Indian Instagrammer Anushree Bhutada did not foresee the viral fame that her culinary experiment would achieve. In early July, she posted a video on Instagram showcasing a dish she ingeniously conceptualized, dubbing it ‘dal chawal sushi’. This innovative creation married the quintessentially Indian staple of dal chawal (lentil rice) with the format of a traditional Japanese sushi roll, leading to a staggering 1.4 million views.
In the viral video, Bhutada expertly moulds sushi rice around a filling composed of vegetables, paneer (Indian cottage cheese), and a selection of spices. The finished roll is then served atop a bed of dal. “I recreated the OG comfort food – dal and rice – and turned it into sushi! I know it’s not conventional, but I loved this little creative challenge for myself, and the cherry on top? Got mumma’s approval! Everything – sweetness, spice, and sourness – tasted really good, almost like a hug,” Bhutada excitedly wrote in the caption.
Her experimental sushi roll elicited a spectrum of reactions from the online community. Some viewers dubbed it an “insult” to both Indian and Japanese culinary traditions, while others celebrated the inventiveness, branding it “exciting” and “genius.” Such divided opinions might stem from India’s booming interest in the Japanese sushi dish, an emerging trend reflected in a surge in sushi orders across the country.
Recent data from Indian online food delivery platform Swiggy indicates a nearly 50 per cent increase in sushi orders nationwide since January. Dishes like asparagus tempura sushi, crispy chicken sushi and prawn tempura sushi rank among the most frequently requested on the platform. The popularity of sushi in India can be largely attributed to the rise in Japanese restaurants and sushi bars spreading across the country’s metropolitan landscapes.
Sandeep Kalra, the culinary director at Novotel and Pullman Hotels in New Delhi, observes that these establishments cater to a wide array of sushi preferences. “While a decade ago, only a handful of specialty restaurants – mostly located in five-star hotels – catered to a largely expat Japanese crowd, today stand-alone Japanese restaurants are increasingly common in megacities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore,” says Kalra.
These culinary hubs cater to two types of sushi lovers in India: those who crave experimental flavours and those who stick to traditional varieties. At Honk, a pan-Asian fine-dining restaurant located within the Pullman New Delhi Aerocity hotel, over a dozen types of sushi are available, with the menu continuously evolving to keep the dining experience fresh and exciting.
As the sushi trend continues to gain momentum in India, unique, localized interpretations of the dish are cropping up across the country. Sushi with an Indian twist includes combinations such as spicy curry sushi, achari (spicy) paneer sushi, and pakora (Indian fritters) sushi. Even Jains, members of an Indian religious community known for their strict vegetarian diet, can enjoy suitable variations of this Japanese dish.
The fusion continues as traditional Japanese sushi condiments like wasabi and soy sauce are being replaced by spicy mayonnaise or chaat masala to provide that distinct Indian flavor. This fusion wave has given birth to varieties like pickle masala sushi, tandoori sushi, and butter chicken sushi, offered by Jaipur-based food caterers, the Cauldron Sisters.
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