Simple, practical, and full of everyday flavour, Vegan Chicken Kondattam is a gluten-free, non-vegetarian Indian main course made with soycurls, broth or water, and ginger garlic paste in about 45 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: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces soycurls
  • 1.5 cups broth or water

For the marinade:

  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar or use lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or use paprika
  • 1/4 spoon black pepper
  • 2.5 tablespoons corn starch

For the sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 2 dried red chilies, (Indian or cayenne for hot, california red or Kashmiri chilies for mild or use kondattam mulaku chilies)
  • 8 curry leaves (, fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (or shallots)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 2 green chilies slit into 2-4 long slices each
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or use paprika
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala or ground coriander or both
  • 1/2 Cup water plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch or tapioca starch
  • cilantro for garnish

Method

  1. Soak the soycurls in warm 1 1/2 cups of broth or water for 10 minutes or so. Then drain the soycurls but reserve the water to use later.
  2. Then add the ginger garlic paste, oil and vinegar to the drained soy curls and toss well. Then add in the spices and mix in. Then add the cornstarch and add well to coat.
  3. Spread the soycurls on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit(206 degrees Celsius) for 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp on the outside.
  4. For the sauce, heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the dried chilies and curry leaves and mix. (For additional heat, break open one of the chilies or add 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes. Do not do this if your heat preference is low)
  5. Then add the onion, garlic, ginger, and green chilies and toss well. Add a pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is golden.
  6. Then add in the Kashmiri chili powder and Garam masala and coriander if using.
  7. Then add in the ketchup, soy sauce and mix well. Bring to a boil.
  8. Mix the cornstarch in 1/2 cup of water or use 1/2 cup of the reserved soycurl water/broth. Then add to the skillet and bring to a boil.
  9. Then add the baked soycurls and toss well to coat.
  10. Take off heat. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately over rice or with flatbread.

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.