Celebrating curry: a vegetarian delight for National Curry Week
As we celebrate National Curry Week, it’s the perfect time to shine a spotlight on one of the UK’s most loved dishes – curry. Rich in flavour, full of aromatic spices, and with endless regional varieties, curry is one of the UK’s favourite cuisines. But did you know that many traditional curries are vegetarian by default?
National Curry week - overview:
Indian cuisine – where curry originates – is one of the most vegetarian-friendly in the world. This is largely due to deep-rooted cultural, religious, and geographical influences. With religions like Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism encouraging a meat-free diet as part of spiritual practice, vegetarianism is widespread across the Indian subcontinent. Add to that India’s access to abundant fresh, seasonal vegetables and legumes, and it’s no surprise that plant-based curries have become culinary staples.
What’s more, vegetarian curries are often more affordable and accessible, making them the go-to choice for many Indian households. For those reducing meat consumption for sustainability or health reasons, curry offers a satisfying and flavoursome alternative that doesn’t compromise on taste.
Whether you’re catering for growing numbers of vegetarians or simply looking to add something new to your menus, National Curry Week is the perfect excuse to explore the variety and depth of flavour that vegetarian curries can offer.
The origins of curry
The term ‘curry’ is derived from the Tamil word kari meaning sauce or relish. While the diverse and richly spiced dishes originated across the Indian subcontinent, the concept of curry as we know it today was shaped during the British colonial period.
British traders and officials encountered a wide range of spiced stews and gravies, which they adapted to suit Western tastes. This led to the creation of curry powder – a simplified blend of spices designed to replicate the complex flavours of Indian cooking.
The first recorded English curry recipe appeared in Hannah Glasse’s 1747 cookbook, “The Art of Cookery,”, marking the start of curry’s evolution from a regional tradition into a global culinary phenomenon.
Regional richness from curries across India
The vast subcontinent of India spans from the Himalayas in the North to the Southern tropical coast of Goa, so its geography has had a major influence on regional cuisine, as well as heavy influences from thousands of years of immigration, trade, and conquest.
Across India’s vast geography, regional variations in climate, culture, and history have shaped unique styles of curry – all with their own approach to vegetarian cooking.
Northern Indian cuisine runs from the Himalayas to the fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain. The region’s temperate, dry climate supports wheat farming, making flatbreads like naan, roti, and paratha staples of the diet.
Culturally, the cuisine has been deeply influenced by centuries of migration and conquest. Persian and Central Asian traditions, particularly during the Mughal Empire, introduced yoghurt, paneer, and ghee, which remain central to many iconic Northern Indian dishes such as palak paneer (spinach and Indian cheese in a creamy sauce) and rajma (kidney bean curry).
Like Northern Indian food, Southern Indian cuisine is influenced heavily by its landscape, located between the Arabian Sea to the west and the Bay of Bengal to the east. The resulting tropical climate leads to a lighter, rice-based diet rich in coconut, tamarind, plantains, and dried chilies, exemplified by the region’s sambars and dosas (read on for a delicious dosa recipe).
Western Indian cuisine shares some similarities with the North but stands out for its ingenious use of limited fresh produce. In arid regions where access to fresh fruits and vegetables can be scarce, dried lentils, pulses, and legumes form the backbone of everyday meals.
Despite these environmental challenges, the Western state of Gujarat is renowned for its vibrant vegetarian food culture, with nearly 75% of the population adhering to a plant-based diet. This has led to an incredibly diverse range of vegetarian dishes, often combining sweet, sour, and spicy elements in a single meal.
A perfect example is the Gujarati thali — a beautifully balanced platter featuring:
- shaak (spiced vegetable preparations)
- kadhi (a tangy yoghurt-based curry with gram flour dumplings)
- dahl (lentil stews)
- roti (soft wholewheat flatbread)
Perhaps you could create your own thali for National Curry Week, adapted to your diners’ tastes using abundant seasonal vegetables listed in our seasonality guide.
With its high rainfall, humid climate, and abundant river systems, Eastern India is ideal for growing rice, leafy greens, and mustard. As a result, the cuisine of this region is deeply rooted in freshness, balance, and seasonality. The region offers an immense variety of vegetarian dishes designed to cool the palate and nourish the body in a hot, humid climate.
Examples include:
- shukto – a mild Bengali mixed vegetable stew with bitter gourd
- chana dahl – a creamy lentil dish
- pakhala bhata – fermented rice soaked in water and served chilled, often with yoghurt and green chillies
Central India, including the state of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, has a hot, arid climate which has led to a cuisine rich in preference toward chilli peppers. The region is known for its chaats (street food) like samosa chaat, dahi vada (made with lentils), and chole tikki.
Lentils: a protein powerhouse
As the world’s oldest cultivated legume, it’s no surprise that lentils have become a staple throughout Indian cuisine.
Lentils are high in fibre and are made up of more than 25% protein, which makes them an excellent meat alternative. They’re also a great source of iron, a mineral that is sometimes lacking in vegetarian diets and they’re packed with B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium.
Because of their size, lentils cook much more quickly than dried beans and don’t have to be soaked before cooking. They are extremely versatile and inexpensive, which makes them an accessible form of high-quality protein.
They are perfect to create mouth-watering curries, such as in this delicious lentil dahl.
Not only are lentils nutritious, they’re also a low-impact ingredient that supports carbon reduction in catering operations.
Delicious, plant-based recipes
Here’s a great recipe for potato masala dosa, which serves 6 but can easily be upscaled for more diners.
Potato masala dosa (serves 6)
For the dosa
- 100g gram flour
- 100g plain flour
- 200ml milk
For the masala filling
- 4 waxy potatoes (about 750g/1lb 10oz), peeled and chopped into small cubes
- 3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
- 2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 fat red chilli, chopped (deseeded if you don’t like it too hot)
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- A thumb-sized piece ginger
- A small bunch coriander, stalks only, finely chopped (save the leaves for the raita)
- 2 tbsp fresh or dried curry leaves
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- Indian chutneys and pickles to serve
For the raita
- ½ chopped cucumber, seeds and skin removed and diced
- 5 tablespoons yoghurt or coconut yoghurt
- Handful chopped mint
- Salt and pepper
Method
- For the best flavour and texture, the dosa pancake batter is best made at least 24 hrs ahead. Measure the flours into a large bowl, add the milk, season with salt and add 300ml water. Whisk to a smooth batter, then cover with cling film and chill for 24 hrs or up to 5 days.
- Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
- Toss the potato in a drizzle of the oil and spread out on a large baking tray. Cook for 20 mins, stirring on the tray once or twice during cooking, until soft and starting to caramelise.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large pan and fry the mustard, fennel and cumin seeds for 30 secs or so until fragrant. Stir in the chilli, onion, garlic, ginger, coriander stalks and curry leaves, and cook over a low heat for 10 mins until the onion is soft.
- Stir in the ground spices for 15 seconds, then add 100ml water and bubble to bring all the flavours together.
- Stir the potato into the pan and season well. Use the back of your spoon to crush some of the potato, leaving some pieces chunkier –
the mixture should resemble very chunky mash. - Keep the mixture warm until the pancakes are ready (or leave it to cool, then chill for up to 2 days – gently reheat in the pan or
microwave before continuing). - To make the raita, put the diced cucumber in a bowl, stir in the yoghurt, mint and a pinch of salt. If the yoghurt is very thick, loosen it with 1-2 tbsp water. Chill until ready to serve (you can make this up to 2 days ahead too but stir in the mint just before serving).
- Heat the oven to its lowest setting and put a plate inside ready to keep the dosas warm once you’ve cooked them. If the dosa batter has thickened in the fridge, thin it with a splash of water – it should be the consistency of double cream. Use a little oil to grease your largest frying or crêpe pan, wiping out the excess oil with some kitchen paper. Pour a ladleful of batter into the centre of the pan and quickly swirl it around to fill the surface, getting the pancakes as thin as you can. When the surface of the pancake looks almost dry, spoon a quarter of the filling down the centre. When the pancake is deep golden-brown and crisp on the underside, roll it up in the pan to encase the filling, cook for 1 min more, then transfer to the oven to keep warm while you continue cooking the remaining dosas.
Any leftover batter will keep well in the fridge for 4 days (if the batter was made the day before, don’t keep for longer than 5 days in total).
Serve the dosas with the raita along with your favourite Indian chutneys and pickles on the side.
Sustainability on a plate: the case for plant-rich curries
To celebrate National Curry Week, why not introduce more vegetarian dishes to your menus? These meals offer:
✅ Lower carbon footprint
✅ Value for money using ingredients like lentils and chickpeas
✅ Well-balanced nutrition with low-impact, plant-based proteins
Looking to make your menus more sustainable, nutritious, and cost-effective?
allmanhall’s award-winning procurement team can help you source ingredients that support plant-based eating and reduce carbon impact – without compromising on flavour.
Our nutrition and dietetics consultancy, led by a Registered Dietitian, offers practical support with:
- Sustainable recipe development
- Allergen management
- Smart ingredient swaps
- Menu balance for health and wellbeing
Whether you’re planning a themed week or embedding long-term change, we’re here to help.
Get in touch today to explore more curry recipes, easy meat alternatives, and nutrition-led sustainability insights.