Guardian Life & Style (US) • Jan. 6, 2026, 1:15 p.m.

<p>Top tips from a roster of experienced curry-makers, from adding a dollop of yoghurt to experimenting with pastes</p><p><strong>I want to make more vegetarian curries, but most </strong><strong>call for a tin of coconut milk and I’m trying to cut down on saturated fats. What can I </strong><strong>use instead?

<br /></strong><em><strong>Jill, via email<br /></strong></em>Coconut milk brings silkiness and sweet richness to curries, and also mellows spices, so any substitute will likely change the nature of the dish. That said, if you really want to avoid the white stuff, Karan Gokani, author of <a href="https://guardianbookshop.com/indian-101-9781035066988/">Indian 101</a>, would simply replace it with vegetable stock.

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