If you are too bored with regular duck curry, chicken curry, today, let’s cook with TasteVN to make 4 recipes for vegetarian dishes with delicious and attractive vegetable curry as follows!
1. Vegetarian pumpkin curry
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Preparation time
45 minutes
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Difficulty level
Easy
Ingredients for Vegetarian pumpkin curry Serves 3 people
Pumpkin 300 gr Young corn 200 gr Fried tofu 300 gr Dried wood ear mushrooms 15 gr Chopped lemongrass 30 gr Coconut milk 200 ml Fresh coconut water 250 ml Water 250 ml Curry powder 1/2 teaspoon Chili powder 1 teaspoon Green onions 2 stalks Lemongrass 2 stalks Basil leaves a little Seasoning 10 gr (salt/sugar/vegetarian seasoning/oil)
How to choose fresh and delicious pumpkin
- You should choose pumpkins that are a deep orange color, firm, feel heavy in hand, have smooth skin, with no spots or black marks on the skin, and are not bruised, rotten, or scarred. If using it right away, choose one with a concave bottom and little flesh.
- If you are not using it immediately, you should select pumpkins with a stem length of 2 – 2.5 cm, avoiding those without stems as they will spoil quickly and cannot be stored for long.
- The pumpkin is round and naturally cut into fairly even sections, with a hard skin that turns orange or dark green when ripe, yellow flesh, sweet and fragrant taste, and relatively firm texture, suitable for cooking soup.
- For gourd pumpkin, you should select mature fruits with a skin color that is a mix of green and orange, firm skin, and lighter yellow flesh compared to round pumpkins. Gourd pumpkin has a much softer texture and a sweet, nutty flavor, making it suitable for making desserts, pureeing it to mix into baking ingredients, or using it to cook nutritious pumpkin milk for the whole family.
How to prepare Vegetarian Pumpkin Curry
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Prepare the pumpkin
To quickly peel the pumpkin, use a sharp peeler to clean the skin around the pumpkin and hold it firmly with your hand. Use a knife to cut the pumpkin in half, then continue to cut each half into 3 – 4 pieces depending on the size of the pumpkin.
Use a spoon to scoop out the inside or gently use a knife to separate the flesh, then cut it into small bite-sized pieces.
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Prepare the other ingredients
Wash the corn and let it drain. Rinse the fried tofu with water to clean it, then cut it into bite-sized cubes.
Clean the lemongrass, cut it into pieces, and crush it. Wash the green onions and finely chop the white parts.
For dried wood ear mushrooms, soak them in cold water for 1 – 2 hours until they expand and soften. Cut into small bite-sized pieces.
Note: If you have time, you can buy tofu and fry it at home to ensure hygiene and make it tastier!
Tips for properly soaking dried wood ear mushrooms for quick softening
- Before soaking the mushrooms, you should rinse them briefly in cold water to clean off sand and dirt.
- Only soak the wood ear mushrooms for a maximum of 3 – 4 hours; do not soak them too long as it may cause the mushrooms to produce toxins harmful to health.
- Only soak dried wood ear mushrooms in cold water, do not soak in hot water as it will produce many substances that are not good for health.
Cook curry
When the spices are fragrant and golden, add the pumpkin and corn into the pot, then add 250ml of fresh coconut water and 250ml of water. Cover the lid and wait for the water in the pot to boil.
When the water boils, season with the following ingredients: 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning, and 1/2 tablespoon of sugar. Stir well until the seasonings dissolve, then add the fried tofu and wood ear mushrooms.
Continue to add 200ml of coconut cream and gently stir the mixture to combine, cook on low heat for another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat to finish.
Final product
The vegetarian pumpkin curry is delicious, with the pumpkin soft and infused with spices and creamy coconut water, combined with sweet corn, fried tofu, and wood ear mushrooms, creating an extremely attractive dish.
2. Vegetarian potato curry
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Preparation
45 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Vegetarian Potato Curry Serves 3
Baby potatoes 300 gr Watercress 150 gr Soy milk 700 ml Chopped lemongrass 3 tablespoons Chopped chili 1.5 tablespoons Seasoning 10 gr (vegetarian seasoning/sugar/curry powder/oil)
How to choose fresh and delicious potatoes
- Choose potatoes with smooth skin, that feel heavy, firm, and intact as they are fresh and will taste good.
- Avoid potatoes with wrinkled, soft skin. These potatoes have been stored for a long time, are wilted, and have lost many nutrients, which will not taste good.
- Do not choose potatoes with small spots on the skin, those that are rotten, scratched, with black eyes, or leaking water.
- Be careful not to choose potatoes that have turned green or sprouted because sprouted potatoes are very toxic and harmful to health if consumed.
Note:
- For this dish, you can use baby potatoes or regular potatoes.
- You can buy either small or large watercress.
- You can buy pre-made soy milk or, if you have time, you should make it at home to ensure safety and hygiene!
How to Prepare Vegetarian Potato Curry
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Prepare the Ingredients
Watercress should be bought and the hard stems removed, then washed with diluted salt water and rinsed again with clean water, and allowed to drain.
Small potatoes should be washed thoroughly. Then put them in a pot to boil with a bit of salt for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are about 2/3 cooked.
After that, take the potatoes out, place them in a bowl of cold water for about 2 minutes, then proceed to peel the potatoes.
Use a knife to make continuous “V” shapes on the body of the potato in the middle of the potato. Then gently squeeze with your hands to separate the two halves of the potato, which will take on the shape shown below.
Note:
- You should boil the potatoes until 2/3 cooked beforehand because using raw potatoes to cook directly will cause the soy milk to curdle when cooked due to the long waiting time for the potatoes to soften.
- You can also cut the potatoes in half without needing to shape them as shown, depending on your preference.
- Soaking the potatoes in cold water after boiling will help you peel the potatoes more easily.
See more: Tips for Peeling Potatoes in No Time
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Making curry sauce
Put a pan on the stove, add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, wait for the oil to heat up, then add 2 tablespoons of minced lemongrass and 1 tablespoon of minced chili, stir-fry evenly until fragrant, then turn off the heat.
Next, gradually add into the pan: 1 tablespoon of curry powder, 2 tablespoons of vegetarian seasoning, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 300ml of soy milk.
Turn the heat back on and stir-fry over low heat until the mixture thickens and oil floats on top.
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Cooking curry
When the curry sauce boils, add 200ml of soy milk.
When the mixture continues to boil, reduce the heat and add the boiled potatoes until the mixture boils again, then add the remaining soy milk.
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Completion
Cook for an additional 10 minutes, then add the remaining minced lemongrass and minced chili, stir well once more, and turn off the heat.
Place the watercress on a deep plate or bowl according to your preference. Scoop the curry onto it, and garnish with a few sprigs of watercress or cilantro, and it’s done!
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Final Product
The vegetarian potato curry with a unique curry sauce, fragrant and creamy from soy milk combined with soft and delicious potatoes is extremely tantalizing to the taste buds!
3. Vegetarian Eggplant Curry
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Difficulty Level
Easy
Ingredients for Vegetarian Eggplant Curry Serves 3 people
Eggplants 2 pieces Chicken leg mushrooms 1 piece Onion 1/2 bulb Coconut milk 650 ml Minced lemongrass 2 tablespoons Minced chili 1 tablespoon Seasoning 10 gr (vegetarian seasoning/ sugar/ cooking oil/ curry powder)
How to choose fresh and delicious eggplants
- Choose young and fresh eggplants because they will be sweet and fragrant when cooked. If the eggplant is wilted, it will lose its sweetness, while old eggplants contain many seeds and reduce the quality of the dish.
- When buying eggplants, pay attention to the stem part. If you see the skin of the eggplant and the white area between the stem connected, that means it’s a young, fresh, and delicious eggplant.
- Freshly harvested eggplants have green stems, taut and shiny skin, and a deep purple color. If you see the eggplant is hard, and the color changes from pinkish purple to light purple, then it is an old eggplant.
- Gently squeeze the eggplant with your hand; if it feels firm, it is fresh, but if it is indented, then it is old and should not be purchased.
How to choose delicious chicken leg mushrooms
- Choose mushrooms with a thick stem, bright white color, and a brown cap that is not soft or mushy.
- The average length of mushrooms is usually 12 – 15cm; avoid choosing mushrooms longer than 15cm, as they tend to be spongy and lack flavor.
- Fresh chicken leg mushrooms usually have a characteristic aroma similar to almonds; do not choose mushrooms with a foul or sour smell as they have gone bad.
- Gently press the mushroom stem; if it feels firm and crisp, it is fresh, but if it is indented and soft, it is old and should not be purchased.
How to prepare vegetarian eggplant curry
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Prepare the ingredients
Wash the eggplants, then slice them diagonally into thick pieces about 2 – 3cm. Peel the onion, wash it clean, and cut it into wedges.
Wash the chicken leg mushrooms with diluted saltwater, then rinse with clean water and slice them into pieces about 2cm thick.
Note
- You can cut the eggplant as desired; besides slicing as above, you can also cut it into chunks and divide it into 4 equal parts.
- If after eating eggplant, you do not cook it immediately, you should soak it in a bowl of cold water or diluted saltwater to prevent it from turning black.
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Make the curry sauce
Place a pan on the stove, add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, wait for the oil to heat up, then add 2 tablespoons of minced lemongrass and 1 tablespoon of minced chili. Stir-fry evenly until the ingredients become fragrant, then turn off the heat.
Next, add 2 tablespoons of curry powder, 1 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning, 2 tablespoons of vegetarian fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 50ml of coconut milk to the pan.
Stir well to combine the ingredients.
Note: If you prefer, you can replace coconut milk with fresh milk!
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Cooking curry
After the curry sauce has thickened, add mushrooms and eggplants and stir-fry evenly for about 2 minutes to ensure the sauce coats the vegetables.
Continue by adding 600ml of coconut milk, cook over medium heat until the mixture boils, and it is done.
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Final product
When serving, scoop it into a bowl, add the onions on top, and garnish with a bit of basil or cilantro for a nice appearance.
The vegetarian eggplant curry with its rich, aromatic, and creamy coconut sauce combined with the soft eggplant and chewy mushrooms will surely be a favorite dish for many!
4. Sour and spicy vegetable curry
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Preparation
45 minutes
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Difficulty level
Easy
Ingredients for Spicy and Sour Vegetable Curry For 3 people
Eggplant 1 piece Okra 7 pieces Fried tofu 10 pieces (square pieces) Cherry tomatoes 100 gr Green bell pepper 1 piece Red bell pepper 1 piece Coconut milk 500 ml Chopped lemongrass 2 tablespoons Seasoning 10 gr (vegetarian seasoning/ sugar/ cooking oil/ vegetarian fish sauce/ curry powder/ tamarind powder) Chopped chili 1 tablespoon
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh bell peppers
- To choose delicious bell peppers, you should select those with a shiny, smooth, thick skin, still have the stem firmly attached, feel heavy in hand, and have bright colors. These will be fresh bell peppers rich in nutrients.
- Avoid buying soft, bruised bell peppers with dull skin and cracks as these are spoiled and lack nutrients.
- Bell peppers come in two types: male and female. If the tail of the fruit splits into 4, it is a female fruit; if it splits into 3, it is a male fruit. Female fruits are usually sweet and often eaten raw, while male fruits are sour and used for cooking dishes like stir-fried dishes, grilled dishes,…
How to choose fresh okra
- Choose fresh, young okra with small size, beautiful shiny green color, and a thin layer of fuzz on the outside.
- Avoid buying okra that is soft or has bruises on the outside, as well as those that are too large, which indicates they are old and not tasty.
- Gently press with your fingers; if the skin feels crunchy and hard, and does not feel soft or dented, it is fresh, young okra.
How to choose fresh cherry tomatoes
- Choose ripe, pink-red fruits with firm, plump skins, and speckles of tiny dots on the flesh visible through the skin.
- Avoid buying overly bright red ripe tomatoes as they may have been artificially ripened with unsafe chemicals, and do not buy bruised or overly soft ones, as these may be spoiled tomatoes.
How to Make Spicy Sour Vegetable Curry
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Prepare the Vegetables
Eggplants should be washed clean, cut into bite-sized pieces or sliced diagonally into thick slices about 2 – 3cm. Soak in a bowl of diluted salt water or cold water to prevent browning.
Okra should be washed clean, cut off the ends, and then cut in half horizontally. Cherry tomatoes should be washed clean and cut in half.
Green and red bell peppers should be washed clean, seeds and cores removed, and cut into bite-sized squares.
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Cook the Curry Sauce
Place a pan on the stove, add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, wait for the oil to heat up, then add 2 tablespoons of minced lemongrass and 1 tablespoon of minced chili. Stir-fry until the ingredients are fragrant, then turn off the heat.
Next, add 2 tablespoons of curry powder, 2 tablespoons of vegetarian seasoning, 2 tablespoons of vegetarian fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of tamarind powder to the pan.
Turn on low heat, use a ladle to stir the mixture evenly until it blends, thickens, and releases oil.
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Cooking curry
When the curry sauce thickens, add 100ml of coconut milk to the pan, stir well, and add the eggplant and fried tofu. Use a ladle to stir until the curry sauce coats the eggplant and tofu evenly.
Add another 400ml of coconut milk, turn the heat to high, and stir the mixture until it comes to a boil.
Continue by adding the okra and cherry tomatoes, stir for about 2 minutes, then add the remaining coconut milk and the green and red bell peppers, and cook for another 3 minutes before turning off the heat to finish.
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Final product
The spicy sour vegetable curry dish features a sweet and sour aromatic curry sauce that combines with fresh vegetables, maintaining a delightful crunch.
You can add a little pepper, green onion, and cilantro to enhance the delicious flavors of the dish!
Tips for Successful Execution
- To make the curry more delicious and flavorful, you should add smashed or chopped ginger. Ginger will enhance the aroma of the curry, making it lighter and easier to digest the fats from the curry.
- When cooking curry, start with high heat, wait for it to boil, then reduce to low heat and cook slowly to avoid boiling too much, which can lose the creamy texture of the milk and fats.
- The spicier the curry, the more appealing it will be; however, if cooking for young children, you can skip adding chopped chili and use finely sliced chili to add after eating.
- Curry can be served with dishes like bun, bread, white rice, and various herbs like cilantro, mint, and coriander to enhance the flavor of the dish.
- You can use coconut milk, fresh milk, or soy milk for cooking based on your preference, as they all help create a delicious richness for the dish.
See more
Above are 4 delicious vegetarian curry recipes that are enticing for a flavorful vegetarian meal. Let’s make this dish right away, wish you success!
*Refer to images and recipes from 2 YouTube channels: Ghiền nấu ăn and Diệu Pháp Âm
