It’s not often than low-carb & vegetarian go hand in hand. I thought I’d buck that trend with this recipe, and show that it’s not all about red-meat and dairy! This recipe has always been one of my favourites. I love Quorn, and these ‘chicken-style’ pieces are a brilliant freezer staple!

You have to read the packets carefully, as some Quorn products can be high in carbs due to the ‘shaping process’ (it needs a bit of starchy glue to stay together).  These chicken-style pieces are only 1g total carbs per 100g; and that doesn’t include the fibre, which is sky-high!

Curry always needs something ‘bulky’ to spread the intensity and mop up the sauce. Rice or nann have been evicted from the keto-kitchen; so in their place we have cauliflower & scallion mash. It’s warm in flavour and provides that all important ‘fill-factor’!

This recipe is perfect for diabetics, as well as low-carbers! You can naturally substitute the Quorn for meat, and make the dish to any intensity your heart desires (my heart desired scotch-bonnet chillies!).

Chop chilli and garlic, then sauté in a little oil. Add thinly sliced onion and continue to cook on a medium heat for about a minute. Roughly chop green and yellow peppers, plus any other carb-friendly vegetables which take your fancy (comprehensive keto-friendly list available on a separate post). Carry on cooking the mix for a further minute, to ensure that the contents are thoroughly heated through.

At this point, add your spice powder. This can be home-made or bought-in; depending on your preference. A good blend of cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, paprika, cardamom & fenugreek is always my mix of choice. It’s so easy to do; plus you can adjust the mix however you like (I’m a huge fan of cumin, so always err heavily on that).

Give the pan a good stir to mix in the powder, and cook for a minute more. Strain a can of tomatoes and add the flesh to the mix, followed by your frozen Quorn and sufficient water to ‘just about cover’ the contents. Crumble in a couple of stock-cubes and leave to reduce the sauce to half is volume. If you have any quick-cook vegetables which you wish to retain their crunch (e.g. mange tout), add them now.

Meanwhile, make the cauliflower & scallion mash. This couldn’t be easier. Chop the cauliflower into large chunks and boil until soft. Add a good whack of butter, cream and chopped spring-onions. Mash with a potato-masher (or a cheating blender); season thoroughly and fine-tune to taste.

Lastly, stir a little natural full-fat yoghurt, butter and double-cream into the curry, plus a little sweetener. The hotter the chillies you use; the greater the requirement for sweetness. The dairy additions have a ‘cooling effect’ plus add richness.

Serve alongside the mash, and garnish with chopped almonds and plenty of chopped coriander. This is one of those dishes where you can’t help but have seconds. And one of the great joys of a ketogenic diet, is that you can do this without the slightest pang of guilt! Enjoy!

With thanks for reading and bon ap!

Adam.