Vegan Indonesian Yellow Curry
My Vegan Indonesian Yellow Curry is full of aromatic spices and vibrant colours. It’s a real celebration of Indonesian cuisine. Get the recipe below.
Page Contents
Indonesian yellow curry made vegan
Today I’m sharing a recipe for a plant based version of a yellow curry originating in Indonesia. It’s a bright, colourful dish that has been influenced by a mix of diverse cultures. Indian, Chinese, European and other cuisines have all played a part in developing this particular yellow curry.
It is an iconic dish in Indonesia, made from a range of spices and aromatics. In my recipe you will find:
- Turmeric
- Coriander seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Lemongrass
- Lime
- Tamarind
- Root ginger
- Garlic
- Red chilli
- White onion
- Tomato
Blitz these spices into a paste to form the base of the curry.
Turmeric is what gives the curry its distinctive yellow colour and imparts an earthy flavour. The rest of the spices create a complex flavour profile. Coconut milk brings it altogether creating a creamy curry with a subtle sweetness.
Ordinarily you would make an Indonesian curry with a protein like chicken. To make this recipe vegan I use tofu instead. You could use tempeh or a vegan meat substitute but I like the soft, creaminess of tofu for this particular dish.
How to make the yellow curry
The process of making a Vegan Indonesian Yellow Curry begins with preparing the spice paste. This is done by grinding together the spices and herbs. This paste forms the foundation of the curry.
Next, the vegetables are sautéed along with the tofu and the spice paste until they are coated and the aromas have begun to be released.
Coconut milk is then added to the pan, simmering gently until the flavours all meld together and both the tofu and vegetables are cooked.
Serving suggestions
This curry tastes great on its own but I usually serve it with simple steamed rice.
It would also taste nice with flat breads to dip in the sauce.
The recipe
Vegan Indonesian Yellow Curry
Ingredients
For the curry paste:
- 1 white onion roughly chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1 red chilli a few slices reserved for garnish
- 1 tbsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 10 g cashew nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp root ginger roughly chopped
- 1 lemongrass trimmed and roughly chopped
- 1 lime juice only
For the curry:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 1 aubergine cubed
- 300 g tofu cubed
- 200 g mange tout
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 200 ml vegetable stock
- 10 g cashew nuts
Instructions
- Place all of the curry paste ingredients into a blender and blitz until you have a smooth paste.
- In a large pan, heat the oil then add the carrot, red pepper, aubergine, tofu, mange tout and curry paste.
- Cook for 5 minutes to allow the aromas to release from the curry paste.
- Pour over the coconut and vegetable stock along with the cashew nuts and simmer for 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Serve with red chilli to garnish.
Nutrition
More spice packed recipes
For more delicious dinner recipes check out the dinner recipe collection.