Veggie Tikka
We make this Veggie Tikka on repeat and honestly it never gets old. There's something about that smoky, spiced tikka sauce clinging to sweet potato, okra and chickpeas that just feels like a proper hug in a bowl. The kale wilts down into everything and the peppers give it this lovely bite, and it all comes together in about 30 minutes which still amazes us every time. It's one of those recipes that tastes like you've been cooking all afternoon but you absolutely haven't. Make it tonight, you won't regret it.
Before You Start
- Large saucepan
- Microplane or fine grater
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp Tikka curry powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 clove garlic clove
- 100g okra
- 5cm ginger fresh
- 1 can chickpeas
- 100g kale
- 1 x 400g can x 400g can(s) of chopped tomatoes
- 400ml water
- 1 red onion
- ½ sweet potato
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 green chillies
- cinnamon stick
Method
Prepare the veggies
- Peel and finely chop the onion
- Peel and grate the garlic and ginger
- Cut the okra in to 2 cm slices
- Deseed the pepper and remove the white pith, chop into 2cm chunks
- Peel the sweet potato and cut into 2cm cubes
- Finely chop the green chillies
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas
- Remove the stem from the kale and chop in to chunks
Cooking the curry
- Place the vegetable oil in a large saucepan and place over a medium heat
- Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies and cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent
- Add the tikka curry powder, paprika and cinnamon stick, stir well to combine and cook for a further few minutes
- Add the okra, red pepper and sweet potato and chickpeas and mix well the ensure they are well coated in the spices
- Add the chopped tomatoes, water and tomato puree
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly
- Remove from the heat, stir through the kale, lemon juice and zest
- Season to taste
Time to serve
- Serve with brown rice or wholemeal roti and a large green salad!
Tips & Variations
- Spice it your way: We use green chillies for a fresh, grassy heat but if you want it milder just use half or leave them out altogether. Trust us, it's still delicious.
- Don't skip the okra: We know some people are nervous about okra going slimy but cut into 2cm pieces and cooked over a decent heat it stays firm and adds the best texture. Give it a go.
- Serve it properly: We love this with fluffy basmati rice or warm naan to scoop everything up. A dollop of coconut yoghurt on top is also very much worth doing.
Why This Works
The trick here is getting your onions, garlic and ginger properly cooked down before you add anything else. That base is where all the depth comes from, and if you rush it the whole thing tastes a bit flat. We also love how the chickpeas bulk it out and soak up all that tikka flavour, they're doing so much heavy lifting in this recipe.