Everything is Indian
by Justin Narayan
Everything Is Indian is the debut cookbook from MasterChef Australia winner Justin Narayan; a vibrant, flavour-packed collection of recipes drawn from his Fijian-Indian heritage, his time on the show, and his own experiments in the kitchen.
His mum once joked that he manages to make everything taste a little Indian, and that’s exactly what this book does.
Blending Fijian-Indian roots with Mexican, Australian, and Western influences, this is fusion food done right. Fun, vibrant, and flavour-first, Everything Is Indian wasn’t quite what I expected, but it was an absolute joy to cook from.
The Look, the Feel, the Flow
Everything Is Indian is instantly eye-catching with its bold red cover, playful tiger illustration, and vibrant yellow-blue palette. The back features author Justin Narayan surrounded by food, plus a blurb and photos that set the tone for what’s inside.
The structure is anything but standard. Instead of organising recipes into categories like Curries or Desserts, Narayan splits the book into three chapters that trace different eras of his life and cooking journey. It reads almost like a memoir, but it’s smartly anchored by a two-page Recipe Guide at the start. This table sorts every recipe into practical categories (like Snacks, Curry, and Cooking for a Crowd) with page numbers, making the book easy to navigate despite its story-driven layout.
The design has a warm, personal feel; pale yellow pages, casual illustrations, and candid family photos throughout. Each chapter begins with a heartfelt introduction, but they’re easy to skip if you’re just here for the recipes.
Most recipes span one page, often paired with a full-page photo. Serving sizes, active time, and total time are clearly noted, and many recipes include quick intros that give helpful context. It’s well thought out, fun to read, and unmistakably millennial in tone, in the best way.
A copy of Everything is Indian by Justin Narayan surrounded by fresh ingredients for one of his recipes.
What You'll be Cooking
With a title like Everything Is Indian, you might expect a collection of traditional Indian recipes. But what you get is something more unexpected, and more exciting. The book reinterprets the idea, using Indian flavours, spices, and techniques as a lens through which Justin Narayan filters everything he cooks. That includes Fijian-Indian classics, fusion dishes, comfort food, and even nostalgic Australian throwbacks.
The recipes are grouped into eight broad categories: Snacks and Entrées, Curries, Cooking for a Crowd, Essentials (think: how to cook the perfect steak or make great pizza at home), Quick Meals, Breads & Sides, Condiments & Pantry, and Drinks & Desserts. It’s an eclectic mix, but it all comes together under Narayan’s flavour-first, deeply personal approach to cooking.
There’s a heavy Mexican influence throughout the book. Narayan explains that he gravitated to it while coming to terms with his own cultural identity. Mexican food felt cool and relatable, and he began blending its formats with the flavours of his Fijian-Indian heritage. It works.
You’ll also find Aussie favourites with an Indian twist. One surprise was a recipe for Sizzler Cheese Toast, a beloved nod to a now-defunct Australian chain. I hadn’t heard of it, but my fiancé lit up at the mention, launched into stories from childhood, and texted his family in excitement. The nostalgia hit is real.
Fans of MasterChef Australia will also appreciate the inclusion of a few key dishes from the show, including the one that landed Narayan a spot in the competition.
One important note: this is Fijian-Indian food, not Indian-from-India in the traditional sense. You won’t find naan bread or chana masala here, but what you will find is a generous, flavour-packed collection of recipes that reflect a modern, multicultural Australian kitchen.
The five recipes tested from Everything is Indian by Justin Narayan.
Tried & Tasted
I cooked five recipes from Everything is Indian, ranging from comforting curries to a creative cocktail. Across the board, the flavours were bold, soulful, and far more complex than the simple techniques let on.
The Pumpkin Tamarind Curry was a standout. A dry, spiced curry that relied on aromatics and a clever finish of butter and tamarind for depth, it came together fast and delivered serious flavour. Served with rice and roti, it was comforting and full of character. Our household vegetarian immediately asked for it to be added to the regular rotation.
On the other end of the effort spectrum was Dhal Bhat, the Fancy Version - a MasterChef throwback with four components, including a rice crisp and coriander chutney. It was the most involved dish I made, but also one of the most impressive. The final result felt more like a Middle Eastern mezze than a traditional dhal; perfect for sharing, snacking, and scooping.
Naturally, I had to test The OG Chicken Curry, the book’s most talked-about recipe. With its on-the-bone chicken and deep spice base, it delivered big flavour with minimal hands-on time. I’ll be making it again, though next time I’ll opt for boneless thighs for easier eating.
The Best Pizza You Can Make in a Domestic Kitchen was a bit of a detour from the rest of the book, but no less flavour-packed. The hot honey and pepperoni topping was a huge hit, though the thicker, fluffy base wasn’t quite to my personal taste. My fiancé, however, has already requested it again, so it’s staying in the mix.
And finally, I tried the Tamarind Margarita, a zingy, chilli-salted cocktail that paired beautifully with the food. It was fun, fiery, and dangerously easy to drink. A perfect reminder that Indian flavours don’t stop at the dinner plate.
Overall? A week of vibrant, generous cooking with recipes that deliver big impact without big stress.
A pot of chunky blended Dhal Bhat the Fancy Version from Everything is Indian by Justin Narayan.
Price Check
One of the best things about Everything is Indian is how incredibly affordable it is to cook from. I’m always chasing that perfect flavour-to-effort ratio, but just as satisfying is a great cost-to-flavour ratio, and this book nails it. These recipes lean firmly into the budget-friendly category, without compromising on taste or satisfaction.
In a time when grocery bills seem to climb higher every week, this kind of cookbook feels like a gift. Big, bold, vibrant flavours with a surprisingly short and inexpensive shopping list? That’s exactly what weeknight cooking should be.
You'll Love This If...
Everything Is Indian is best suited to intermediate cooks and up. While the steps are clearly written and approachable, most recipes include multiple components, longer ingredient lists, and a few techniques that assume solid kitchen instincts. You’ll get the most out of it if you’ve got some essentials on hand, like a blender or food processor, and feel confident navigating spices and timing.
It’s also a strong pick if you’re cooking on a budget. The ingredients are pantry-friendly, the portions are generous, and the flavour payoff is huge. Whether you're meal prepping, feeding a big household, or just trying to cut back on grocery costs without compromising on taste, this book really shines.
If you're looking to bring more Indian-inspired flavour into your everyday cooking, this book offers a great introduction, especially through the lens of Fijian-Indian food. The recipes balance tradition and creativity in a way that feels both exciting and totally doable.
Where it Shines
The structure of Everything Is Indian is unique. The recipes aren’t grouped into traditional chapters like Curries, Sides, or Desserts, and on paper, that could’ve been a challenge. But the book saves itself with one of its best features: a full recipe table at the front. It’s essentially a visual index, letting you scan every dish in the book, sorted by category; from Snacks and Entrées to Curry and Cooking for a Crowd. It’s so smart, so helpful, and honestly something more cookbooks should do, even those with a more traditional layout.
The writing is another strength. Narayan’s voice is warm, generous, and grounded, with stories about growing up Fijian-Indian in Australia, discovering his love of food, and eventually making it onto MasterChef. If you're here just to cook, it's easy to skip straight to the recipes. But if you're the kind of reader who enjoys the stories behind the food, there’s a lot to love.
From quick weeknight wins to more elaborate dishes, the recipes span the full spectrum, and most are surprisingly budget-friendly, especially for how much flavour they deliver.
Narayan’s love of food is infectious, and it comes through on every page. He feels like someone you’d genuinely want to cook with, or just sit down with over a beer and talk food.
A Few Caveats
Despite the title, Everything Is Indian isn’t a broad sweep of dishes from across the Indian subcontinent. Justin Narayan’s heritage is Fijian-Indian, and the recipes in this book reflect that beautifully, blending Indian flavours with Pacific influences and a modern Australian sensibility.
That means if you’re coming to this book hoping to master classics like chana masala or homemade naan, you won’t find them here. What you will find is a fresh, personal take on Indian-inspired food rooted in family, shaped by culture, and packed with bold, accessible flavour.
A blender full of ingredients for Narayan's pizza sauce.
The Verdict
Everything Is Indian is more than just a cookbook, it’s a reflection of Justin Narayan’s life, culture, and love of flavour. It’s warm, bold, and refreshingly original, packed with personality and stories that make the recipes feel like shared memories rather than instructions.
But it’s also deeply practical. With budget-friendly ingredients, achievable techniques, and dishes that range from weeknight easy to dinner party impressive, this book proves that soulful, exciting food doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive.
If you're after traditional Indian classics, this might not be the right fit. But if you're open to fusion, flair, and a fresh take on what Indian-inspired food can look like in a modern multicultural kitchen, this book is a gem.
Approachable, generous, and full of flavour, Everything Is Indian earns its place on the shelf.
4.8/5 Stars
Want to Try It Yourself?
If Everything is Indian sounds like your kind of cookbook, bold, playful, and full of fresh takes on Indian flavours, you can pick up a copy below. It’s the exact edition featured in this review.
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