One of my earliest introductions to Indian cuisine was mattar paneer. The essential components are lightly pan-fried cubes of luscious paneer cheese and plump green peas gently simmered in a elegantly spiced tomato-based gravy. The spicing, consistency of the sauce, and texture of the paneer vary greatly however, depending on the cook running the kitchen — obviously this can be a source of considerable culinary inspiration if you judge by the popularity of this classic dish that originates from Northern India and now a mainstay on menus all across the globe.

This version has a thicker sauce than an ordinary mattar paneer, flavored with a generous amount of fenugreek or methi leaves. This is my second mattar paneer flavored with these uniquely bitter but tangy leaves. They're easily available at any Indian and most Asian grocers, but you can substitute spinach if needed with an added pinch of fenugreek powder or seeds.

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Food is a central feature of pretty much any holiday gathering that I can think of, and this is especially true of winter celebrations. Not only do we need to eat, but we like to eat, and us cooks tend to get more creative and ambitious with our culinary offerings on special occasions.

Unfortunately, vegans, vegetarians and carnivores alike are all too familiar with the frustrations of holiday gatherings precisely because of the central role food plays at such times. Winter holiday gatherings and meals are traditionally dominated by meat, poultry and fish, and thus our more carnivorous family and friends serve up meals without a knowledge of what makes for balanced, filling and delicious vegan and vegetarian fare, apprehensive because they want us to enjoy the culinary aspect of the festive occasion as much as they do. Similarly, even experienced vegan and vegetarian cooks preparing the bulk of the holiday spread hope they can provide enough dishes to satisfy the appetite and stimulate the palates of all their diners, especially if neither meat nor seafood is served.

You can imagine my delight then when I was contacted by Zel Allen who offered me a complimentary copy of her new book, Vegan for the Holidays: Celebration Feasts for Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years and have learned to adapt and often make much of the food for family dinners enjoyed by carnivores as much as by the vegetarians present. But you never can have enough recipe ideas, and the unique charm of this book is that it is specifically designed for special occasions with recipes free of all animal products.

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In the past year or so I've made a little sport of occasionally picking up vegetables or fruits I've never eaten before and giving them a whirl in the kitchen, sometimes from the suggestions of readers, other times out of simple curiosity after passing them in the market aisles. Bottle gourds, bitter melons and mustard greens have all made an impression on me in this fashion, and it's always rewarding to add new experiences and perspectives.

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My hope of an extremely hot summer morphing into a pleasant warm and sunny fall certainly hasn't come about, and that has me dashing round the kitchen to generate some heat. As nothing can quite match the soothing feeling of mouthfuls of steaming hot soup gradually warming your body from head to toe, the thought of a bowl with some extra spicy flair combined with the comforting goodness of autumn vegetables soon became a reality.

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