Full of warming spices like cloves, cinnamon and star anise this vegan vindaloo curry is beautifully fragrant and satisfying. While a vindaloo curry has become almost a challenge in the UK – a chance to display your toughness after a few beers at a curry house, this curry can actually be made as mild or as spicy as you like.

Traditionally, like a lot of Indian curries, a vindaloo is not made with a tomato based sauce, instead the protein and veggies are added to the curry paste and fried before adding water and simmering. I personally like it made both ways, but for this recipe I thought it would be nice to make it the more authentic way. If you prefer a tomato-sauce curry then feel free to add a can of crushed tomatoes en lieu of the water.

I love to make my own curry paste, as it can be tailored exactly to your own preferences. I quite like a spicy curry but I also like to be able to share different types of curries with my toddler so she gets to experience these unique flavours too. On that note, add as many dried chilli’s to this paste as you like (the first time I made this I used 10 and it was eye-wateringly spicy, so maybe add a few at a time, and taste as you go along!)

Making the Vegan Vindaloo

To start, grind your dry whole spices in a spice grinder, blender or by hand in a pestle and mortar. Once ground to a fine dust, add the wet components of the paste – ginger, garlic, tamarind, red wine vinegar and sunflower oil. Mix well until combined into a smooth paste.

Prepare the tofu by cubing it, then add to a tupperware container, along with the drained jackfruit. Add half of the curry paste, pop the lid on and give it a gentle shake to coat everything. Let marinate for as long as you can – overnight would be ideal, but even just half an hour would be fine.

When ready to make the curry, heat a large pot and some sunflower oil. Add 1 finely sliced red onion and fry for a few minutes before adding the remaining vegan vindaloo curry paste.

Cook for around 5-8 minutes, until very fragrant. Keep moving the paste around the pan to avoid burning. After this, add the marinated tofu and jackfruit and cook for another 5-8 minutes. Now you can add the water and curry leaves (or a can of tomatoes or passata if you’re going for a tomato curry) and simmer with the lid off for 15-20 minutes.

Serve the vegan vindaloo immediately, with rice or naan bread. Here’s a great recipe for a vegan naan bread if you fancy having a go at making your own!

For more curry recipes, click here

Print Pin

Vegan Vindaloo

Ingredients

20 whole Peppercorn
1-10 whole Dried Chilli (depending on how spicy you like)
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
8 whole Cloves
5 cm Cinnamon Stick
1 whole Star Anise
2 tbsp Grated Ginger
5 large cloves Garlic
1/2 small-med Red Onion
2 tbsp Sunflower Oil
1 tbsp Tamarind
4 tsp Red Wine Vinegar

For the Curry

2 block Tofu
2 can Jackfruit
1 tbsp Sunflower Oil
1 med Red onion, finely sliced
2 cups (500 mL) Water or 1 can crushed tomato
8-10 dried, whole Curry Leaves

Instructions

Make the Curry Paste

Grind all of the dry spices together first in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar. I used my ninja blender cup.
Add to a food processor, or continue in the pestle and mortar. Add all of the other paste ingredients – ginger, garlic, onion, vinegar, tamraind and oil.
Blend together or grind to form a smooth paste. Hand grinding will produce a better result but takes much longer.

Prepare the Tofu and Jackfruit

Cube the tofu and drain off the tinned jackfruit.
Add about half of the spice mixture to the tofu and jackfruit in a large tupperware container.
Gently shake the container to evenly coat all of the tofu and jackfruit with the curry paste.
Marinate for at least half an hour, or overnight if you can. Don't worry if you don't have any time at all, just continue with the next step anyway.

Make the Vegan Vindaloo

Heat a large pan and add the sunflower oil.
Once hot, add in 1 finely sliced red onion and cook for a few minutes.
Add the remaining curry paste and fry for 5-8 minutes.
Add the marinated tofu and jackfruit and cook for a further 8-10 minutes.
Add the water (or crushed tomato) with the curry leaves and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Serve immediately, with rice or naan bread. Top with some vegan yoghurt or coconut cream