Vegan curry recipe

Is there really anything that says 'it's finally the weekend' more than a delicious homemade curry? This tasty plant-based dish, courtesy of the folks behind the BOSH! cookbook, is a true flavour sensation, packed with nutrition. For the best results, make your own curry paste; it doesn’t take long and the rest can be frozen for a later date. This is one feel-good meal with a hell of a kick.
 

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Vegan Thai red curry

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 1 fresh red chilli
• 200g mushrooms
• 60g baby corn
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
• 150ml vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp palm sugar (or regular sugar)
• 2 tbsp agave syrup
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 160g baby plum tomatoes
• 50g mangetout
• ½ x 425g tin lychees (optional)

For the Thai red curry paste (makes 300g):

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2cm piece fresh ginger
• 5 shallots
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 lemongrass stalks
• 3 fresh red chillies
• 1 red bird’s eye chilli (optional)
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• ½ roasted red pepper from a jar
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• ½ lime
• 10g fresh coriander, plus extra for garnish
• 2 tsp salt
• 50ml water
   

Method

1. To make the Thai red curry paste, scatter the cumin and coriander seeds over a large, deep frying pan or wok on a high heat, and toast for 2 minutes.
    
2. Peel the ginger by scraping off the skin with a spoon and roughly chop. Peel and roughly chop the shallots. Peel the garlic. Trim and roughly chop the lemongrass. Rip the stems from the chillies, removing the seeds if you prefer a milder sauce.
    
3. Put the toasted seeds into a liquidiser along with the ginger, shallots, garlic and lemongrass. Add the fresh red chillies, bird’s eye chilli, if using, peppercorns, roasted red pepper, tomato purée and the lime leaves.
    
4. Squeeze in the lime juice, catching any pips in your other hand. Add the 10g fresh coriander, salt and a splash of water, then whizz until really smooth with no bits, adding up to 50ml of water to loosen it if necessary. Spoon 100g of the paste into a bowl and set the rest aside to use another time (freeze it in batches of 100g).
    
5. Cut the red and green peppers in half and cut out the stems and seeds, then cut into 2cm chunks. Rip the stems from 2 of the chillies, removing the seeds if you prefer a milder flavour, and cut into slices. Slice the mushrooms and halve the baby corn.
    
6. Put the pan back on a high heat and add the oil. When it’s hot, add the 100g curry paste and fry for 2 minutes, until the paste deepens in colour and smells amazing. Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable stock and stir well to mix everything together.
    
7. Add the sugar, agave syrup, soy sauce, peppers, chilli, mushroom, baby corn, tomatoes and mangetout. Drain the lychees, if using, and add them to the pan.
    
8. Bring to the boil and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt, sugar or agave syrup as required.
    
9. Spoon the curry into bowls, garnish with a handful of coriander leaves and serve alongside white rice.
    

BOSH! by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby is published by HQ, HarperCollins in hardback with an RRP OF £20.

Other things you might like:

Quick and easy vegan recipes

Warming soup recipes

Images: Shutterstock