Vegan Dal Makhani Croquettes

A delicious dal makhani croquette recipe.

Done in 6 hours

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Ingredients

For the curry croquettes:

100gvegan butter

1black cardamon

4cloves

1 1/2 tspcumin seeds

1dried indian bay leaves

2 inch piecefresh ginger

6garlic clove

1onion, diced

1whole green chilli

a pinchsalt

100gplain flour

600mlalmond milk

1/2 tspkashmiri chilli

1 tspcoriander powder

1/2 tspsweet smoked paprika

1/2 tsppaprika

80gtomato puree

1 tinpuy lentils

1 tincooked black beans

1 tinkidney beans

1 tbspfenugreek

50g water mixed with 50g breadcrumbs100g bread crumbs

50gpanko breadcrumbs

2 litressunflower oil, for frying

Coriander mayo:

80gcoriander leaves

200mlrapeseed oil

4 tbspaquafaba

1/2 tspDijon mustard

1/2 tspwhite wine vinegar

1 tsptoasted cumin seeds, roughly ground

Dal makhani is without a doubt one of the greatest curries around. This is that recipe, but veganified and in a delicious crunchy coat. While not necessarily an authentic Indian snack, this is definitely a good one.

Method

Heat the butter in a medium saucepan and add the whole spices along with the bay leaf. Fry until the cumin seeds start to crackle, then add the ginger and garlic pastes. Cook until the raw smell has gone.

Add the onion along with the chilli and a pinch of salt and fry until golden brown all over. Sprinkle over the flour and mix it into the onions and spices before incrementally pouring over the almond milk + cream, beating it in thoroughly with a whisk or wooden spoon until you've got a thick smooth bubbling sauce.

Add the ground spices and tomato puree, stirring all the while to incorporate into the sauce.

Pour in the (drained) cooked lentils, black beans and kidney beans along with the vegan cream. Crumble the kasuri methi in with your hands and stir it all together. Check the mixture for salt - add more if you wish.

Pour into a 23cm square lined brownie tin, line with clingfilm and place in the fridge to set for a few hours until set.

When set, use a spoon and your hands to shape the dal mixture into logs. Roll them in flour then dip in the flour/water mixture and finally the panko breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess each time.

Heat the oil to 170°C and fry them in batches until golden brown.

Blitz the coriander leaves and lime zest with the oil in a nutribullet or good blender for around a minute. Strain the resulting green oil through a fine mesh blender.

Whisk together aquafaba, mustard, white wine vinegar and slowly drizzle in the green oil. Use the resulting creamy emulsion for delicious dipping purposes.

What do you think of the recipe?

Hugh Woodward

Hugh Woodward

Hugh's culinary life began aged 14 when he cooked spaghetti hoop burritos to impress girls. Since then his colourful career has taken him to performing in Skegness, making cheese in Peckham, running a wine bar on Columbia Road and reluctantly working in a (briefly) Michelin Starred restaurant. He likes fish, things cooked on charcoal, cheap dinners and London's rich cultural tapestry of food shops. When he's not cooking or eating he can be found mudlarking by the river Thames, buying bits in flea markets and hanging out with his cat Keith.

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