Vegan Veggie Vindaloo Curry & Paste Recipe

“Vindaloo” is a combination of two Portuguese words, “Vinho” meaning wine and “Alho” meaning garlic. Essentially a marinade combining the tartness of wine and heaps of garlic with meat from the colonial era in India, has now evolved into a mouth tingling, hot and spicy curry prominently featured on most Indian restaurant menus. There are at least a hundred versions of this gorgeous “Goan” curry and this is mine 😊. The sauce lasts in the fridge for a week and can be frozen into ice cubes for up to three months. I have used a mix of vegetables including potatoes, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, beans, mushrooms and peas with tofu. This sauce tastes awesome with diced tempeh or, shiitake mushrooms or, even Seitan pieces. Tastes best eaten warm with “Roti” or, Rice and, a fresh salad.

To make the Vindaloo Sauce,

Dry Spices:

• Cumin Seeds – 2 teaspoons
• Coriander Seeds – 2 teaspoons
• Mustard Seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Fenugreek Seeds – 3/4 teaspoon
• Green Cardamom Pods – 5
• Black Cardamom Pod – 1, largish one
• Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder – 1 teaspoon
• Hot Dried Red Chillies – 4 to 5 (reduce to desired hotness)
• Salt, to taste 

Wet Ingredients:

• Fresh or Dried Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
• Brown Onion, peeled & roughly chopped – 3/4 cup
• Garlic Cloves, peeled & roughly chopped – 2 tablespoons
• Fresh Ginger Root, cleaned & roughly chopped – 1 tablespoon
• Apple Cider Vinegar – 2 tablespoons
• White Vinegar – 2 tablespoons
• Water – 1 to 2 tablespoons, only if required.

1. Grind the dry spices to a fine powder and set aside. 
2. Blend the wet ingredients to a smooth paste and fold the dry spice mix into the paste. Mix well.

NOTES –

Vegan, gluten & nut free hot spice paste to make the famous Indian Vindaloo curry. Recipe for curry follows.

Vegan Vegetable Vindaloo

INGREDIENTS –

1. Mixed Vegetables/ Diced Tempeh/ Cubed & Pressed Tofu – 3 cups
2. Oil – 1 tablespoon
3. Onion, sliced thinly into crescents – 1 large
4. Tomato, deseeded & chopped roughly – 2/3 cup
5. Water – 1 to 1.5 cup
6. Salt, to taste
7. Fresh Coriander Leaves & Stalks, minced finely – 2 tablespoons
8. Fried Shallots – 2 tablespoons

DIRECTIONS –

• Heat oil in a deep pan and cook the onion until golden.
• Toss in the tomato pieces and cook until softened.
• Add 3 – 4 tablespoons of the Vindaloo Masala paste. Cook until the raw smell goes off.
• Mix in the veggies/ Tofu/ tempeh and coat well in the above mixture.
• Add 1 cup of water and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer on medium heat for 8 – 10 minutes. Add more water if required.
• Check if the veggies are cooked but still firm and take off the heat.
• Garnish with coriander and fried shallots, of preferred.