Plant Based Katsu Curry

This vegan, plant based recipe uses aubergine and sweet potato instead of chicken or tofu. My spicy Superkraut, Red Hot Firekraut, compliments this dish this Japanese dish really well. The addition of fresh, spicy sauerkraut gives it that extra kick as well as giving you a good forkful of healthy, fermented vegetables.

Aubergine and Sweet Potato Katsu Curry 

• Prep Time: 30 mins 
• Cook Time: 30 mins 
• Total Time: 1 hour 
• Servings: 4 bowls 

Ingredients: 

• 1 medium aubergine, cut in ¼ inch slices 
• 1 medium sweet potato, cut in ¼ inch slices 

Vegan Egg: 

• 1 cup of water 
• 1/2 cup chickpea flour 
• 1 Tbsp ground flax or chia seeds 
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 

• ½ tsp garlic powder 
• ½ tsp onion powder 

Coating: 

• 1 cup crumbs – we used ground oats and seeds but you could use panko bread crumbs or gluten free bread crumbs 

• ½ cup flour of choice (we have used rice flour) 
• a pinch of Himalayan salt 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 

Curry sauce ingredients: 

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 red onion, diced 
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 1 tin canned coconut milk 
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup 

• 2 Tbsp tomato puree 
• 1 Tbsp curry powder 
• ½ tsp ground cumin 
• ½ tsp ground coriander 
• 2 Tbsp lime juice 

To serve: 

• Brown rice 
• Salad of choice  

• Red Hot Firekraut 

Method: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 C and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. 
2. Mix all vegan egg ingredients (water, chickpea/gram flour, ground flax, nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powder) in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture combines and thickens. 
3. Place your crumbs of choice in a bowl and your flour of choice in another bowl. 
4. Now time for dipping! Dip the aubergine and sweet potato slices into the flour first (tap of the excess flour), then dip into the vegan egg and finally in the crumb mixture using your fingers or a spoon to press and coat the slices completely. 
5. Once all slices are covered, place on your prepared baking trays. Drizzle the oil over the top of the slices, sprinkle with salt and bake for 20 minutes until the sweet potato slices are soft and the crumb is golden. 
6. While your katsu slices are in the oven – prepare the curry sauce. 
7. Heat a pan on medium heat and add the oil, once warm add the diced red onion. Cook until softened. 
8. Add in the minced garlic and cook for another minute. 
9. Add in the tomato puree, curry powder, cumin and coriander and coat the onion mixture. 
10. Add in the coconut milk, maple syrup and lime juice and cook at medium heat for about 15 minutes until the mixture thickens up. 
11.  To serve – add brown rice and salad to your bowl, top with aubergine and sweet potato katsu slices, drizzle with curry sauce. Top with my delicious fermented spicy sauerkraut, Red Hot Firekraut.