Last week, my little brother house sat for us while we were away in Ohio. Upon my return to our sad and empty fridge I found a rather large purple jar of Indian curry paste. I thought, "Great! Dinner's decided. Curry it is!" But then I began to ponder. "What is this peculiar curry? Why is the jar so damn large? Why does my miniscule jar of curry paste cost me $6? What is the meaning of life?" Etc. etc. you get the point. Anyway, I stuck my little pinky in the large curry paste jar and tasted it. Bleck! Confused, I opened my teeny baby jar of curry paste and tasted it. Yum! That's the curry I know and love.
Well, it had never occurred to me that there was a difference between Thai curry and Indian curry. A nonsensical oversight, I know. I'm just not very well versed in Indian food. I don't eat it...like ever. Not by choice really so much as just by sheer...accessibility. I think there is one, maybe two Indian restaurants within 60 miles of me and I've never been to either of them. Sorry, Anchorage Indian restaurants.
So, apparently there is a difference. Google told me. I learned that it has to do with the different spices involved. Thai implements things like cilantro and lemongrass while Indian uses cinnamon and cumin. There are other differing ingredients too, like the use of coconut milk and fish sauce. Most importantly though, I learned that Indian curry paste from a jar isn't really my bag. I much prefer the Thai version of curry. Well, I decided I could still make curry, I just wasn't going near that awful purple jar.
This basic curry features a Thai curry paste as well as curry powder and is full of vegetables and seitan. Seitan is something Todd and I had never had before! I mean, we are vegan right? Needless to say, it was an exciting night. I don't use a lot of strictly "vegan-catering" products, with the enormous exception of all things Daiya. Todd has to have his "cheese". I spend a small fortune on it every month. Anyway, we liked the seitan enough and I can definitely see it making it's way into more of our dishes.
Easy Vegetable & Seitan Curry
Inspired by Live From La Quinta
Serves 4-6
- 1 cup dry Basmati rice (or rice of choice)
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil (or oil of choice)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced fine
- 1 medium sweet potato, chopped
- 1 package of seitan, 8 oz. cubed
- 1/2 Tbsp. curry paste
- 1/2 Tbsp. curry powder
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1/3 cup sweetened soy or almond milk (or plain and 1/2 Tbsp. sugar)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 Tbsp. corn starch
- 3-5 large kale leaves, trimmed and torn or chopped
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. salt
- dash of red pepper flakes (to taste)
Start by cooking up the rice. I used Jasmine, but Basmati or any other rice would work well too. Cook according to package, or if you're like me...pour the rice into your rice cooker and shake it so it's even in the pot. Place your pointer finger pointing down and so just the tip of your finger is touching the very top of the rice.
While not moving your finger, fill the pot with water until the water reaches your first knuckle (or if you're in the medical profession like me, the 2nd distal inter-phalangeal joint). Cook until you sense that it's ready. This method is very scientific and has never let me down. Okay, so only that last part is true.
Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan. Add the chopped onion and stir for about 5 minutes or until the onion begins to soften, then add the minced garlic. Stir for another 3 minutes.
[gallery type="rectangular" ids="1043,1042"]
Add the chopped sweet potato, seitan, curry paste and curry powder. Combine and cook for about 5 minutes until browned, then add the carrots. Combine the cornstarch and the non-dairy milk in a small bowl and whisk well, then add to the pan along with the vegetable broth. Combine well. Let the curry simmer for another 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Add the torn kale leaves, salt and red pepper flakes and simmer until kale leaves are wilted.
Serve over that scientific rice.
- 1 cup dry Basmati rice (or rice of choice)
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil (or oil of choice)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced fine
- 1 medium sweet potato, chopped
- 1 package of seitan, 8 oz. cubed
- 1/2 Tbsp. curry paste
- 1/2 Tbsp. curry powder
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1/3 cup sweetened soy or almond milk (or plain and 1/2 Tbsp. sugar)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 Tbsp. corn starch
- 3-5 large kale leaves, trimmed and torn or chopped
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. salt
- dash of red pepper flakes (to taste)
- Cooking rice according to package.
- Heat coconut oil in large frying pan.
- Add onion and stir for 5 minutes or until onion begins to soften.
- Add garlic. Stir for 3 minutes.
- Add the sweet potato, seitan, curry paste and powder. Cook for about 5 minutes until browned. Add carrots.
- Combine cornstarch and milk and whisk well. Add to the pan along with the vegetable broth. Stir.
- Let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kale, salt and red pepper flakes. Simmer until kale is wilted.
- Serve over rice.
