Vegan winter menus

Curry comfort

The British have a taste for curry that never seems to go out of fashion. Make the most of this winter staple by throwing together some homemade side dishes and adding extra-special finishing touches.

Sprinkle creamy curries with chopped cashew nuts or flaked almonds for added luxury. Dip homemade chapattis in Madhur Jaffrey’s crunchy instant pickle, a perfect foil to rich sauces. To counter excess chilli, whip up a quick and cooling raita - just mix unsweetened soya yoghurt with chopped cucumber or fresh herbs and stir in other vegetables such as carrots or pomegranate seeds for colour.

Serve dishes the traditional Gujarati way, by making the meal a one-course affair. Place small bowls of each dish onto the table and allow guests to tuck in.

Curries

• Chickpea curry with green mango and pomegranate by Sejal Sukhadwala
• Spicy coconut potato shakuti by Reshma Martin
• Gujarati undhiyo by Anjum Anand
• Vegetable pullao by Madhur Jaffrey
• Thai curry with homemade chapattis by Mike Robinson
• Spinach, aubergine and chickpea curry by Denis Cotter

Condiments and side dishes

• Coriander and garlic bread by Anjum Anand
• Lemon rice by Anjum Anand
• Apricot and orange chutney by Antony Worrall Thompson
• Chopped salad with peanuts by Anjum Anand
• Spicy apple and walnut chutney by Rick Stein
• Wild mushroom pilaff by Anjum Anand

Spicy snacks

• Onion bhajis by Anjum Anand
• Vegetable pakoras by Anjum Anand
• Gujarati potatoes with cashew nuts by Anjum Anand
• Instant Punjabi-style pickle by Madhur Jaffrey

Set the pulses racing

If you thought you knew all about pulses and lentils, think again. Forget stodgy suppers with rice on the side: Claudia Roden's Lentils with pasta and caramelised onions offers a surprising combination of flavours.

During winter months, soup packed with pulses satisfies the palate and sticks to the ribs. Make a large quantity and freeze in batches ready to defrost when a swift supper is called for.

Pair soups with vegetable bruschetta - match Cider, butter bean and thyme soup with Butter bean and sage bruschetta. Experiment with your own combinations: blend garlic and black olives to a tapenade with extra virgin olive oil, or whip up homemade baba ganoush (mashed aubergine) or hummus.

When winter really bites, tuck into braised, spiced or stewed lentils served with hearty, vitamin-filled vegetables to ward off hunger and chills. These inspiring dishes will give you a warm feeling inside.

• Cider, butter bean and thyme soup
• Butterbean and sage bruschetta by Lesley Waters
• Braised lentils by Nigel Slater
• Black dal by Sanjeev Bhaskar
• Lentil and spinach stew by Vegan Society
• Lentils with pasta and caramelised onions by Claudia Roden
• Lantern soup (pumpkin and haricot bean soup) from The Vegetarian Society
• Fried edamame beans with chilli by Nick Nairn
• Spicy tofu and edamame beans by Ching-He Huang
• Spiced lentil pati
• Baba ganoush by Lesley Waters
• Hummus by Roberta and Julia Sawalha

Party time

For celebratory feasts, start your meal off with earthy root vegetables mixed with ripe winter fruits, and drizzle salads with citrus dressing. For a special occasion, whip up a sorbet to cleanse the palate before the main course.

Make family meals extra special by shaping the tofu drumsticks mixture (from the Sunday roast drumsticks recipe, below) into patties. Dot them with cranberry sauce and top with a deep-fried parsley sprig. Get your kids involved and cut out stars and other fun shapes from the mixture with cookie cutters. If you're in a more exotic frame of mind, rustle up Middle and Far Eastern-inspired recipes to banish winter chills.

Ensure you leave room for dessert, as vegans will be spoilt for choice with this selection. From boozy oranges to rich Chocolate and pear torte, there are plenty of interesting alternatives to traditional winter puds.

Wintry lunches often start in daylight and finish after nightfall. To lift your guests' spirits, pass round irresistible snacks such as sugared walnuts, perfect for nibbling in-between meals. To start the party, unearth your cocktail shaker and get flairing. A zingy Babycham and passionfruit cocktail should kick-start the appetite in time for tea.

Starters

• Winter salad by Nadia Sawalha
• Moroccan carrot and orange salad by Jill Dupleix
• Winter tabbouleh by Sam and Sam Clark
• Warm exotic mushroom salad by The Mushroom Bureau
• Gazpacho sorbet by Eric Chavot

Mains

• Onion tarte by Jane Sen
• Sunday roast drumsticks by Tony Weston and Yvonne Bishop
• Maple-roast parsnips by Nigella Lawson
• Chickpea and chestnut stuffing by Michelle Berriedale-Johnson
• Braised beancurd (tofu) casserole by Deh-Ta Hsiung
• Vegetables and rice noodles in a coconut broth by Anjum Anand
• Bengali butternut squash with chickpeas by Anjum Anand
• Iranian stuffed aubergines with coconut and almond sauce from Vegan Society

Desserts

• Mince pies by Michelle Berriedale-Johnson
• Chocolate and pear torte by Michelle Berriedale-Johnson
• Christmas pudding by Michelle Berriedale-Johnson
• Mincemeat, apple and apricot crumble tart from The Vegetarian Society
• Vegan sweet shortcrust pastry by Charlotte O'Leary
• Rhubarb sorbet by Raymond Blanc
• Drambuie oranges by Nick Nairn

Snacks

• Jaggery-caramelised walnuts by Anjum Anand
• Banana chips by Anjum Anand
• Marinated olives by Rick Stein

Drinks

• Dales quencher by Andy Pearson
• Babycham and brandy with passionfruit cocktail by Patrick Williams
• Pomegranate cobbler by Andy Pearson