Ravinder Bhogal shares three vegetarian Diwali dishes that spotlight Indian spices

Celebrating Diwali with plant‑forward Indian cooking

Indian cuisine’s reliance on vegetables makes a vegetarian Diwali feast both traditional and inventive. Chef Ravinder Bhogal presents three recipes that put root vegetables, leafy greens and paneer at the centre of the celebration.

Turnip sabzi – a spiced makeover for a modest veg

Turnips are diced into 1 cm cubes and cooked in a ghee‑based masala that begins with panch phoran – an equal‑part blend of fennel, cumin, black mustard, nigella and fenugreek seeds. After the spice mixture splutters, curry leaves and finely chopped red onion are caramelised. A paste of ginger, garlic and green chilli is added, followed by tomato puree, passata and turmeric, then simmered until jammy. The turnips join the sauce with a splash of water, cover, and cook low for about 15 minutes until tender. Lime juice and chopped coriander finish the dish, which is served with chapati.

Tandoori celeriac steaks with cooling chutney

A large celeriac is peeled and cut into thick steaks, then marinated in a mixture of grated garlic, ginger, green bird’s‑eye chillies, sea salt, Kashmiri red chilli powder (or paprika), toasted cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and saffron‑soaked water, blended with lime juice and Greek yoghurt. After at least four hours – preferably overnight – the steaks are roasted at 220 °C, brushed with melted ghee and the remaining marinade, and roasted until charred and tender. They are finished with a sprinkle of chaat masala, lime wedges and a chutney made from coriander, mint, soaked peanuts, green chillies, lime juice, caster sugar, chaat masala, salt and ice‑cold water.

Kale‑spinach paneer saag – a green powerhouse

The saag combines 500 g each of spinach and kale (ribs removed) with 300 g cubed paneer. In ghee, finely chopped onion, cumin seeds, thinly sliced garlic, grated ginger and a small green chilli are sautéed. Passata and turmeric are stirred in, then the greens are added and cooked until wilted. Seasoned with sea salt, the mixture is served with paratha, chapati or other flatbread.

Putting the dishes together

Each recipe is designed to be served alongside flatbread, creating a cohesive Diwali spread that balances sweet, tangy, spicy and earthy flavours while keeping the menu entirely vegetarian.

These dishes show how traditional Indian spices can elevate everyday vegetables into festive centrepieces.