Rachel Allen

Turn up the comfort factor with a soothing vegetable curry, says Rachel Allen, who has lots of wonderful recipes for you

Delicious vegetarian curries

When it comes to vegetable curries, there are a few basic ingredients that always spring to mind. Squash, sweet potatoes, chickpeas and lentils feature in many veggie curries, and it’s not surprising, as these ingredients share an ability to soak up deep, spicy flavours without losing their identities entirely.

This butternut squash and spinach coconut curry, right, is a variation on a Thai red curry. Don’t get too excited with the curry paste, as it can easily take over — I generally find that one tablespoon is enough for this quantity. I love the spinach to taste really fresh and green, so if you’re preparing it in advance, pop the spinach in just before serving.

The super-versatile chickpea, which forms the basis for the Indian chana masala recipe, far right, works so well in curries, either with and without meat. Its satisfying texture and buttery, nutty flavour absorbs spices beautifully. Make sure to cook the onion and ginger paste until it is a rich golden brown and deliciously sweet, and if you can get hold of amchoor powder (see Rachel Recommends, below) it’ll taste all the more authentic.

Tarka dal, also far right, is a classic Indian curry involving split peas; it’s one that I find supremely comforting, served with or without a big bowl of steaming rice. Make it so that it’s still a bit juicy and not too dry, and enjoy it with lots of fresh coriander over the top, and a blob of cooling yogurt if you fancy.