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The creamy coconut milk and myriad spices grant these vegetables both elegance and luxury. Roasting the vegetables in the paste really brings out their sweetness. Making your own curry paste only takes a few minutes and the complex depth of flavour means it’s always worth doing.

SERVES 8–10 VEGETARIAN

2 × 400ml tins of coconut milk

600ml (1 pint) vegetable stock

4 large carrots

6 parsnips

700g (1½ lb) sweet potatoes

4 onions

150g (5oz) spinach (any large stalks removed before weighing)

400ml (14fl oz) natural yoghurt

For the paste

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp chana masala

50g (2oz) root ginger, peeled and chopped

12 cloves of garlic, peeled

4 red chillies, deseeded

200g (7oz) onions, peeled and quartered

50ml (2fl oz) vegetable oil

1 tbsp ground turmeric

2 tsp caster sugar

2 tsp salt

To serve

Bunch of coriander, chopped

100g (3½oz) cashew nuts, toasted and chopped

200ml (7fl oz) natural yoghurt or crème fraîche

Large casserole dish or saucepan

1 Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3.

2 First make the paste. Place a small frying pan on a medium heat and add the coriander, cumin and chana masala. Cook, tossing frequently, for about 1 minute or until they start to pop, then crush.

3 Place the ginger, garlic, chillies, onions and vegetable oil in a food processor and whiz for 2–3 minutes or until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan or casserole dish and stir in the ground spices, along with the turmeric, sugar and salt. Place on a medium–low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the mixture has reduced slightly.

4 Remove the mixture from the heat and pour half into a large bowl. Pour the coconut milk and stock into the remaining half in the saucepan or casserole dish, stirring to combine. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes to reduce.

5 Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Peel the carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes and cut into 2cm (¾in) cubes. Peel the onions and cut into eighths and chop the spinach.

6 Stir the yoghurt into the spice paste in the bowl, then add the vegetables and onions and stir to coat. Tip into 1–2 roasting tins and cook in the oven for about 1 hour or until lightly browned.

7 Remove the vegetables from the oven and add to the saucepan or casserole dish. Place on a medium heat for a few minutes to warm through, then stir in the spinach and spoon into bowls with a sprinkling of fresh coriander, a scattering of the toasted nuts and a spoonful of yoghurt or crème fraîche.