Vegan Tikka Masala

Starting the new season with a hearty delicious Tikka Masala. I used to avoid Indian curry because of the dairy products in it but turns out using coconut milk makes no difference in taste. The spices, tomatoes and herbs are the real heroes of this tasty bowl of goodness. My fiancee is so in love with this dish that it made it on our weekly dinner list. 😛

Enjoyed the summer to the fullest and looking forward to an exciting season filled with lots of delicious fall recipes! Stay tuned

Ingredients:
Curry paste:
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp paprika powder
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1/2 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp curcuma powder
6 cloves of garlic (peeled)
1/2 cup seeds (sunflower seeds, pine nuts)
1 tbsp fresh ginger (without skin)
1 tsp tomato paste (Mutti)
avocado oil

Tikka Masala:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup tomato puree (Mutti)
1 medium sized tomato (diced)
1/2 onion (diced)
1 can of coconut milk (unsweetened)
salt and pepper
avocado oil
Parsley/Coriander (fresh)

Method:
In a small sized pan roast seeds over medium heat until golden brown. Set aside in a bowl and use the same pan to roast the cumin, fennel and coriander seeds over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the paprika, curcuma, cayenne and garam masala. Roast for another 3 minutes until the paprika turns a little darker and you get some aroma from the spices. A bit of smoke is allowed but try not to burn them.

Transfer the spices into a food processor and mix into a crumbly powder. Add garlic, ginger, roasted seeds, tomato paste and one tbsp of avocado oil to it and process into a paste.

Heat a big sized pan with 3 tbsp of avocado oil over medium-hight heat. Add the curry paste and sauté for about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the onion and diced tomato and sauté for another 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Deglaze with water and tomato puree and cook for 10 minutes over low-medium heat. At last add the coconut milk and simmer on low heat for another 30 minutes. Once the curry is done, pour into a high speed blender and mix until smooth. Add salt, pepper and fresh herbs for taste and serve with brown rice and vegetables. Refrigerate leftovers for up to two days.

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