Soy Marinated Curry Chicken (100% Vegan & Vegetarian)

This curry is deceptive; because you can make them (non-vegetarians) believe that it’s real meat. I always make this curry when I’m entertaining non-vegetarian guests. Some of them think that I’ve prepared a meat curry especially for them.

Mock chicken, lamb, chicken breasts, prawns and fish are some of the popular fake meats available here in Southeast Asia.  They are made with soya, mushroom stems and other preservatives. Its texture is very much like meat.

It’s a very popular delicacy among Chinese served in restaurants. Some Chinese practice vegetarianism on 1^st and 15^th of each month of Chinese lunar calendar.

It’s not one of my favorite, as I’m used to being a vegetarian for 18+ years and even when I was non-vegetarian I only liked sea food and didn’t really enjoy meat. But my DH loves mock meat. But I only cook them during special occasions. It’s not advisable to consume mock meat regularly as they are highly processed.

Print recipe here
Ingredients

Serves 4-6

To Marinate

250g Mock Chicken chunks

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp tandoori powder

2 tbsp yoghurt (optional) or vegans can use water

To make Curry

1 large onion

Few curry leaves

4-6 garlic cloves

1inch piece of ginger

4-6 fresh red chilis

1 tomato

Handful of cilantro leaves with stem

(Blend all of the above ingredients using food processor)

100ml Indian sesame oil (or any preferred vegetable oil)

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp chili powder

1tsp Tandoori powder

Pinch of Asafoedita

2 tbsp tomato puree

200ml coconut cream

400ml water

1 tsp garam masala

Salt to taste

Method

Mix all ingredients in “To Marinate” section; leave it aside for minimum of 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a large wok, add marinated mock chicken, and stir fry for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally. When it turns slightly brown and crispy, remove using slotted spoon, and let it dry in kitchen towels. 

In the remaining oil, add blended paste and sauté for 4-5 minutes till raw smell evaporates. Stir in curry powder, chili powder, tandoori powder, pinch of asafoedita and tomato puree, mix well till all spices forms into a thick paste.

Note : Color of this spice paste is derived from tandoori powder and tomato puree. I only used 1 tsp of chili powder hence its not so hot in taste.

Add coconut cream, water, mix well, and close the lid and cook for 5-10 minute till gravy starts to simmer.

Add garam masala, salt to taste, turn off heat. Add stir fried mock chicken into the gravy and mix well.

I served this curry with vegetable biryani, my aunt (guest) also liked it with bread, you can also serve it with any type of Indian flat bread.