As the bestselling author of 50 Great Curries, and culinary director of restaurants including Amaya, Chutney Mary, Masala Zone, and Britain’s oldest Indian restaurant Veeraswamy, Camellia Panjabi is one of the foremost authorities on Indian cuisine.
Her latest book, Vegetables: The Indian Way is an essential addition to any kitchen shelf. It serves as a comprehensive and thoroughly researched guide to vegetable dishes from across the country’s regions and culinary traditions, complete with beautiful photography and informative writing.
With chapters organised according to how the vegetables are grown (from root vegetables grown under the ground, to sun-kissed fruit and vegetables grown on trees), this cookbook provides fresh insight into how these hero ingredients can best be prepared and combined, as well as the science behind their flavour profile and health benefits. Each recipe also includes details on the region or community from which it originates, highlighting the sheer diversity of dishes and cooking techniques that make up India’s food landscape.
To give you a taste of the more than 120 incredible dishes you’ll find inside, we’ve rounded up 10 of our favourite must-try recipes.
Crispy Onion Bhajias
Prepared in the Gujarati style, with finely sliced onions in a thick batter, these bhajias are the perfectly crispy and moreish.
Slow-Cooked Whole Potatoes
Ideal for cooking charlotte or new potatoes, the rich curry sauce in this dish is topped with cumin, garam masala and warm ghee for a truly luxurious finish.
Corn Cob Masala
Corn cobs and kernels simmered in a rich yet simple masala sauce make this dish perfect for sharing at the family dinner table.
Mushroom Korma with Coconut Milk
Mushrooms aren’t typically found in Indian cuisine, but this original creation by Camellia combines assorted mushrooms with a mild, creamy sauce for the ultimate comforting dish.
Sliced Aubergines Smothered with Yoghurt
Yoghurt infused with garlic, ginger and chillies complement the lightly battered and fried slices of aubergine in this prep-ahead dish that can be assembled last-minute for a party spread.
Tomato Chaat
Hailing from the city of Bernares in Uttar Pradesh, this street food dish combines potato- and paneer-stuffed tomatoes with a medley of chutneys, fresh coriander and crispy sev (lentil vermicelli) for the ultimate snack or starter.
Slow-Cooked Jackfruit
Unripe jackfruit, used in a number of regions and communities around India for its meaty texture, is fried then simmered in a sauce of crushed tomatoes, spices and whipped yoghurt until tender.
Black Dal
Finished with fried red chilli and a drizzle of cream, this restaurant-style Black Dal recipe is rich, soft, and goes beautifully with an array of Northern Indian veg dishes.
Fragrant Vegetable Pulao
Best served with yellow dal, relish, and cucumber raita, this veg-packed rice dish is finished with roasted peanuts and grated coconut for another layer of flavour and texture.
Bajra (Pearl Millet) Roti
Made with yoghurt, turmeric, red chilli powder and protein- and iron-rich pearl millet flour, these pan-fried flatbreads are the perfect staple accompaniment.
