Curry Hurry Please

This recipe calls for you to make a roux as its base, as this is the most widely-used technique for this dish. A similar effect could be achieved by adding Japanese curry powder in after the onions are browned and proceeding with the dish from there, adding butter or margarine along with the water, and thickening the curry with some flour after the vegetables are tender, if desired.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

1 package (100g) sườn non chay, or 350g other vegetarian meat substitute

(If using sườn non chay) several cups vegetarian ‘chicken’ or ‘beef’ stock from concentrate, vegetable stock, or water

1/4 tsp Japanese curry powder

A few cracks of black pepper

For the dish:

2 Yukon gold potatoes (400g), peeled

2-3 medium carrots (200g)

1 package (100g) suon non chay, or 350g other vegetarian chicken substitute

6 cups water, or enough to cover

2 tsp vegetarian ‘chicken’ or ‘beef’ stock concentrate (optional)

3 Tbsp neutral oil, to fry

2 large yellow onions, sliced

1/2 sweet apple, grated (optional)

3 Tbsp usata sosu (Japanese Worcestershire-style sauce)

1 Tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (or substitute soy sauce)

1/4 cup coconut milk (optional)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch chunk (10g) ginger, minced

Sườn non chay may be found in bags online or at your local Asian grocery–the bags will be labelled “sườn non chay” as well as “vegan meat slice,” “textured soy bean protein,” “vegetarian food,” or “vegan food.”

Apple is a fairly common but non-essential addition to this curry; it adds a subtle sweetness to the final dish without being immediately recognizable as apple. Other common additions which have the same effect are honey, jam, and mashed banana.

The Japanese Worcestershire sauce adds umami, salt, sweetness, and a hint of fruit: it may be replaced with equal parts soy sauce, ketchup, molasses, and date syrup or apple sauce.

The coconut milk adds savor and a creamy texture; the flavor of coconut is not detectable in the final dish. You could also use soy or oat milk for this purpose.

For the roux:

3 Tbsp Japanese curry powder

3 Tbsp non-dairy margarine

6 Tbsp (45g) AP flour

Instructions:

For the roux:

1. Melt margarine in a small pot on medium, then reduce heat to medium-low. Add flour and toast for 15-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flour is lightly golden brown.

2. Add curry powder and toast for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Remove from heat.

For the dish:

1. If using sườn non chay: In a stockpot, soak sườn non chay in enough stock to cover for about an hour, until rehydrated. I also added a few cracks of black pepper and about 1/4 tsp of Japanese curry powder to the stock.

Adding a small plate to keep the sườn non chay beneath the surface of the liquid can help them to soak faster.

2. Tear sườn non chay into thin strips and return to the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated; set aside.

Soaking in broth or stock helps the flavor of the sườn non chay to be more concentrated. If you're short on time, just soak them in water until softened, squeeze the excess water out, tear them into strips, and set aside until ready to fry.

3. Prepare your vegetables. Peel potatoes and cut into wedges (if your potatoes are particularly large, halve them widthwise first). Peel the carrots and chop them with diagonal cuts, rotating the carrot about 1/4 turn between each cut (this style of cutting—rangiri—is commonly used when preparing cylindrical vegetables for simmering in stews, because it increases their surface area). Halve the onions through the root and then cut them into slices; mince the garlic and ginger.

Some cooks will cut the onions into wedges and fry them until translucent, while others cut them into thin slices and fry until they are deeply golden brown; I took the latter route to add savor to the final dish, but consult your own preferences (and time!).

4. Heat 3 Tbsp neutral oil in a large stockpot (the one you simmered the sườn non chay in, wiped clean, is fine). Fry sườn non chay until lightly browned and set aside. (If using a different meat replacement, follow the package directions for stovetop frying.)

5. In the same pot, fry onion on medium-low for 20-30 minutes until golden brown, agitating occasionally. Add ginger and about half the garlic and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. I like to add about 1/4 of the roux at this point and fry until fragrant to increase the presence of the spice in the final dish, but this isn't common in Japanese preparations.

6. Add carrots and potato and allow to fry for about 2 minutes. Add apple and stir to combine.

7. Whisk water together with stock concentrate, Worcestershire sauce, and oyster sauce, and add to the pot. Return your meat replacement to the pot.

8. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, until carrots and potatoes are fork-tender.

9. Dissolve the rest of the curry roux into the sauce and add the remainder of the garlic (this divided addition allows for a sharper garlic taste). Add coconut milk, if desired. Simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust sauces.

Ingredients

To make Madras curry vegetables with brown rice, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 green bell pepper, sliced

• 1 red onion, sliced

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 1 cup of sweetcorn

• 1 cup of frozen peas

• 1 cup of green beans

• 1 cup of brown rice

• 2 tablespoons of Madras curry powder

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1 teaspoon of black pepper

• 2 cups of water

• 1 can of coconut milk

Section 1: Cooking the Rice

The first step in making Madras curry vegetables with brown rice is to cook the rice. Brown rice is a great option because it is high in fiber and nutrients. To cook the rice, follow these simple steps:

1. Rinse the rice in cold water to remove any excess starch.

2. In a medium-sized pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.

3. Add the rice to the boiling water and stir.

4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the rice simmer for 40-45 minutes.

5. Once the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes before fluffing it with a fork.

While the rice is cooking, you can start preparing the vegetables.

Section 2: Preparing the Vegetables

Madras curry vegetables are made with a variety of colorful and nutritious vegetables. Here's how to prepare them:

1. Wash and slice the green bell pepper, red onion, and red bell pepper into thin strips.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.

3. Add the sliced vegetables to the pan and sauté for 5-7 minutes until they are tender.

4. Add the sweetcorn, peas, and green beans to the pan and stir well.

5. Sprinkle the Madras curry powder, salt, and black pepper over the vegetables and stir to combine.

6. Reduce the heat to low and let the vegetables simmer for 5-10 minutes until they are fully cooked.

7. Add the can of coconut milk to the pan and stir well.

8. Let the curry simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.Once the vegetables are fully cooked and the sauce has thickened, your Madras curry vegetables are ready to serve.

Section 3: Serving the Dish

Madras curry vegetables with brown rice is a complete and healthy meal that is perfect for lunch or dinner. To serve the dish, simply spoon the vegetables and sauce over a bed of brown rice. You can garnish the dish with fresh cilantro, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut for added flavor and texture.

This dish is also great for meal prep as it can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Simply reheat the curry and rice in the microwave or on the stove for a quick and easy meal.