India, Dec. 23 -- Christmas dinners have long revolved around roasted centrepieces, a tradition shaped by European winter feasts where large oven dishes brought families together. In recent decades, plant-based roasts have emerged as festive alternatives, inspired by the same idea of shared dining but built around vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts instead of meat.

Vegan roasts began gaining popularity in the late 20th century as global food habits evolved. Ingredients like lentils, chickpeas, mushrooms, beans, and root vegetables became the foundation of these dishes because they offered structure, flavour absorption, and nourishment. Many of these ingredients have been part of traditional cuisines for centuries, long before they wer...