A Book & A Bite: Warming Vegan Recipes from The Green Roasting Tin's Rukmini Iyer

CRISPY TAMARIND SPROUTS WITH PEANUTS & SHALLOTS

From The Green Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer (Square Peg)

This Indian street food inspired dish combines crispy chickpeas with sprouts and a tamarind dressing. You could go down the full chaat route by adding puffed rice and making it more of a snack, but for a filling meal add some flatbreads or naan along with the yogurt.

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 minutes 

Cook: 25 minutes 

500g Brussels sprouts, halved 

200g banana shallots, peeled and halved 

1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

1 teaspoon ground coriander 

1 teaspoon chilli powder 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

2 teaspoons sea salt 

DRESSING 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 tablespoon tamarind paste 

1 teaspoon brown sugar 

TO SERVE 

20g salted peanuts, chopped 

A handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped 

1 teaspoon each of chaat masala and/or mango powder (optional) 

4 tablespoons coconut yogurt

Flatbreads or naan

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/ gas 6. Mix the sprouts with the shallots, chickpeas, spices, oil and salt in a roasting tin, then transfer to the oven for 25 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp and browned. 

2) Meanwhile, mix the oil with the tamarind paste and sugar. Once the vegetables are cooked, toss with the dressing, then scatter over the peanuts, fresh coriander and the chaat masala and/or mango powder, if using. Serve with the yogurt, piled into flatbreads or naan. 

Note: The tamarind paste used here is the kind you get at the supermarket in a small own-brand jar - not the very concentrated paste that you get at Asian grocery stores. If using the latter, halve the amount.

BEETROOT, CHICKPEA & COCONUT CURRY

Roasted spiced beetroot and chickpeas form the base for this dish, while the coconut milk reduces down quickly in a hot oven to make a simple and delicious curry sauce. Serve with rice or naan bread to create a filling meal.

Serves: 2

Prep: 15 minutes 

Cook: 50 minutes 

1 onion, roughly chopped 

600g beetroot, peeled and cut into small wedges 

1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

2 cloves of garlic, crushed 

5cm ginger, grated 

1 red chilli, roughly chopped 

1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin 

1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander 

1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger 

½ teaspoon ground turmeric 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1 x 400g tin of coconut milk 

TO SERVE 

Basmati rice or naan breads

A handful of fresh coriander Coconut flakes (optional)

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/ gas 6. 

2) Mix the onion, beetroot and chickpeas in a roasting tin with the garlic, ginger, chilli, spices, oil and salt, then transfer to the oven and roast for 40 minutes. 

3) Give the coconut milk a good stir, then pour it over the beetroot and mix well. Return the roasting tin to the oven for 10 minutes. 

4) Taste and season with more salt as needed and serve with rice or naan, scattered with fresh coriander and coconut flakes, if using.

Note: You might want to use gloves while you’re preparing the beetroot, to avoid stained hands.