Easiest Vegan Tofu Katsu Curry Recipe For Your Dinner Tonight

If you love a delicious bowl of Katsu Curry poured over rice for dinner but must skip the pork and chicken to make a healthier dinner option, then this Vegan Tofu Katsu Curry is going to make your dreams come true. While there are many ingredients that are traditionally used in Japanese cuisine, tofu is definitely one of them. Usually used in a Japanese miso soup, tofu can also be used to make a delicious and absolutely healthy version of Katsu Curry.  

In case you didn’t know, Katsu Curry originated in Tokyo in the late 1940s. Katsu is basically a panko-crusted pan-fried dish made traditionally with pork, but now it is also made with chicken and tofu. The curry in Katsu Curry refers to a light, soy-flavoured and vegetable-packed gravy. Katsu Curry refers particularly to the combination of these two elements in one bowl, served traditionally with rice. It is believed that patrons at a Yoshoku restaurant complained in the 1940s that eating Katsu and Curry separately is cumbersome, so the combination was invented. 

To make this healthy bowl of Tofu Katsu Curry, you need a few Japanese ingredients like good-quality firm tofu, Japanese light soy sauce, oyster mushrooms and good-quality panko breadcrumbs. This recipe is 100 percent vegan and dairy free, so even people with lactose intolerance and celiac disease can have it. The remaining ingredients include curry powder, a wide range of vegetables, and vegan staples like almond milk and almond butter. Here’s the easy-peasy recipe for you to try out. 

Ingredients: 

1 pack firm tofu, pressed 

¼ cup flour 

¼ cup almond milk 

½ cup panko breadcrumbs 

Salt, to taste 

Pepper, to taste 

Oil, for cooking 

For the Curry:- 

1 large onion, finely chopped 

1 potato, peeled and chopped 

1 carrot, chopped 

5-6 oyster mushrooms, chopped 

1 apple, pureed 

½ tsp ginger, julienned 

4 cups vegetable stock 

1 tbsp soy sauce 

Salt, to taste 

3 tbsp almond butter 

4 tbsp all-purpose flour 

½ tsp curry powder 

1 tsp cayenne pepper 

Oil, for cooking 

Image used for representative purpose only. Image courtesy: cupfulofkale.com

Method: 

1. Remove all the excess water from the tofu block and cut it into two large steaks. 

2. Season the tofu steaks with salt and pepper and let them rest. 

3. Place the flour, almond milk and panko breadcrumbs in three different bowls. 

4. Coat the tofu steaks with flour on all sides, then dip in the almond milk, and finally the panko breadcrumbs. 

5. Make sure the tof steaks are properly coated with all three ingredients. 

6. Heat oil in a pan, then fry the panko-crusted tofu steaks until they turn golden brown.  

7. Drain them on a kitchen towel and rest until needed. 

8. To make the curry, heat oil in a large pan. 

9. Add the onions, ginger and mushrooms and cook them until they turn brown. 

10. Now add the carrots and potatoes and saute for a few minutes. 

11. Add salt, pepper and the vegetable stock. 

12. Stir the ingredients, then cover the pan and cook until the veggies are tender.  

13. Meanwhile, mix the butter, flour, curry powder and cayenne pepper together in a pan. 

14. Once the raw smell of the flour dissipates, add the roux into the curry mix. Make sure there are no lumps. 

15. Now add the soy sauce, apple puree, salt and pepper to taste, and mix well. 

16. To plate up, cut the fried Tofu Katsu into pieces and add to a plate of rice. 

17. Pour the Katsu Curry over the rice, add shredded cabbage and serve hot.