Indian-Inspired Vegan Seitan Curry
Ever since I traveled through India after my army service, I've been hooked on Indian food.
That trip was years ago, but a really good curry still gets me excited.
Despite what you might think, making curry at home isn't complicated. And you don't need to track down obscure spices in some faraway specialty shop.
I promise: you can find these spices at the supermarket.
This curry uses crushed tomatoes to give the sauce some body while keeping the calories reasonable. (Coconut cream is delicious, but the calories. Oh, the calories.)
This time, I went with cubes of plain, unseasoned seitan, a convenient source of protein.
Seitan is made from wheat. It's the gluten protein left behind when the starch is washed out of wheat dough.
I'm a big fan because it's high in protein and now available at most grocery chains back home in Israel.
Seitan has a distinctive flavor, so I recommend cutting it into small pieces and pairing it with bold sauces or spices.
Although seitan protein has a relatively low BV (biological value), that doesn't mean it's off the menu during a cutting phase, when protein needs are higher.
You can still make great progress and perform well with seitan as a protein source in your everyday diet.
Of course, anyone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity needs to avoid it.
A Few Notes on This Vegan Curry
I used plain, unseasoned seitan here. If you'd rather use tofu, swap in the same amount, cut into cubes. (The nutrition values will be different.)
A few tablespoons of crushed tomatoes give the sauce body – you can also use an eggplant spread, zucchini, or even grated carrots if that's more your thing.
Nutrition Information from Noam Bachar (an Israeli clinical dietitian and fitness coach):
A 300 g (10.6 oz) serving of vegan seitan curry contains:
- 270 calories
- 40 g protein
- 23 g carbohydrates
- 2 g fat
A 150 g (5.3 oz) side of white rice with 1 teaspoon of oil contains:
- 217 calories
- 4 g protein
- 39 g carbohydrates
- 5 g fat
Vegan Seitan Curry
A bold, Indian-inspired vegan seitan curry that's easy to make at home.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 hot chile pepper
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon ground
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom ground
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 4 tablespoons crushed tomatoes
- 300 g (10.6 oz) plain, unseasoned seitan cut into small cubes
Instructions
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Sauté the chopped onion in the coconut oil in a skillet until translucent.
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Add the ginger, garlic, and hot chile pepper. Sauté for about 1–2 minutes.
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Add the dry spices and cook over low heat for about 1 minute to "bloom" them and bring out their flavor. Be careful not to burn them.
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Add the seitan cubes and stir well until they're evenly coated with the spices.
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Continue cooking for about 1–2 minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes.
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Stir well until the tomatoes and spices are thoroughly combined.
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Top with a little chopped cilantro and serve with white rice.
