Keema Curry (Vegan)

Step 1

Place the soya mince in a large bowl and cover with enough hot water to fully submerge. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Tip the mince into a fine-holed sieve or colander and rinse with plenty of cold running water. Squeeze the mince very well to remove the foamy liquid. Once the mince is squeezed dry, place it into a bowl and set aside. Skip this step if using fresh or frozen mince.

Step 2

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, onions, salt and sugar. Sauté the onions until they're golden brown, around 10 minutes.

Step 3

Add the garlic, ginger and bay leaves. Continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes before adding the mince.

Step 4

Sauté the mince for 5-6 minutes over a high heat, until it turns lightly golden brown in some areas. Essentially, we are toasting the mince which will give the curry depth and flavour. Once the mince has browned and become crisp in some areas, remove it from the heat and set aside.

Step 5

In a small bowl, stir together the cream (or milk) and cornflour until no lumps remain. It will thicken slightly.

Step 6

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a separate pan set over a medium-low heat. Add the ground spices (paprika, cumin, coriander and turmeric). Stir briefly, about 15 seconds before tipping in the tomatoes, prepared soya mince, cream and cornflour mixture, soy sauce and water. Mix thoroughly and set the heat to medium-low.

Step 7

Cover the pan with a lid and allow to simmer for 20 minutes (or longer - up to 40 minutes if you're not in a rush). The longer you cook it, the more flavoursome it will be.

Step 8

In the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir through the peas, mint and coriander and green chillies. Return the lid to the pan just until the peas defrost and the dish heats through. If you prefer the keema curry to be extra dry, cook uncovered for the final 5 minutes.

Step 9

Serve with additional chillies, fried onions, herbs and a dollop of plant-based butter (optional).