Delve into the world of Vegan Indian cuisine with vibrant flavors and plant-based goodness. Explore recipes & tips now!
Namaste, food lovers! Are you looking to explore the vibrant world of Indian cuisine,
but want to keep it completely plant-based? You've come to the right place!
Vegan Indian food is not just about replacing ingredients; it's about celebrating the natural goodness of vegetables, lentils, spices, and grains that have been a staple in Indian cooking for centuries.
With a little creativity and these recipes, you can easily create restaurant-worthy dishes right in your own kitchen.
Essential Indian spices for flavorful cooking; use coconut milk too
First things first, let's talk about the heart of Indian cooking: spices! Don't be intimidated by the lengthy lists. Most of these are available in your local grocery store or Indian market.
Turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, chili powder, and ginger-garlic paste are your essential building blocks. Buy them whole and grind them yourself for the freshest flavour! Don't think you need to only use Oil for your cooking purposes.
You can definitely use coconut milk to do your cooking.
Now, for our first recipe
Vegan Butter Chicken (using Tofu or Jackfruit). Okay, okay, we know what you're thinking: "Butter Chicken? Vegan?" Trust us, it’s possible (and delicious!).
Instead of chicken, we'll use firm tofu, pressed to remove excess water and cubed, or young green jackfruit, which has a surprisingly meaty texture. Marinate the tofu or jackfruit in a mixture of ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, chili powder, and a squeeze of lemon juice for at least 30 minutes.
This gives a good start to your dishes. While that's marinating, prepare the creamy "butter" sauce. Sauté finely chopped onions until golden brown, then add ginger-garlic paste and cook for another minute. Stir in pureed tomatoes (canned is fine!
), cashew paste (soaked cashews blended with water), garam masala, smoked paprika (for that signature smoky flavour), and a touch of sugar to balance the acidity. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld together beautifully.
Add the marinated tofu or jackfruit to the sauce and cook until heated through. Finish with a dollop of coconut cream for extra richness. Serve hot with naan or rice.
Vegan Palak Paneer with tofu or cashew cream, served with chapati or rice
Next up, we have Vegan Palak Paneer (Spinach "Cheese"). This classic dish gets a vegan makeover with the help of tofu or cashew cream cheese. Start by blanching fresh spinach leaves in boiling water for a minute, then immediately transfer them to an ice bath.
This helps preserve their vibrant green colour. Drain the spinach and blend it into a smooth puree. In a pan, heat oil and sauté finely chopped onions and ginger-garlic paste. Add the spinach puree along with garam masala, cumin powder, and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Now, for the "paneer," you can either use crumbled firm tofu (pan-fried for a slightly chewy texture) or dollops of cashew cream cheese. Gently stir in your chosen ingredient and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with roti or rice. Another variant is for those who don't want to use Naan is to go with Chapati. Chapati is a great substitute and helps lower your cholesterol levels. You can also use brown rice to complete the dish.
Moving on to a lentil favourite
Vegan Dal Makhani. This creamy and comforting lentil stew is traditionally made with black lentils, kidney beans, and lots of butter and cream. But don't worry, we can achieve the same richness and depth of flavour without any dairy! Soak black lentils and kidney beans overnight.
The next day, pressure cook them with water, ginger-garlic paste, and a pinch of salt until they are soft and mushy. In a separate pan, heat oil and sauté finely chopped onions until golden brown.
Add ginger-garlic paste, diced tomatoes, and your favourite Indian spices (such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, and garam masala). Cook until the tomatoes are softened. Add the cooked lentils and kidney beans to the tomato mixture along with water to adjust the consistency.
Simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. To achieve the creamy texture, use coconut milk and a drizzle of cashew cream. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with rice or naan. Feel free to adjust the amount of water/oil as needed to fully create the dish.
Explore the world of Vegetable Biryani, a fragrant Indian rice dish with veggies and spices
Now, let's explore the world of Vegetable Biryani. This is one of Indian's greatest dishes. This fragrant rice dish is a feast for the senses. Sauté onions, ginger, garlic, and green chilies in oil until translucent. Add mixed vegetables like carrots, peas, potatoes, cauliflower, and beans.
Fry for a few minutes, then add turmeric, chili powder, coriander, and garam masala. Fry some more until the vegetable are cooked and ready to be added to the rice. Add some soaked basmati to the mix and stir properly. Then put some water on top of the rice and let it simmer until it’s done.
For those wanting it a bit simpler or don’t have all day to cook, you can still use this dish but replace the basmiti rice with brown rice. Brown rice is easier to cook.
Vegan samosas recipe: spiced potato-pea filling in crispy pastry
Finally, we have Vegan Samosas. These spiced potato and pea-filled pastries are a popular street food snack. For the filling, boil potatoes and peas until tender.
Mash the potatoes and mix them with the peas, chopped green chilies, ginger, coriander, and spices like cumin powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. For the dough, mix all purpose flour (maida) with oil, salt, and carom seeds (ajwain). Add water gradually and knead into a stiff dough.
Roll out small portions of the dough into circles, cut them in half, and form cones. Fill the cones with the potato mixture and seal the edges with water. Deep-fry the samosas until golden brown and crispy. Serve them hot with mint chutney or tamarind chutney.
This goes well with morning tea or coffee. You can refrigerate these samosas for several days.
Tips for creating a vegan Indian feast
With these recipes and tips, you're well on your way to creating a delicious and healthy vegan Indian feast! So, get into the kitchen, experiment with flavours, and most importantly, have fun! Happy cooking! Don't be afraid to put your own spin with the recipes provided.
Create your own signature dishes.
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