As I’ve mentioned before my mum’s side is from Sri Lanka and we’re used to eating curries and spicy foods. One thing I used to be particularly fond of was my nan’s Chicken Curry. Unfortunately, she got Alzheimer’s before passing the recipe on and I was left without my favourite curry.

Being vegetarian has never stopped me trying to make it, I’ve tried for soooo long to try and get it just right! Although, I don’t think I’ll ever get the right ingredients happening, I will keep trying in some hope that I get that perfect chicken (well vegetarian chicken) curry just like my nans.

This one here, although isn’t my nan’s perfect one, it’s certainly getting close. I remember her using tomato sauce in hers, which is generally a no-no and I think I’ve figured out what else she used vinegar! Who would’ve thought?

This chicken-style curry uses the Sanitarium chicken soy fillets but feel free to change the chicken pieces to whatever you have on hand. It’s quite delicious and worth trying for yourself…you never know you might tweak it just right to perfect my nan’s famous chicken curry!

Serves:

• 3-4 serves

Ingredients:

• 1 medium red onion diced
• 2 tsp garlic mince
• 1 tab vegetarian chicken-flavour stock tab
• 1/2 tsp ginger mince
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 6 soy chicken fillets, diced roughly
• 3 tbs vinegar
• 1 tbs tamarind
• 1 hot fresh chilli diced
• 1 tsp chilli powder (to your heat level)
• pinch cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamons
• 2 tbs roasted curry powder (I use Larich deep roasted Sri Lankan brand)
• 1 tbs tomato ketchup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup light coconut milk

Instructions:

1. Place the diced onions, garlic, ginger and stock into the pot. Pour the olive oil in and mix around to soak the ingredients. Saute until soft.
2. Add the tamarind, cloves, curry powder, cardamon, cinnamon, ketchup and vinegar into the pot and reduce the sauce down, adding a little more olive oil if required to make the paste.
3. Place in the soy fillets and mix through.
4. Place the chilli in to your taste.
5. Add the water and coconut milk, stirring through.
6. Simmer until the gravy thickens before serving.