Vegan katsu curry is an egg-free version of a Japanese dish yasai katsu curry. Panko fried aubergine and sweet potato with a curry sauce, rice and salad.
INGREDIENTS
1 large aubergine
1 sweet potato, peeled
about ½ cup all purpose flour / rice flour for GF version
salt & pepper
about 1 cup gelatinous aquafaba*, homemade or from a tin of chickpeas
about 100 g panko breadcrumbs** or GF breadcrumbs if required
2 tbsp sesame seeds
high smoke oil for shallow frying
CURRY SAUCE
2 tbsp neutral tasting oil
1 large onion (I used red), finely diced
5 garlic cloves, finely diced
3 tsp ginger, finely grated
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
½ Granny Smith (sour) apple, peeled and diced
1 heaped tbsp white miso paste (GF miso for gluten-intolerance)
4 tsp curry powder (I used hot madras curry powder)
1 tsp garam masala
4 tsp tamari or soy sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) or maple syrup, to taste
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
1½-2 cups of your favourite rice, cooked or steamed
1 head of lettuce, I used lollo rosso
a salad dressing: sesame oil, vinegar, mirin, tamari / soy sauce (all to taste)
METHOD
Heat up 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan with a matching lid. Add diced onion and sauté until almost transparent, add garlic and a minute or two later add ginger. Fry for another minute or two stirring frequently.
Add sliced carrot, diced apple, curry powder and garam masala. Stir around and fry off for a minute or two.
Dissolve 1 tbsp of miso paste in 1 cup of warm water and add it to the pan.
Simmer, on low heat (with a lid on) for about 10-15 minutes until carrots and apples become soft.
Transfer to an upright blender or use a stick blender to make a smooth, thick sauce. Season with tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar and mirin. Add more water if the sauce is too thick.
Prepare 4 plates. Pour about ½ cup of flour on the first one. Season the flour with generous amount of salt and pepper. Pour thick, egg white-like aquafaba onto the second plate. Pour breadcrumbs and a handful of white sesame seeds (if using) onto the third plate and line the fourth plate with double layer of paper towel.
