Tempeh Cauliflower Potato Tamarind Curry. South Indian Coconut and tamarind curry with veggies. Glutenfree Nutfree Recipe. Can be Soyfree. Vegan Tamarind Chikin Curry

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.