vegan “butter chicken” curry

Butter chicken (aka murgh makhani) is a rich North Indian curry that’s traditionally very dairy-heavy and mildly spiced. Full of butter (lots of it), double cream and chicken, this dish is typically something I wouldn't touch with a barge pole, even IF the ingredients were somehow ethical!

So I came up with my own version…

To make this dish heart-healthy (rather than health-destroying), I’ve swapped the dairy for cashews and silken tofu and the chicken for a plant-based version. At a whopping 53g of protein per serving, this recipe not only promotes well-being but also supports your fitness gains!

Key benefits of the recipe

• Easy to batch cook

• Heart healthy

• Versatile (serve with your favourite vegetables, rice or naan)

lets get cooking!

Servings: 2

Macros (per serving)

544 kcal, protein 53g, carbs 30g, fat 19g

Ingredients:

• 1 onion

• 320g of vegan chicken

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tsp ginger powder

• 2 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tsp coriander powder

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 2 tsp curry powder

• 2 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt to taste

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• 400g of canned chopped tomatoes

• 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 200g silken tofu

• 40g cashews

• Coriander for garnish

METHOD:

1. Chop the onion, then steam-fry for 8 minutes.

2. Air fry the chicken for 6 minutes at 200 degres celsius.

3. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 2 more minutes.

4. Add the ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, garam masala and paprika to a bowl and mix. Add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, adding a touch of water if necessary.

5. Add the bay leaf, salt, tomato puree, canned tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. 

6. Remove the bay leaf, then transfer all the ingredients from the pan to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pan and mix in the nutritional yeast.

7. Now add the silken tofu and cashews to the blender and mix until smooth. Reserve a little back for topping and add the rest to the pan. 

8. Add the chicken, mix and cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat, stirring often. 

9. Serve garnished with the remaining cashew cream and some coriander. 

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