Griddled
asparagus with
coconut yoghurt
This is a really satisfying vegan
salad that covers all the bases in
terms of flavour and texture,
and looks smashing put down
in the middle of the table to
share. I love how creamy vegan
coconut yoghurt plays against
the fresh grassiness of the
asparagus here. The fragrant
curry leaf and black mustard
seed oil is inspired by some
of my favourite Sri Lankan
preparations, and the cashews
bring a lovely toasty crunch.
If you’re firing up the barbecue
any time soon, it’s a great one to
try with barbecued asparagus.Serves 2Ingredients- ½ red onion, sliced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 200g coconut yoghurt
- 250g bunch of asparagus,
woody stalks removed
a few minutes, turning the
spears until they are charred,
blistered and tender. A good
test is to slip the point of a
sharp knife into the fattest part
of the stem — the spear will fall
off the knife with no resistance
when it’s ready. Remove from
the pan to a plate to cool for
a minute or two.04 Turn down the heat on the
pan to medium and add the
rapeseed and coconut oils,
followed by the mustard
seeds. Once they start to pop,
after about 30 seconds, throw
in the curry leaves and red
chilli and let them sizzle for
a minute. Add the chopped
cashews and stir to coat in
the oil, then remove from the
heat before the curry leaves
get too crunchy.05 Place the asparagus on top
of the yoghurt and drizzle with
the curry leaf oil, a pinch of
salt and a splash of the onion’s
lime juice. Strew over the
onion slices before serving n- 15ml rapeseed oil, plus
extra for grilling - 15g coconut oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- A handful of fresh curry
leaves or 2 tsp dry - ½ red chilli, finely sliced
- Cashew nuts, chopped
01 In a small bowl, scrunch
together the red onion with a
good pinch of sea salt and the
lime and allow to lightly pickle
for a few minutes.02 Spread the yoghurt on
a serving plate using the
back of the spoon to smooth
it down and make a large
circular indent in the middle
for the asparagus.03 Heat a griddle pan or
heavy-bottomed cast-iron
skillet over a medium heat
and turn the extractor on
high. Brush the asparagus
with a little rapeseed oil and,
once smoking hot, place it
on the griddle/skillet. Season
GETTY IMAGES with salt and cook hard for
The Sunday Times Magazine • 57