As Christmas approaches, I know everything is about to be different this year. My table features a nut roast with vegetables taking centre stage – no longer relegated to being side kicks this time around.

Having a partner who is a vegetarian has changed my perspective on what I eat, but if anything, it has accelerated my sustainable and ethical ways, and made me realise that we really don’t need that much meat in our diets as we think.

Besides, once you start cooking more vegetables you realise the way they have an ability of finding multi-layered flavours instead of a meaty one-dimensional one.

So this year my festive table is abundant with seasonal vegetables done in new ways, with a multitude of textures, spices and with a renewed sense of excitement for cooking.

One of the recipes I will be making is roast potatoes with coconut oil and coriander seeds, I hope you will find these as delicious as we will. Perfect for a vegan, too.

Sumayya’s coconut oil and coriander roast potatoes

Ingredients

1 kilo Maris Piper potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut into quarters

3-4 tbsp organic virgin coconut oil

1 tsp sea salt or Himalayan pink salt

A grinding of pepper

2 tsp freshly dry roasted coriander seeds, ground coarsely in mortar and pestle

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, for garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C, 400F, gas mark 6.

2. Place peeled and cut potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water (with a little salt), until the outer edge is fluffy.

3. Drain the potatoes then give them a shake in the pan, to rough up the edges a little. Pour over melted coconut oil give another shake to coat the potatoes and tip into a large roasting tin.

4. Add salt, pepper and coriander and toss again.

5. Roast for 50-60 minutes, then check and turn, then leave to cook until golden and crunchy.

6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.