The classic Indian dish, Kurma, gets a meat-free twist with Quorn Fillets, a sustainable source of protein for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
Not one for cooking? No matter, check out the collaboration between Quorn and Arbite here!
Most people are seriously intimidated by cooking, especially when it’s Indian food that’s on the menu. I don’t blame these people, Indian food can be feat. The combination of spices, the chopping, blending, stewing, brewing and boiling can make it a laborious process. But all these things just make the eating so much more pleasurable, and isn’t that what we’re after in life?
Quorn’s meat-free Fillets are rich in protein and a versatile ingredient to cook with in the kitchen. They also have nuggets, escalope, mince – you name it! Made from mycoprotein (a protein obtained from a variety of fungi), Quorn’s products are sustainable, making it environmentally friendly. Meat consumption releases a staggering amount of greenhouse gases into the environment, and eating even 1 meat-free meal a week can change all that.
Here’s my part: a meat-free Kurma.
Kurma is a traditional Indian dish from the Mughal Empire dating back to the 16th Century. During its creation, the Kurma, or korma, was made with either yoghurt or cream to create a rich gravy. The mixture was kept below boiling temperature, so that the meat and vegetables in the curry cooked to tender perfection and the dairy component did not curdle.
The version that I’ve made is a South-Indian adaptation. The difference here is that the curry is not as thick and rich, but uses fresh, grated coconut paste. The fresh grated coconut is first roasted in the pan with a bit of oil, black peppercorns, chillies, coriander leaves and cashews. Then, when the coconut bits are browned, it’s ground to a fine paste and used to thicken the curry.
Whether South Indian or not, we can takeaway that this curry is simple irresistible when made with Quorn Fillets, which happen to be vegan. You can have it with rice, or even chapatis if you’re in the mood!
Ingredients
- Batch A Ingredients
- 1 + 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 Tbsp Chopped Cashew Nuts
- 1 Stalk Coriander Leaves
- 70g Shredded Coconut
- ½ Tbsp Black Pepper
- 2 - 3 Dried Red Chillies
- Batch B Ingredients
- 2 Small or 1 Medium Red Onion, peeled, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
- 3 Cloves Garlic, peeled and pounded
- 1 cm Piece Ginger, peeled and pounded
- 2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and diced into 1.5 cm cubes (go by eye here)
- 200g Quorn Fillet Pieces, cut into chunks or any other desired form
- ½ Tbsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tbsp Kurma Spice Powder
- 100ml Water
- Salt to Taste
Method
- In a non-stick skillet, heat up 1 Tbsp of the oil, and add ingredients from batch A. Roast until the shredded coconut turns a light amber, remove and transfer to a blender. Combine with 100ml of water and blend till a smooth puree is formed. Set aside.
- In the same pan, heat up remaining oil and add the onions, followed by the pounded ginger and garlic. Saute until fragrant, and the onions become limp and begin to lose their vivid colour. Add the potatoes and saute, then cover and let cook for around 5 minutes. Keep moving them around the pan every other minute, to get an even char on the potatoes.
- Add in the Quorn Fillet bits and fry until the fillets have a lovely caramel burn to them - this should take about 3 mins. At this point, lower the heat and add the turmeric and kurma spice powder.
- Pour in the blended puree and mix well. Add salt and allow the mixture to come to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 5 mins until the spicy flavour seeps into the Quorn Fillets.
- Your Kurma is ready. Serve warm with yoghurt and cooked rice.
