Bilal Cooks Daal

Bilal is a boy with a lot of friends. They’re busy at play when his dad calls him into the house to make daal, an Indian dish made of lentils, stewed slowly with spices and herbs. The kids are all excited to help and want to try Bilal’s favourite meal.

But daal is a meal not to be hurried, and so the kids have time to play hopscotch, have a swim and go for a hike, anxiously anticipating the delicious flavours bubbling and stewing back at Bilal’s. When it’s ready, they all dig in, and the friends enjoy a meal after a pleasant day of childhood fun.

American writer Aisha Saeed knows an adult reader expects Bilal’s friends would find his Asian dish too unusual for their tastes. Indeed, as the daal is cooking, Bilal seems worried his friends might not like it. It turns out he is only concerned they might not like his cooking or choice of dish. The kids display no prejudice about eating a dish that is not North American, not processed and not bland. They conclude that Bilal is a good cook and a good friend. None of them find it unusual that Bilal’s dad is in charge of the cooking and that his mom is absent from the story. This is a modern family, and the kids accept it.

The illustrations by Canadian artist Anoosha Syed display the optimism and joy of the children’s experience. The bright colours and the children’s round, smiling faces show it’s a day of play, exercise and exploration, one made more exciting by thoughts of a delicious meal awaiting them. As the lentils are yellow, so is the cover of the book, with utensils and ingredients sketched in to make the contents more enticing. The shading in the letters of the title is also daal-tinted.

Diners who enjoy a good meal often ask for the recipe. Saeed complies with the instructions at the end of the book, along with further information about varieties of daal.

Children who are of South Asian heritage will see themselves in this story; all children may be inspired to cook new dishes and share them with family and friends.