After eating lots of raw food and cold salads recently, I was in the mood for a rich, warming dish.
In the Western world we use the word “curry” to mean virtually anything in a sauce with spices but it does seem a shame to lump everything together and forget that there are actually so many different dishes with flavours unique to their respective cultures. I have a few “curries” on Coconut and Berries:
Sweet Potato, Spinach & Coconut Dahl
Lemony Lentil, Potato & Pea Curry
Thai Tempeh & Vegetable Red Curry
Ethiopian Yellow Split Pea Butternut Stew
spanning Indian-style dishes, Thai, and Ethiopian. And today I’ve got another, completely different one.
I tend to favour South Indian recipes as they’re usually vegetarian by default but Pasanda is a popular North Indian and Pakistani dish. Typically lamb or chicken, cooked in a thick sauce made from a blend of cream, almonds and spices.
I’ve of course veganized it, using chunks of meaty tempeh to replace the lamb and non-dairy yogurt instead of the cream. The result was a wonderfully mild curry with a deliciously nutty and creamy sauce. This one is perfect for families as it’s so lightly spiced, but if you’re not feeding children go ahead and kick up the heat to your liking.
Tempeh & Cauliflower Pasanda
(Adapted from Waitrose magazine)
For the Tempeh:
2T Apple cider vinegar
2T Tamari
2T Water
1t Minced fresh ginger
I 225g/8oz pkg Tempeh, cubed
For the Pasanda:
1T Coconut/Olive oil
1 Medium onion, roughly chopped
1 Small head of cauliflower, broken into small florets (3-4C)
1 Red Chili, minced
2 Cloves of garlic
2 Green Cardamom Pods, Bashed
2t Ground Turmeric
1t Ground Coriander
1/4t Cinnamon
1C Chopped Tomatoes (canned or fresh)
1C Ground Almonds
2C Unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (UK readers, I recommend Sojade organic soy yogurt rather than a thick coconut yogurt like Coyo which would make this too rich. OR, simply use less)
1C Vegetable Broth
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Whisk together the first four ingredients and toss the tempeh in this mixture. Leave for 30 minutes to marinade.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the tempeh and sauté for approx 5 minutes until lightly browned on all sides. Add the onion, cauliflower and chili and cook for another 5 minutes, until the onion has softened.
Add the garlic and spices and cook, stirring, for a minute. Add the tomatoes, yogurt, broth, salt and pepper and stir until everything is coated.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time to ensure it’s not sticking. You may need to add more broth. The cauliflower should be tender and the sauce thickened. Remove the cardamom pods (if you can find them!), add the lime juice and scatter with fresh coriander and extra chili (if desired).
Serve with flatbread (I adapted this grain-free flatbread recipe) or brown rice
Serves 6
Do you have a favourite curry?
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