This recipe for a vegan adaptation of a Thai red 'beef' curry features a thick, nutty, sweet, savory, with hints of sour creamy Thai sauce that perfectly complements the fresh veggies.Skip the pricey take-out and impress your family and friends with this delicious homemade recipe, and if you would rather prepare this tasty curry on the stove-top then do check out the recipe notes for an easy method.
Preheat the slow cooker by switching it to the high setting while you add the ingredients.
Add everything to the slow cooker: green lentils, coconut milk, stringless beans, red Thai curry paste, soy sauce, vegan fish sauce [or replace with an extra tablespoon of soy sauce], peanut butter, brown sugar, bay leaf, and lemon zest.
180 grams stringless beans, 70 grams dried green lentils, 3 tablespoon red thai curry paste, 100 grams peanut butter, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vegan fish sauce, 3 tablespoon soft brown sugar, 1 can coconut milk, 1 whole bay leaf, 1 small-medium lemon
Drain the TVP chunks from the soaking liquid but keep the vegetable stock. Add 125ml of the vegetable stock to the slow cooker. If you don't have enough just add extra water until you have 125ml [½ cup] of stock. [I drained 124ml of stock from the chunks so just required an extra 1ml of water!]
125 millilitres vegetable stock
Add the TVP chunks.
Add a few pinches of salt and pepper. Give everything a good stir, breaking up the peanut butter into the sauce.
Pop the lid onto the slow cooker and leave to cook for 3 hours.
After 3 hours add the bean sprouts, stir well and leave to cook for a further 30 minutes.
150 grams beansprouts
Remove the bay leaf.Season to taste with salt, and add a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice if liked.
Serve: [optional suggestions]
Enjoy with rice, and toasted or salty peanuts/cashews, a sprinkle of coriander [cilantro], and something crispy like poppadum's. A dollop of vegan mayonnaise or plain yogurt is a nice addition as are a few slices of fresh red chilli and/or sliced spring onions [green onions/scallions].
Notes
Nutritional data provided is for guidance only and may vary based on individual ingredient choices.
Nutritional data does not include garnish or side dishes.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
To reheat leftovers, place the curry in a non-stick pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes until piping hot. Add extra liquid if the sauce is too thick; plant milk works well.
Before serving, consider adding a few handfuls of fresh spinach to the curry and letting it wilt for a few minutes.
This recipe uses Blue Dragon Thai curry paste [which I found in the local Co-Op supermarket]
The fish sauce used is labeled as vegetarian but is also suitable for vegans.
If veggie fish sauce is not available, you can add an extra tablespoon of light soy sauce instead.
Any edible bean or pea pod vegetables are suitable for this recipe, including sugar snap peas, yard-long beans, green beans, and mangetout.
If you have a peanut allergy or don't like peanut butter, it can be replaced with any other type of nut butter, or with sunflower or pumpkin seed butter.
To prepare on the stove-top first add an extra cup/250ml of stock to the recipe and adding more stock whenever it looks like the curry will dry out too much. You want to end up with a nice thick creamy sauce. The curry will be ready once the lentils are soft, and at this point the bean sprouts can be stirred through. Remove the pan from the heat and pop a lid over the pan. Leave the pan for about 10 minutes and the bean sprouts will warm through in the residual heat. Enjoy!