Dan Toombs,
Cook and author aka The Curry Guy, turns his thoughts in a new direction
When I first mentioned on social media that I wanted to write a vegetarian cookbook, the response was fantastic. There were a few hardened carnivores out there, however, who gave it to me plain and simple: there was no way they would be purchasing that book. I took that as a challenge. Some of the best vegetarian food in the world comes from India and I didn’t want them to miss out. Hopefully, they and you will trust me on this one and give these recipes a go.
Most of my dishes are also vegan, and where they’re not I’ve given “make it vegan” variations if possible so you can still enjoy most recipes if you need to be egg- and dairy-free.
Personally, I have loved every minute of writing and developing the recipes here. Believe me, it took some time to get them just right but there was never a dull moment. I found it fascinating that many of these recipes had been around for hundreds of years but so many of them were new to me. I hope you find the process of preparing different ingredients in lots of different ways as enlightening as I did. n Twitter @Thecurryguy
Aubergine balti
In barbecue season, I omit the oil for the skin and prick the aubergine before cooking it right on the hot coals. I turn it a few times until it’s cooked through. The smoky flavour you get is out of this world and perfect for this dish.
Serves two (or more as part of a multi-course meal)
1
Preheat your oven to its highest setting. Rub the skin of the aubergine with about ½ tsp of the oil and place it on a roasting tray in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the skin blackens and blisters.
Transfer the aubergine to a chopping board and slice it in half lengthwise. Scoop out all the flesh. Discard the skin and cut the flesh into small cubes. Set aside.
Now heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When visibly hot, toss in the cumin seeds. Temper the cumin in the oil for about 20 seconds. Add the chopped onion and fry for about five minutes, until it is soft, translucent and lightly browned. Stir in the chilli and garlic and ginger paste. Fry for a further one minute or so, then stir in the diced tomatoes.
Add the dry spices while stirring, then add the diced aubergine. Let the aubergine cook until it is soft and most of the liquid has dried up, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt to taste and check for seasoning. Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve.
2
3
4 Dum aloo (deep-fried potatoes in a spicy yogurt sauce)
I first tried dum aloo at a friend’s wedding. The catering company made it with small new potatoes and I loved it. It wasn’t until years later that I tried it again. That time I was on a stag do somewhere in London. It’s all a bit of a blur now, but I can remember that curry as if it was yesterday. A huge karahi was brought to our table filled with deepfried whole potatoes in a thick red sauce. This is my version of that dish. I just wish I could remember where I had it. (To make this dish vegan, substitute soy or coconut yogurt for the dairy yogurt. The yogurt is used as a sauce thickener so whisking in about one generous teaspoon of cornflour will help achieve a similar consistency).
Serves two (or more as part of a multi-course meal)