Golden Cauliflower, Chickpea and Squash Curry with Pomegranate Raita

I love veggie curries for when I’m craving some spice but want something a bit fresher, lighter and healthier than a meat curry. Roasting cauliflower and squash in lots of spices helps to amp up the flavour and give a slightly smoky, charred flavour to the finished dish. With a refreshing raita with added pomegranates for texture and a fruity burst, mango chutney, extra lime, and some toasted flaked almonds, this is a comforting weeknight meal which doesn’t take long to prepare and will help get you towards your 5 a day.

(Serves 4 to 5 - £0.98 per serving)

1. Chop a large cauliflower into florets and roughly chop the leaves. Add to a parchment lined baking tray with half a chopped butternut squash, drizzle with olive oil, some seasoning and sprinkle over 1 tsp crushed coriander seeds, 1 tsp crushed cumin seeds, 1 tsp nigella seeds, and 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds. Mix well so the cauliflower is well coated in all the spices before roasting at 200C fan/220C until slightly charred.
2. Meanwhile, fry a chopped large onion in a little olive oil in a large casserole pot over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add 1 tbsp of chopped ginger, 1 tsp finely chopped coriander stalks and 3 crushed cloves of garlic. Fry for a couple more minutes, stirring all the time.
3. Next add 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsps garam masala, 4 crushed cardamom pods and 1/2 tsp chilli powder. Stir until the spices smell fragrant.
4. Next add a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas, stirring to coat them in the spices. Add a chopped can of tomatoes, 300ml of chicken or veg stock and the roasted vegetables.
5. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the sauce becomes thickened, top up with extra water if needed.
For the pomegranate raita, simply add a large handful pomegranate seeds to natural yoghurt with some chopped coriander and lime juice.
6. Serve the curry with brown or white rice, a dollop of the raita, mango chutney, extra lime, and a sprinkle of toasted flaked almonds.