VEGAN CURRY SIDES
Naan is a soft, leavened flatbread originating from South Asia, traditionally cooked in a tandoor (clay oven) which gives it blistered, slightly charred spots and a chewy, pillowy texture. Made from white flour, water, yoghurt and a rising agent (yeast or baking powder), and it’s often brushed with ghee or butter and can be plain or flavoured with garlic, nigella seeds, or herbs, serving as a vehicle for curries, dips and wraps. My vegan version uses oat milk, soy based yoghurt and oil based margarine giving it all the favourite elements you love with naan, but just animal free.
Tamarind chutney is a tangy sweet condiment made from tamarind pulp cooked with sugar, spices like cumin and ginger, and sometimes chilli for heat. It has a thick, glossy jam like texture and balances sour, sweet and spicy flavours. It hails from the Indian subcontinent, where tamarind has been used for centuries in South Asian cooking. Use it as a dip for samosas, pakoras, bhajis and spring rolls, or perfectly with a curry for tart sweetness.
Raita is a cooling Indian condiment made from yoghurt mixed with fresh ingredients like cucumber, mint, coriander, or grated vegetables and spiced lightly with cumin, chilli and salt. It’s served alongside spicy dishes to balance heat and add a tangy, creamy contrast, can be thick or slightly loose depending on preference. My vegan version uses a soy based greek style yoghurt and is a quick blitz with herbs and is so great on curries, dal’s or as a dipping sauce for anything fried.
VEGAN CURRY SIDES
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VEGAN CURRY SIDES 〰️
(VEGAN NAAN, VEGAN RAITA, TAMARIND CHUTNEY)
Vegan Naan
Time: 2 hours
Serves: 6 large naans
90ml oat milk
1 cup boiling water
Squeeze lemon juice
20 gm caster sugar
6 dried yeast
450gm plain flour
Big pinch salt
40gm neutral oil
30gm greek style soy yogurt
100gm oil based margarine
10 stalks coriander, leaves, washed and chopped
4 garlic cloves (minced)
In a small bowl add the oat milk, boiling water, caster sugar and squeeze of lemon juice (temperature should super warm not boiling all together) and add in the yeast, mix together with fork to agitate and allow to bubble up to the side for 5 minutes.
In a big bowl add the flour and salt and mix together. Make a big well in the middle and add in the oil, yogurt and all the yeast liquid. Mix together with hand in bowl before needing out on a floured surface for ten minutes. The dough is a very sticky dough, so don’t stress if its not sure easy to handle, just add flour as you go to make it easier if you need.
Place in oiled bowl and cover with tea towel in warm spot to rest for 1 hour.
Once dough has rested, remove from bowl onto oiled surface and cut into six even pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and place a pan on steaming high heat. Once pan is streaming quickly roll out one naan at a time using a rolling pin on the oiled surface and transfer to pan. Lower heat a tiny bit and cook both sides to charred and bubbled. Remove and place on plate and cover with tea towel to keep warm.
In a small bowl add the margarine, garlic and pinch of salt and blitz in microwave until melted. Mix together and add the coriander whilst hot. Brush garlic butter mix onto all the sides of the cooked naan.
Tamarind Chutney
Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1 small bowl
1/4 cup tamarind
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tea sp chilli powder
Salt to taste
Water
In a bowl add in tamarind, sugar, chilli powder with a dash of water. Mix together into paste, still want it thick and season with salt to taste. Adjust with the ingredients to taste as well. Tamarind will add acid if too salty and sweet, sugar will add sweetness if too sour, more salt if too sour and sweet. Place in fridge til ready to use.
Vegan Raita
Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1 medium bowl
250gm greek style soy yogurt
1 bunch coriander, washed
1 bunch mint, just leaves, washed
1/2 lime, juice
Salt
In a blender add the yogurt, coriander (stems and all), mint and lime juice and blitz on high for a few minutes until bright pale green. Add in salt to taste and blitz again. Place in fridge til ready to use.