Cheat’s Katsu Curry

Name: Cheat’s Katsu Curry
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: Rice; Use an instant rice if short of time; 300g wholegrain or brown rice, cooked according to the instructions on the packet; Sauce; Use a shop-bought katsu sauce if short of time (Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Yo!, Sharwoods, Blue Dragon, Wagamama, Marks & Spencer, Yutaka, Aldi all offer a vegan katsu sauce); 1 onion, finely diced (use pre-chopped if short of time); 1 carrot, finely diced; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (use pre-chopped if short of time); 1 tbsp curry powder; 3 tbsp nut butter; 500ml/2 cups vegan stock (use gluten-free if needed); 1 tbsp syrup (eg maple or agave); 1 tsp garam masala; Vegan ‘chicken’; 4 x vegan breaded ‘chicken’ fillets/tenders/cutlets (use gluten-free if needed); Optional extras; 1 x head of broccoli, broken into bite-sized florets and steamed or boiled (optional); 4 tbsp kimchi (optional); 150g/1 cup edamame, steamed or boiled (optional); Asian-inspired slaw (use 200g/7 oz red cabbage and mix with 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp syrup (eg maple or agave), 3 tbsp cider vinegar or rice vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated, 1 clove garlic, crushed, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp chilli flakes – optional); Cucumber, diced and mixed with a drizzle of sesame oil and a pinch of salt (optional); Green salad (optional); Handful of radishes, sliced; Optional toppings: sliced spring onion, fresh chilli, chilli flakes, lime wedges

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Take a ready-made vegan chicken fillet and pair it with a creamy katsu sauce, rice and spring onions and you have a very deliciously cheating version of the nation’s favourite Japanese dish!

Photograph by Niki Webster.

Quick meal

Kids recipe

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Preparation time

10 min

Cook time

30 min

Total time

Cuisine

Japanese

Meal

mains

Servings

Ingredients

Rice

Use an instant rice if short of time

75g/2.6 oz wholegrain or brown rice, cooked according to the instructions on the packet

Sauce

Use a shop-bought katsu sauce if short of time (Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Yo!, Sharwoods, Blue Dragon, Wagamama, Marks & Spencer, Yutaka, Aldi all offer a vegan katsu sauce)

¼ onion, finely diced (use pre-chopped if short of time)
¼ carrot, finely diced
½ garlic cloves, finely chopped (use pre-chopped if short of time)
¼ tbsp curry powder
¾ tbsp nut butter
125ml/½ cup vegan stock (use gluten-free if needed)
¼ tbsp syrup (eg maple or agave)
¼ tsp garam masala

Vegan ‘chicken’

1 x vegan breaded ‘chicken’ fillets/tenders/cutlets (use gluten-free if needed)

Optional extras

¼ x head of broccoli, broken into bite-sized florets and steamed or boiled (optional)
1 tbsp kimchi (optional)
40g/1.5 oz edamame, steamed or boiled (optional)
Asian-inspired slaw (use 50g/1.8 oz red cabbage and mix with ½ tbsp olive oil, ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil, ½ tbsp syrup (eg maple or agave), ¾ tbsp cider vinegar or rice vinegar, ¼ tbsp soy sauce, 0.5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated, ¼ clove garlic, crushed, ⅛ tsp salt, tiny pinch of chilli flakes – optional)
Cucumber, diced and mixed with a drizzle of sesame oil and a pinch of salt (optional)
Green salad (optional)
Handful of radishes, sliced

Optional toppings: sliced spring onion, fresh chilli, chilli flakes, lime wedges

Rice

Use an instant rice if short of time

75g/2.6 oz wholegrain or brown rice, cooked according to the instructions on the packet

Sauce

Use a shop-bought katsu sauce if short of time (Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Yo!, Sharwoods, Blue Dragon, Wagamama, Marks & Spencer, Yutaka, Aldi all offer a vegan katsu sauce)

½ onion, finely diced (use pre-chopped if short of time)
½ carrot, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (use pre-chopped if short of time)
½ tbsp curry powder
1½ tbsp nut butter
250ml/1 cup vegan stock (use gluten-free if needed)
½ tbsp syrup (eg maple or agave)
½ tsp garam masala

Vegan ‘chicken’

2 x vegan breaded ‘chicken’ fillets/tenders/cutlets (use gluten-free if needed)

Optional extras

½ x head of broccoli, broken into bite-sized florets and steamed or boiled (optional)
2 tbsp kimchi (optional)
80g/3 oz edamame, steamed or boiled (optional)
Asian-inspired slaw (use 100g/3.6 oz red cabbage and mix with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp syrup (eg maple or agave), 1½ tbsp cider vinegar or rice vinegar, ½ tbsp soy sauce, 1cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated, ½ clove garlic, crushed, ¼ tsp salt, tiny pinch of chilli flakes – optional)
Cucumber, diced and mixed with a drizzle of sesame oil and a pinch of salt (optional)
Green salad (optional)
Handful of radishes, sliced

Optional toppings: sliced spring onion, fresh chilli, chilli flakes, lime wedges

Rice

Use an instant rice if short of time

225g/7.8 oz wholegrain or brown rice, cooked according to the instructions on the packet

Sauce

Use a shop-bought katsu sauce if short of time (Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Yo!, Sharwoods, Blue Dragon, Wagamama, Marks & Spencer, Yutaka, Aldi all offer a vegan katsu sauce)

¾ onion, finely diced (use pre-chopped if short of time)
¾ carrot, finely diced
1½ garlic cloves, finely chopped (use pre-chopped if short of time)
¾ tbsp curry powder
2¼ tbsp nut butter
375ml/1½ cup vegan stock (use gluten-free if needed)
¾ tbsp syrup (eg maple or agave)
¾ tsp garam masala

Vegan ‘chicken’

3 x vegan breaded ‘chicken’ fillets/tenders/cutlets (use gluten-free if needed)

Optional extras

¾ x head of broccoli, broken into bite-sized florets and steamed or boiled (optional)
3 tbsp kimchi (optional)
120g/4.5 oz edamame, steamed or boiled (optional)
Asian-inspired slaw (use 150g/5.3 oz red cabbage and mix with 1½ tbsp olive oil, 1½ tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1½ tbsp syrup (eg maple or agave), 2¼ tbsp cider vinegar or rice vinegar, ¾ tbsp soy sauce, 1.5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated, ¾ clove garlic, crushed, ⅓ tsp salt, tiny pinch of chilli flakes – optional)
Cucumber, diced and mixed with a drizzle of sesame oil and a pinch of salt (optional)
Green salad (optional)
Handful of radishes, sliced

Optional toppings: sliced spring onion, fresh chilli, chilli flakes, lime wedges

Rice

Use an instant rice if short of time

300g wholegrain or brown rice, cooked according to the instructions on the packet

Sauce

Use a shop-bought katsu sauce if short of time (Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Yo!, Sharwoods, Blue Dragon, Wagamama, Marks & Spencer, Yutaka, Aldi all offer a vegan katsu sauce)

1 onion, finely diced (use pre-chopped if short of time)
1 carrot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (use pre-chopped if short of time)
1 tbsp curry powder
3 tbsp nut butter
500ml/2 cups vegan stock (use gluten-free if needed)
1 tbsp syrup (eg maple or agave)
1 tsp garam masala

Vegan ‘chicken’

4 x vegan breaded ‘chicken’ fillets/tenders/cutlets (use gluten-free if needed)

Optional extras

1 x head of broccoli, broken into bite-sized florets and steamed or boiled (optional)
4 tbsp kimchi (optional)
150g/1 cup edamame, steamed or boiled (optional)
Asian-inspired slaw (use 200g/7 oz red cabbage and mix with 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp syrup (eg maple or agave), 3 tbsp cider vinegar or rice vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated, 1 clove garlic, crushed, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp chilli flakes – optional)
Cucumber, diced and mixed with a drizzle of sesame oil and a pinch of salt (optional)
Green salad (optional)
Handful of radishes, sliced

Optional toppings: sliced spring onion, fresh chilli, chilli flakes, lime wedges

Instructions

Rice

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. While it is cooking, make the sauce. When cooked, place the lid on the saucepan and set aside.

Sauce

Using a medium-sized saucepan, fry the onion and carrot in a little oil for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
Stir through all of the other ingredients apart from the garam masala, bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened to your desired consistency.
Once reduced, mix in the garam masala before serving.
Blend with a stick blender until smooth.

Vegan ‘chicken’

Cook according to the instructions on the packet.

Extras/assembly

Using 1 wide rimmed bowl or large plate, divide all the ingredients equally.
Place the rice over the bottom of the bowl.
Slice the vegan chicken fillet into 1cm thick slices then place it over the top of the rice.
Add the extras, drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle over any of the toppings.

Rice

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. While it is cooking, make the sauce. When cooked, place the lid on the saucepan and set aside.

Sauce

Using a medium-sized saucepan, fry the onion and carrot in a little oil for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
Stir through all of the other ingredients apart from the garam masala, bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened to your desired consistency.
Once reduced, mix in the garam masala before serving.
Blend with a stick blender until smooth.

Vegan ‘chicken’

Cook according to the instructions on the packet.

Extras/assembly

Using 2 wide rimmed bowls or large plates, divide all the ingredients equally.
Place the rice over the bottom of the bowl.
Slice the vegan chicken fillet into 1cm thick slices then place it over the top of the rice.
Add the extras, drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle over any of the toppings.

Rice

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. While it is cooking, make the sauce. When cooked, place the lid on the saucepan and set aside.

Sauce

Using a medium-sized saucepan, fry the onion and carrot in a little oil for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
Stir through all of the other ingredients apart from the garam masala, bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened to your desired consistency.
Once reduced, mix in the garam masala before serving.
Blend with a stick blender until smooth.

Vegan ‘chicken’

Cook according to the instructions on the packet.

Extras/assembly

Using 3 wide rimmed bowls or large plates, divide all the ingredients equally.
Place the rice over the bottom of the bowl.
Slice the vegan chicken fillet into 1cm thick slices then place it over the top of the rice.
Add the extras, drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle over any of the toppings.

Rice

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. While it is cooking, make the sauce. When cooked, place the lid on the saucepan and set aside.

Sauce

Using a medium-sized saucepan, fry the onion and carrot in a little oil for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
Stir through all of the other ingredients apart from the garam masala, bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened to your desired consistency.
Once reduced, mix in the garam masala before serving.
Blend with a stick blender until smooth.

Vegan ‘chicken’

Cook according to the instructions on the packet.

Extras/assembly

Using 4 wide rimmed bowls or large plates, divide all the ingredients equally.
Place the rice over the bottom of the bowl.
Slice the vegan chicken fillet into 1cm thick slices then place it over the top of the rice.
Add the extras, drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle over any of the toppings.

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