calabrian chilli paste, dark roasted peanut butter, instant espresso powder and dark maple syrup.

Each of the 90 recipes shines a spotlight on the unlimited ways these pantry ingredients can be used. From including the smoky-heat of chipotle chilli paste in a Nacho Cauliflower Cheese, to using a spoonful of miso to add savoury-umami depth to Sticky Lemongrass-Miso Lamb Ribs, or even adding instant espresso powder to intensify the chocolatiness of Treacle-Mocha Brownies, Flavour Heroes showcases just how easy it can be, to pack any dish you make with flavour.

In Flavour Heroes, Gurdeep revels in his new and liberating approach to playing with pantry ingredients; one where we can drop the supposed rules of how ingredients ought to be used, and instead lean into the full spectrum of flavours that every ingredient has the potential to produce.

If you are looking for delicious dishes, that you and your loved ones will really want to eat every day, then this is the book for you.

Review Quotes

Flavour Heroes is a dazzling ode to the power of a well-curated cupboard, turning everyday meals into extraordinary feasts. Gurdeep Loyal's work is a joyful celebration of bold flavours and vibrant ingredients, woven together with creativity, heart and his signature sense of humour.--Phil Khoury

Flavour Heroes is a fantastic example of Gurdeep's ability to create innovative and exciting recipes. Using 15 essential pantry ingredients, he has managed to compile a book filled with exactly the kind of foods I want to make, and eat.--Georgina Hayden

Flavour Heroes is like having a passport to the world's kitchens--all with just 15 ingredients! Gurdeep Loyal shows how a few key flavours can turn simple dishes into something truly exciting, and I can't wait to cook from his new book.--Rachel Khoo

A beautiful riot of flavours and gorgeous evocative writing; I have most of Gurdeep's hero ingredients in my pantry and cannot wait to bring them to life with these wonderful recipes!--Helen Goh

Gurdeep combines flavour like no one else I know - he brings something new, exciting and unmatched to the world of food.--Anna Jones

Gurdeep has an uncanny ability to know what we need to be eating right now and with these few simple store cupboard ingredients, your kitchen repertoire will be transformed into the exciting and the relevant. I love this book!--Matt Tebbutt

Gurdeep makes things simple: he shows that with a well-stocked pantry and an open mind, ingredients can transport you anywhere you want to go. This book is full of flavour and practical ideas for every cook.--Yotam Ottolenghi

This book is a true feast for the senses, overflowing with flavours that ignite pure joy. It's a celebration of food that makes you want to taste, touch, and devour it all.--Nik Sharma

To be in the kitchen with Gurdeep is to be reminded of why I love to cook. He revels in powerful evocative memory and propels ideas by mining the deep well that is ancestral knowledge and combining it with delicious inspired ideas that are firmly rooted in the here and now. This is exciting modern British cooking that anyone will be able to master.--Andi Oliver

About the Author

Gurdeep Loyal is an award-winning food and travel writer and culinary trends expert, working with gourmet institutions including Harrods Food Halls, Marks & Spencer Food and Innocent Drinks. Gurdeep was winner of the Jane Grigson Trust Award for his debut cookbook, Mother Tongue - Flavours of a Second Generation (4th Estate, 2023). He is a monthly columnist for Olive Magazine and a regular guest on the Olive Podcast, as well as appearing on BBC1's Saturday Kitchen on BBC Radio 4. He has been featured in the likes of Delicious magazine, Suitcase, The Times, Guardian, New York Times, Telegraph and Observer Food Monthly. Gurdeep also curates the online platform MotherTongueTV.com which celebrates food stories of migration, race and identity around the world.