This easy Vegan Balti Chicken is a plant-based version of the popular restaurant version made with vegan chicken and veggie grounds simmered in a creamy cumin cardamom onion tomato curry.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 black cardamom (bruised or lightly open)
  • 2 green cardamom (bruised or lightly open)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 6 black peppercorns (, optional)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder (or use paprika)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 inch ginger minced)
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons of chopped cilantro stems or use some of the leaves as well as stem
  • 2 tablespoons chopped mint, optional
  • 1 tomato (chopped, optional)
  • 1/2 cup tomato puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon or more salt, (divided)
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water
  • 10 to 12 ounces of vegan chicken of choice (such as beyond meat or Gardein chicken strips or seitan you can use [adjustable] 4 oz [/adjustable] soycurls soaked for 10 mins then drained.)
  • 1/4 cup veggie grounds or you can use [adjustable]1/3 cup [/adjustable]cooked lentils
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt
  • Cilantro, (sliced green chilies and julienned ginger for garnish.)

Method

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook until they start to change color. This can take upto a minute
  2. Add rest of the whole spices and mix well. As soon as the bay leaves start to turn brown, add in the onion and a dash of salt. Cook until onion is golden brown all over. Add splashes of water to help them brown evenly. 5-7 minutes
  3. Then add the ground spices and mix for few seconds then add in 1/4 cup water and mix well, so that the spices don’t burn. Mix and cook for a few seconds.
  4. Then add in the ginger garlic paste or mince, cilantro, and mint and mix and cook for a minute. Then add tomato puree, optional tomato, salt and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add vegan chicken, veggie grounds and water and mix well.
  5. Cover and cook to bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. If you’re using seitan or soy curls you want to simmer for atleast 15 mins.
  6. Then add yogurt and mix in, then carefully taste and adjust salt and flavor. You can add in 1/4 -1/2 tsp of sugar if you want to balance out the heat and the saltiness.
  7. Switch off heat, garnish with fresh cilantro, thinly sliced green chilies and julienned ginger.

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.