Saturday, September 6, 2025 |
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The best bit about a takeaway isn't the lukewarm curry in a plastic tub, it's that feeling of having dinner that tastes like more effort than it really was. But you don't need to wait for a delivery driver to find your street to get it – these clever fakeaway recipes are faster, cheaper and (whisper it) a lot more wholesome. From a fiery prawn and kale madras to glossy pad Thai laced with cavolo nero, they prove that Friday night favourites can sneak in plenty of veg without losing their treat factor. There's also a salmon and cavolo nero stir fry that's all done in 20 minutes, a Thai green turkey curry for when you want something lighter, and chickpea and cavolo nero falafels crisped golden in a pan. Each one is ready in half an hour or less, with no compromises and no mystery ingredients – just vibrant, veg-packed dinners that feel like a takeaway without the guilt.
If you'd rather make vegetables the headline act rather than a supporting role, few know how better than Camellia Panjabi. The woman who changed the way Britain eats Indian food is now on a mission to convince us that veg shouldn't be relegated to the "sides" section. Her new book, Vegetables: The Indian Way, is a love letter to colour, flavour and the surprising versatility of everything from cauliflower leaves to purple cabbage. "Everybody is a vegetable eater," she tells us – it's just about knowing how to handle them best. Her advice? Pair root and sun-grown vegetables together for balance, make your plate as colourful as a fashion spread, and don't be afraid to borrow flavours from other cuisines.
She's more than happy to share proof. In Kerala, a humble beetroot raita is transformed with hot coconut oil, fried curry leaves and chillies, while in Karnataka's Udupi cuisine, mangoes are simmered with tamarind and jaggery into a sweet-sour-spiced curry that works as a condiment or main. Elsewhere, paneer and peppers are tossed with ginger, garlic and whole spices for a dish that's halfway between a stir fry and a jalfrezi – with tofu as an easy vegan swap. Whether you're in the mood for a fakeaway that saves you cash or an Indian classic that puts veg centre stage, this week's recipes prove one thing: the star of the show doesn't need to be meat.
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How to make vegetables the star of every meal |
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Bestselling author and restaurateur Camellia Panjabi MBE – the woman who changed Britain's view of Indian food – tells Camilla Foster why her new cookbook 'Vegetables: The Indian Way' puts plants at the centre of the plate, and shares her top tips for making them shine
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Bestselling author and renowned restaurateur Camellia Panjabi MBE, celebrated for transforming the UK's perception of Indian cuisine through her stylish London restaurants and iconic cookbook, 50 Great Curries of India, is now setting her sights on a new culinary mission: inspiring Brits to fall in love with vegetables.
Drawing on decades of experience as a hotelier managing restaurants across various cuisines, Panjabi observed that vegetables were too often relegated to the sidelines.
"One of the facets of my job was to help set up restaurants for the different hotels, and they covered all kinds of cuisines," says Panjabi, who has shaped London's food scene, collaborating with her family to create celebrated restaurants like Veeraswamy, Amaya, Chutney Mary and the beloved Masala Zone chain.
"When I left that job, I then began to reflect on the past and thought, how come in every menu that we ever designed, vegetables were always in the section called sides? They were never part of the starters, they were never part of the main course."
Determined to change this narrative, Panjabi has made vegetables the true "hero" of every plate with her brand-new cookbook, Vegetables: The Indian Way...
Read the full article here
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| More tasty recipes inside |
Enjoy endless inspiration with recipes, interviews and more in your latest Indy/Eats food and drink magazine, one of your Independent Premium subscription benefits |
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| Vegetables: The Indian Way |
A treasure of more than 120 achievable Indian vegetable recipes, Vegetables: The Indian Way by turns humble produce into the star of the meal. Beautifully photographed and arranged by vegetable type, this inspiring cookbook blends culinary history, nutritional insight and practical tips with vibrant flavours – from smoky jalfrezi to nutty masalas – as authentic as they are enticing
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