This curry is a flavor explosion in the best sense!
As you have already noticed, I've been cooking mostly vegan lately.
I am always surprised how easy it is to replace meat and to do without animal products. Well remarked, without loss of taste, quite the opposite!
This morel curry is prepared in the original with chicken breast fillet. I have quite cheekily replaced the meat with potatoes and the dairy products with vegan alternatives. It tastes wonderful!
Hope you try it out and are just as taken, as my family. (must of course always test eating : -)
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 800 g waxy potatoes, small fist size (definitely waxy variety!)
- 60 g large, dried morels (best quality)
- 400 g onions, cut into rings
- 100 g vegan sour cream alternative (soy-based)
- 150 ml vegan cream alternative (soy or almond based)
- oil for frying
- 1 tsp black cumin, whole
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp grated garlic
- 2 tsp cornstarch to thicken
- salt and a little sugar to taste, and a squeeze of lemon juice
Ingredients for the spice mixture:
- 1 tsp pimento seeds, ground
- 1/2 nutmeg, grated
- 1 leaf mace (can also be dried)
- 1 tsp cardamom, ground
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- tsp. Kashmir chili powder
- pinch saffron threads
- 1/2 tsp mild paprika powder
- 1-2 tsp garam masala, ground
Preparation:
First, soak the dried morels in 300ml of warm water for 30 min.
In the meantime, peel the potatoes, cut them in half and make several deep cuts (a la "Hasselback").
Remove the morels from the water and pat dry. Pass the soaking water through a fine sieve and reserve for cooking.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep rimmed pan (with a suitable lid), saute the morels with the black cumin for 2 min and season with a pinch of salt.
Remove the morels from the pan and heat 2-3 tbsp of oil again in the same pan. Now add the onion rings and sauté them until they start to brown. Season with a little sugar and salt. Put the onions in a blender jug and blend with the "sour cream" and possibly a little water to a thick, creamy consistency.
Again put the pan on the stove, heat some oil and now roast the potatoes from all sides; they should get proper roasting spots.
Now add the garlic, ginger and spice mixture and deglaze everything with the soaking water of the morels. Add the onion sour cream, as well as some salt (about 1/2 tsp). Cover the lid and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Stir from time to time.
Now add the morels and the "cream" to the potatoes and let everything simmer again for 20 min. The potatoes should now be soft, but not overcooked. Please do another cooking test. Finally, thicken the sauce a bit with cornstarch (to taste) and season with lemon juice, salt and more spiciness if necessary.
Serve the curry with yellow turmeric rice (add a pinch of turmeric and 3-4 cloves to the cooking water). With a few chopped pistachios and a crisp salad, you'll make the morel curry the star of the dinner table. Promise!
I hope you enjoy cooking and eating it.
xx Dipika
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