Warm, richly spiced, and built for a satisfying meal, Tempeh Cauliflower Potato Tamarind Curry is a non-vegetarian Gluten-free, Indian, Vegan main course made with tempeh, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds in about 40 minutes. The recipe lays out the ingredients and each cooking step clearly, so you can adjust seasoning, texture, and serving size for your own kitchen.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Gluten-free, Indian, Vegan

Ingredients

  • 8 oz tempeh
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/3 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1/8 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1/3 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 large or 2 small tomatoes (or 1 cup diced)
  • 1 tsp tamarind paste (or 1 tbsp tamarind chutney or pulp from fresh tamarind, or use 1 tsp lime juice + a dash of sugar)
  • 2 tbsp ketchup or use 1 tsp more tamarind paste
  • 1/2 inch ginger
  • 3/4 tsp salt divided
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1/2 medium onion (, chopped)
  • 4 cloves of garlic (, finely chopped)
  • 6 to 8 curry leaves (fresh, frozen or dried)
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ore regular paprika
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • 1 small potato (, cubed)
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • cilantro and lemon for garnish

Method

  1. Steam the tempeh for 12 minutes. Set aside. (If using tofu, you can panfry it on a skillet for 4-5 mins)
  2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds and black peppercorn. Roast for 2 mins or until fragrant. Add the fenugreek and fennel seeds and roast for half a min. Add sesame seeds and chili flakes and roast for a few seconds. Take off heat. Grind the mixture in a grinder(I use my nutribullet 2 blade grinder and use the same cup for wet blending later with the 4 blade). If you dont have a grinder, just blend everything in the next step with the tomato it will take a few minutes to break the spices down.
  3. Blend the ground spices with the tomato, ketchup, ginger and tamarind until smooth. Use a few tbsp of water if needed.
  4. Heat oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add onion, curry leaves, garlic and a good pinch of salt and cook until translucent. Add the steamed tempeh and cook for a minute to brown some edges.
  5. Add the blended tomato+ spice mixture, paprika and 1/3 tsp salt. Mix well and cook over medium heat until the sauce is drying out and sticking to the tempeh. 7 to 10 mins
  6. Add the cauliflower, potato, 1/3 tsp salt and coconut milk. Mix well to incorporate, cover and cook for 11 o 13 minutes or until the veggies are cooked through and the sauce has thickened a bit. Continue to cook uncovered if the sauce is too thin or add more coconut milk for saucier.
  7. Taste and adjust salt, spice and flavor. Add a bit of cayenne or garam masala if needed. Garnish with cilantro and a dash of lemon. Serve with flatbread, naan or rice. As with most Indian sauces, the sauce flavor develops more on sitting for a few hours. Refrigerate for upto 3 days.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.