Veg Keema Curry is a delicious Indian main course dish made with soya granules and tofu. Enjoy vegan keema curry with naan or rice.
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What is Veg Keema?
The word ‘Keema’ is used across the Indian subcontinent for the minced meat. Veg Keema Curry is a vegan mimic of the popular Indian meat curry Keema Matar. It is a classic Mughlai-style dish that never fails to impress with its rich flavours and textures.
This veg keema curry offers taste and nutrition, by substituting minced with soya granules and scrambled tofu. Soy granules add more mass to the dish and closely resemble the real deal (minced meat).
Vegan Minced Meat
Soya Granules is one of the most common ingredients to make vegetarian minced meat or vegan keema masala in the Indian Subcontinent. I combine it with tofu chunks to give a delicious creamy mouthfeel to the curry.
Substitute tofu with soya chunks (meal maker)/tempeh/paneer depending upon your preference.
You can combine soya granules with fresh low-carb vegetables like – cauliflower, broccoli, or carrots. Your vegetables need to be grainy in texture like cauliflower rice and not pulpy or mushy.
Ingredients For Curry
- Finely chop the red onions. You can use a food processor for the task.
- Spicy Tomato Paste of fresh tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and dried Kashmiri red chillies.
- If using frozen peas, thaw them before adding to the curry.
- Whole Spices: Bay Leaf, Cumin Seeds, Black Cardamom
- Spice Powders: Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala.
- For cooking use either vegetable refined oil, mustard oil, or ghee. For a vegan curry, skip using ghee.
- Salt, Kasuri Methi, Fresh Coriander Leaves, Green Chilli
How To Make Keema Curry
Prepare Soya Granules
- Soak soya granules in hot salted water for 10 minutes covered.
- Once they become soft, transfer to a colander. Drain all the water.
- Squeeze out all the water from softened soya granules.
Make Spicy Tomato Paste
- Blend tomatoes, dried red chillies, ginger, and garlic to a smooth paste using 1 – 2 tablespoons of water. Keep it aside.
Prepare Curry Base
- Heat the oil in a saucepot or kadhai.
- Add the whole spices. Sauté for 20 – 30 seconds until the spices become fragrant.
- Add the finely chopped onions and fry until they turn golden brown and caramelized, stirring them at regular intervals. This may take about 8-10 minutes over low heat.
- Add tomato paste prepared earlier along with salt, and spice powders. Stir well to combine. Saute over low heat for 5 – 6 minutes.
- Soon you will notice that masala has started releasing its oil and juices.
Final Assembly
- Add softened soya granules and tofu chunks to the masala. Stir to combine nicely.
- Add 1 cup water, kasuri methi, garam masala, and sliced chillies.
- Cover and cook veg keema curry over low heat for 15 minutes for minced meat to absorb all the flavour. At this stage, add more salt or water as per the requirement.
Garnish the veg keema curry with fresh coriander leaves. It is ready to serve.
Serving Suggestion
For a delicious Indian dinner serve veg keema curry with paratha or naan, cooling mint boondi raita and kachumber salad.
Add shredded cheese like cheddar on top of the curry and bake it in the oven for 10 minutes for a creamy, cheesy vegetarian casserole. Serve it with toasted slices of bread.
Or you can spread this vegan keema onto toast and eat it for a protein-packed snack or breakfast. Stuff the veg keema filling inside tacos or pita bread.
To make vegan keema biryani, combine this keema curry with rice and a delicious casserole meal is on the table in no time.
More Vegan Soya Recipes
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Veg Keema Curry Recipe
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
Ingredients
- 2 cup soya granules (soya keema)
- 1 Cup tofu, scrambled
- ½ cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoon vegetable refined oil
- 1 whole bay leaf (tej patta)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 large size onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhaniya powder)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cooking salt or to taste
- 1 Cup water
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala (see recipe here)
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 2 green chilli sliced
- handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Ingredients For Tomato Paste
- 2 medium size tomato, roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 dried red chilli
- 1 inch ginger, cleaned and chopped
Instructions
Prepare Soya Granules
- Soak soya granules in hot salted water for 10 minutes covered. Once they become soft, transfer to a colander. Drain all the water. Squeeze out all the water from softened soya granules. Keep them aside.
Make Spicy Tomato Paste
- Blend tomatoes, dried red chillies, ginger, and garlic to a smooth paste using 1 – 2 tablespoons of water. Keep it aside.
Prepare Curry Base
- Heat the oil in a saucepot or kadhai. Add the whole spices. Sauté for 20 – 30 seconds until the spices become fragrant.
- Add the finely chopped onions and fry until they turn golden brown and caramelized, stirring them at regular intervals. This may take about 8-10 minutes over low heat.
- Add tomato paste prepared earlier along with salt, and spice powders. Stir well to combine. Saute over low heat for 5 – 6 minutes.
- Soon you will notice that masala has started releasing its oil and juices.
Final Assembly
- Add softened soya granules and tofu chunks to the masala. Stir to combine nicely.
- Add 1 cup water, kasuri methi, garam masala, and sliced chillies.
- Cover and cook veg keema curry over low heat for 15 minutes for minced meat to absorb all the flavour. At this stage, add more salt or water as per the requirement.
- Garnish the veg keema curry with fresh coriander leaves. It is ready to serve.
- Serve veg keema curry warm with naan or paratha.
Recipe Notes:
- Make sure all the water is drained from the soya granules before making the keema.
- Tear tofu into uneven chunks for better taste and texture.
- This is a spicy curry, hence adjust the amount of chillies and spices according to personal taste preference.
- You can make a larger batch and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for longer storage.
Uttpal K says
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