Vegan Mango Curry with Tempeh
As soon as temperatures hit 30 degrees, curries like our Peanut Curry or our Classic Veggie Curry sadly start to feel a bit too heavy. This mango curry is exactly what you want on hot days, because it’s incredibly light. It’s basically the summer edition of a curry and just the right thing when it’s really warm outside. And of course, we’ve added a little twist of our own.
What makes this curry special?
On our blog, we’ve tried a lot of different curries – from Falafel Curry to Udon Curry with tofu and pak choi. Most curries are quite cosy and sometimes pretty rich.
This recipe works differently: The sauce is cooked with mango, coconut milk, lime, and vegan yogurt and then blended, so you end up with a light, fruity curry that tastes more like a summer evening than winter hibernation.Toppings like fresh mango cubes, cilantro, almonds, and extra dollops of yogurt add crunch, brightness, and plenty of creaminess.
Tempeh 101: fermented, bold, easygoing
A lot of you wonder the same thing about tempeh that you did about tofu: how on earth do you get flavour into it? The short answer is: marinade, heat, and time. We use the plain tempeh from tempehmanufaktur, which is made from regional organic soybeans and traditionally fermented with a noble mould culture. This fermentation gives tempeh its naturally nutty flavour and firm, chewy texture that soaks up marinades really well.
In this recipe, we cut the plain tempeh into small pieces and marinate it in a bold spice paste made from soy sauce, lime, garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. That way, the flavour doesn’t just sit on the outside but also seeps into the little gaps in the tempeh. When you fry it in plenty of vegetable oil, it turns crispy on the outside, stays juicy on the inside, and develops that deep, slightly smoky taste that works perfectly with the fruity mango later on.
Any questions left?
Frozen or fresh mango?
Both work well. Frozen mango can go straight into the simmering sauce, while we prefer to add fresh mango towards the end and only heat it briefly so it doesn’t fall apart and keeps its aroma.
How spicy is the curry?
That depends on the curry paste you’re using and how much extra chili you add.
If you’re unsure, start with less curry paste, blend the sauce, season with lime, salt, and yogurt, and only then add more heat step by step.
Which vegan yogurt do we recommend for the sauce and toppings?
Unsweetened, creamy plain yogurts made from soy or oat work best because they don’t curdle when heated. You can use the same yogurt both in the sauce and as a fresh topping.
Once everything’s clear, dig in – and we hope this recipe will win a few more of you over to tempeh.
Vegan Mango Curry with Tempeh
Ingredients
For the tempeh:
- 400 g (14 oz) plain tempeh (e.g. from tempehmanufaktur)
- 3 tbsp neutral vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp glutenfree soy sauce
- juice of 0.5 lime
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 1 clove garlic
- 10 g (0.35 oz) ginger
For the mango sauce:
- 1 red onion
- 2 tsp red curry paste
- 0.5 small red chili
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 mango or 300 g (10.5 oz) frozen mango
- 400 g (400 ml / 1.7 cup) coconut milk
- 200 ml (0.8 cup) water
- 2 tbsp agave syrup
- juice of 0.5 lime
- 2–3 tbsp unsweetened vegan plain yogurt
- neutral vegetable oil for frying
- salt
- pepper
For serving and toppings:
- 300 g (1.5 cup) jasmine rice
- 1 mango
- cilantro
- sliced almonds
- vegan plain yogurt
- limes
Instructions
Cook the jasmine rice according to the package instructions. Cut the tempeh into triangles.
For the marinade, finely dice the garlic and ginger. Mix vegetable oil, soy sauce, lime juice, garam masala, curry powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, and ginger. Toss the tempeh in it and let it marinate for at least 10 minutes.
Roughly dice the onion. For the sauce, peel the mango, cut the flesh off the pit, and chop it into large chunks. Slice the chili into thin rings.
Heat some vegetable oil in a large pan. Fry the tempeh together with the marinade over medium heat for approximately 5–7 minutes until golden brown on all sides, then remove it from the pan.
In the same pan, fry the onion until translucent. Add curry paste, chili, and turmeric and fry for 1–2 minutes. Deglaze with coconut milk and water and let everything simmer gently for approximately 5 minutes. If you’re using frozen mango, add it now. If you’re using fresh mango, add it only after cooking and let it simmer for another 2 minutes until just soft.
Blend the sauce until smooth and creamy, then season with agave syrup, lime juice, vegan plain yogurt, salt, and pepper. Add the tempeh back in and let it sit in the sauce for another 2–3 minutes.
Peel the second mango and cut it into thin slices or small cubes. Wash the cilantro, pat it dry, and pick the leaves from the stems.
Spoon the rice into bowls, add the mango curry with tempeh on top, and finish with fresh mango, cilantro, sliced almonds, and vegan plain yogurt. Serve with lime wedges.
