Vegan Korma with Vegetables and Rice
After an especially long day, I always need something warm and comforting for dinner. Recently, I discovered the Indian dish Korma. It consists of rice and a thick, flavorful sauce similar to curry. Thanks to yogurt, cream, or coconut milk, it’s wonderfully creamy and super quick to prepare – making it perfect for unwinding a bit while chopping vegetables and letting the sauce simmer.
Traditionally, Korma is made with chicken, but it can easily be prepared vegan. For this, I used the vegan strips from The Vegan Cow. They’re brand-new in stores and have a pleasantly mild taste, making them perfect for soaking up the bold flavors of the spicy Korma sauce. What makes these strips so special is that they’re completely soy-free. Instead, they’re made from a unique blend of high-quality sunflower and fava bean protein, while also being very low in fat and high in protein. Since they can be seasoned and prepared in so many ways, they’re excellent for a variety of vegan recipes – whether it’s curries, stir-fries, or wraps. You can use them wherever you’re craving a protein-rich alternative to meat.
In our Korma, aromatic spices, creamy coconut milk, and a colorful mix of fresh vegetables come together. It’s everything you need to treat yourself after a long day. For more variety, feel free to change up, swap, or mix the vegetables: sweet potatoes work just as well as carrots, you can try snap beans instead of green beans, and cauliflower can easily be replaced with broccoli.
Vegan Korma with Vegetables and Rice
Ingredients
For the Korma:
- 75 g (2.75 oz) soy chunks (e.g., from The Vegan Cow)
- 225 ml (1 cup) hot vegetable broth
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 30 g (1 oz) ginger
- 200 g (7 oz) carrots
- 300 g (10.5 oz) cauliflower
- 200 g (7 oz) frozen green beans
- 200 g (7 oz) frozen peas
- 5 tbsp coconut oil (divided)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp paprika powder
- 3 tsp curry powder
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp cardamom
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 4 tbsp agave syrup
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 500 ml (2 cups) vegan cream
- 400 ml (1.75 cups) vegetable broth
- 150 g (5.25 oz) vegan yogurt
- 100 g (3.5 oz) cashews
- salt
- pepper
For the Rice:
- 250 g (1.25 cups) rice
- salt
For Serving:
- 50 g (1.75 oz) almond flakes
- 4 sprigs cilantro
Instructions
Pour hot vegetable broth over the shredded pieces and let them soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and finely dice the onion, garlic and ginger. Wash the remaining vegetables. Peel the carrots, halve them, and slice them. Cut the cauliflower into small pieces. Let the frozen peas and beans thaw slightly in a bowl.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the carrots, cauliflower, beans and peas for about 5 minutes. Drain them through a sieve and set aside.
Bring another large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rice according to the package instructions. Keep it warm until serving.
Once the shredded pieces have soaked in the vegetable broth, squeeze out the liquid. Heat 2–3 tablespoons of oil in a large, deep pan and sauté the shredded pieces for 5–10 minutes until well browned. Then, remove them from the pan.
Heat another 2–3 tablespoons of coconut oil in the same pan and sauté the onion, ginger and garlic for 2–3 minutes. Add salt, paprika powder, curry powder, garam masala, cardamom and turmeric, and roast for 1–2 minutes. Add agave syrup, tomato paste and sauté for another 1–2 minutes. Deglaze with vegan cream and vegetable broth and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Purée the sauce and season with vegan yogurt.
Add the shredded pieces and cooked vegetables to the sauce and mix well. Chop the cashews and add them as well. Season to taste and bring everything to a brief boil.
Finely chop the cilantro. Serve the korma with rice and garnish with almond slices and fresh cilantro.
