Creamy Roast Veggie Korma — a plant-based Indian recipe by BOSH!
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Creamy Roast Veggie Korma

This is one we keep coming back to, especially when the weather turns and we want something that genuinely feels like a hug in a bowl. Roasting the squash, carrots and parsnips before they go into the korma sauce is the move that makes this one special. You get these sweet, caramelised edges and a depth of flavour you just don't get from chucking raw veg straight into a pot. The sauce is rich, creamy and fragrant with warming spices, and the chickpeas bulk it out beautifully so it's properly satisfying. Honestly, 40 minutes and you've got a showstopper on the table. Make it tonight.

Cook: 40 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • Large baking tray lined with parchment
  • Blender
  • Colander
  • Wide, heavy-based pan
  • Small bowl
  • Saucepan with lid
  • Cashews soaked in warm water (5 minutes)

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 5 tbsp water warm
  • 1 tbsp ginger
  • 150g pumpkins
  • 150g carrots
  • 300g parsnips
  • 60g cashews
  • 30ml vegetable oil
  • 2 cinnamon stick
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves grated
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 250ml plant-based coconut yoghurt
  • 1 x 400g can of chickpeas - drained and rinsed
  • 150g baby spinach
  • 150g brown rice

Method

1

First, prepare the veggies

  • Peel and finely chop the onion
  • Peel and grate the ginger and garlic
  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas
  • Wash the spinach
  • Peel the squash cut it in half, scoop out all of the seeds and cut it into 2cm chunks
  • Peel the carrots and parsnips and chop into even size 2cm chunks
  • Add the vegetables to a bowl and toss with olive oil, ½ tsp of cayenne powder and a pinch of salt
  • Place on a lined baking tray and roast for 30 minutes until tender
2

Whilst the vegetables are roasting, make the rice

  • Pour your rice in a colander and rinse thoroughly
  • Pour the washed rice into a saucepan, pour over the water, put the lid on the pan, put the pan on the stove over a medium heat and bring the water to a rolling boil
  • Turn the heat right down and simmer for 25 minutes
  • Take the lid off, fluff the rice with a fork, take the pan off the heat, put the lid back on the pan and set to one side until ready to serve
3

Then, start on the sauce

  • Put the cashews in a small bowl with the warm water and leave to soak.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a wide, heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat
  • Add the onions and a pinch of salt and stir for 4-5 minutes
  • Add the cinnamon, cardamom pods, nutmeg, turmeric, remaining cayenne pepper, ginger and garlic to the pan and and stir for 2-3 minutes
  • Turn the heat right down
4

Then, make the cashew cream

  • Put the cashews and warm water into a blender and blitz into a smooth cream
  • Pour the cashew cream into the pan and stir it into the onions
  • Add the coconut yogurt to the pan and stir it in to form a creamy sauce
  • Taste sauce and season with salt
  • Add the chickpeas and roast vegetables to the pan and fold into the sauce (add some water here if the curry is too dry)
  • Add the spinach to the pan and fold it into the curry
5

Serve and enjoy!

  • Plate up half the rice, spoon half the curry over the rice and serve immediately
  • Transfer the remaining curry and rice to a Tupperware and eat the following day for lunch

Tips & Variations

  • Change up the veg: We love this combo but it works brilliantly with cauliflower, sweet potato or even chunks of aubergine. Use whatever needs eating up in the fridge.
  • Make it even creamier: Henry always adds an extra splash of coconut milk right at the end and stirs through a handful of spinach off the heat. The residual warmth wilts it perfectly without it going sludgy.
  • Spice it your way: If you want more heat, add a chopped fresh chilli in with the onion. If you're cooking for kids or people who prefer it mild, ease back on the cayenne and it's still absolutely delicious.

Why This Works

The trick here is roasting the veg first. It sounds like an extra step, but it genuinely transforms the whole dish. The natural sugars in the squash and parsnips caramelise in the oven and give the korma this incredible sweetness that you just can't fake. We also find that letting the onion, garlic and ginger cook low and slow before you add the spices makes the sauce taste like it's been on the hob for hours, not minutes. Trust us on this one.