The spice is right
Enjoy these easy to make plant-based takes on curry house classics from restaurateur and author Grace Regan
Grace Regan is a cook and the founder of Spicebox, which started life as a street food stall before finding new life as a critically acclaimed curry house in Walthamstow. Her first book delivers easy, plant-powered curry house favourites perfect for a quick midweek supper, or a weekend feast with friends. Curry night just got easier, and even more delicious.
Spicebox makes Indian-inspired cooking accessible to everyone. It teaches you how to make fresh modern spins on curry house classics at home. It's about celebrating vegan food – with no compromise on flavour or quality.
Cabbage and fennel sabzi
Cabbage is the perfect veg to stir fry with spices – all varieties of cabbage work well but I particularly like the sweet crispness of a pointed cabbage. Serves four
2 tbsp veg oil
2 tsp brown mustard seeds 2 tsp cumin seeds
1 green chilli, slit lengthways 1 medium white onion, sliced into half-moons
4 large garlic cloves, grated or crushed a thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated ½ a large green cabbage, thinly sliced 1 small fennel, thinly sliced ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp sugar juice of 1 lime salt
1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and add all the seeds and the green chilli. When the seeds begin to pop and splutter, add the onion and 1 teaspoon of salt, and turn the heat down low to cook the onion really slowly. When the onion begins to soften – after about 5 minutes – add the garlic and ginger, and cook until the onion is completely soft and caramelised (10-15 minutes in total). 2 Add the cabbage, fennel, turmeric and sugar, along with a splash of water and turn the heat back up to medium. Stir until the turmeric has turned the veg an even golden yellow. Place a lid on the pan and cook for 15 minutes until the veg is soft. Take the pan off the heat and stir through the lime juice. Taste for seasoning.
15-minute one-pot dhal
If you’re new to Indian cooking, or making dhals, then this recipe is a great place to start.
Serves two as a main
200g split red lentils
2 tbsp veg oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 green chilli, slit lengthways
3 garlic cloves, crushed with the side of your knife a thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely diced
½ white onion, sliced into halfmoons
2 tomatoes, roughly diced 800ml boiling water
½ tsp ground turmeric salt a pinch of chilli flakes, to garnish 1 tbsp coconut yogurt, to garnish (optional)
1 First, rinse the lentils. The best way to do this is by putting them in a large bowl, covering with cold water and then gently swirling them around with your hands until the water becomes cloudy. Drain and repeat at least three times until the water is clear. Set them to one side.
2 Place a medium saucepan on a medium heat and add the oil. When it’s hot, add the cumin seeds, green chilli, garlic and ginger, and fry for a few minutes until everything is golden and smelling delicious. Now add the onion, fresh tomatoes and ½ teaspoon of salt and stir well.
3 Add the lentils to the saucepan, followed by the boiling water and the turmeric. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the lentils are soft but still have a bit of bite to them. Once the dhal is cooked, taste for seasoning – it may need a touch more salt.
4 Serve topped with the chilli flakes and a spoonful of coconut yogurt.
If I have some toasted nuts or seeds lying around, I often add these too for texture.
Cashew and coconut korma
I find this curry works best with one starchy vegetable and a mix of two or three fresher, green veg to cut through the creaminess.
Serves four
120g cashew nuts, plus a few to garnish
½ large butternut squash, cut into 2.5cm chunks
3 tbsp veg oil, plus extra for roasting the squash
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
3 cardamom pods, crushed 2 bay leaves
1 medium white onion, sliced into half-moons
4 large garlic cloves, crushed A thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated 1 green chilli, slit lengthways 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp sugar
1 × 400ml tin of coconut milk 100g green beans, topped and cut in half a handful of frozen peas
1½ limes, 1 quartered, to garnish salt
1 Cover the cashews with cold water and leave to soak for at least 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the chunks of squash in a
roasting tin, drizzle with veg oil and add a generous pinch of salt. Shake the tray so the chunks get evenly coated. Roast for 30-40 minutes, until the flesh is soft and the skin is golden brown. Set aside until ready to use.
2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and add the cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaves. Fry until the seeds are golden and aromatic. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon of salt and turn the heat down low to cook the onion really slowly. When the onion begins to soften – after about 5 minutes – add the garlic, ginger, chilli and fenugreek seeds, and cook until the onion is completely soft and caramelised (1015 minutes in total).
3 Turn up the heat and add the broccoli, the turmeric and the sugar, followed by a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes until the broccoli is well coated with the onion mix and then pour in the coconut milk. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes until the broccoli is cooked through but still has some bite.
4 While the broccoli cooks, make the cashew cream. Drain the cashews and tip into a blender. Pour in 80ml cold water and blitz until a smooth cream is formed. Add the cream to the pan, along with the roasted squash and the green beans, and cover the pan with a lid.
5 While the beans cook, heat a small, dry frying pan on a medium heat and toast the leftover cashews until golden brown. Set these aside.
6 Add the frozen peas and allow them to cook through, then take the pan off the heat and stir through the juice of ½ lime. Taste for seasoning. Serve in a bowl, topped with the toasted cashews and a wedge of lime.