Vegan Effect

Written by McDonald, T.   |  date 2nd of June 2025 Why make your own curry powder? If you have trouble with a sensitive stomach, store bought curry powder might not be for you.  Some people have trouble digesting onion powder or garlic powder, so making your own is the best option.  Whatever your reason, it's very simple to do. Ingredients Coriander x 4 tbsp Cumin x 2.5 tbsp Turmeric x 2.5 tbsp Ginger x 1 tbsp Paprika x 2 tsp Chilli powder x 2 tsp (if you want it hot, use 3 tsp. If you like it mild, use 1 tsp) Black pepper x 1.5 tsp Salt x 1 tsp (optional) Cinnamon x 1 tsp Ground fenugreek x 1 tsp Dried fenugreek x 1 tsp Cardamom x 1 tsp Clove x 1/2 tsp Method Mix all the ingredients together with a spoon and store in an airtight container. I usually mix them into the pot I will be storing them in and give it a shake with the lid on at the end just to be sure.  I hope you decide to give this a try. If you do, please let me know what you thought in the comments...

  Written by   McDonald, T.    |  Date 26th of May 2025  This curry is based on a fish curry. Instead of fish, it uses jackfruit and grated tempeh to simulate chunks of fish and fish flakes.  It has a great texture and a good amount of heat to its taste. 

Written by McDonald, T.   |  Date 1st of August 2022  Vegans need not give up curries; there are many different vegan curries to choose from.  Since they are home-made, you can make them as hot or as mild as you like.  

Written by McDonald, T.   |  Date 4th of July 2022. Simple curry that is not short on flavour and has no nuts in.  Coconut oil and oat milk create the sauce. 

Written by McDonald, T.   |  Date 7th of March 2022  Goan curry is usually made with fish, but we don't want that do we: no.  As a vegan you have options for a substitute, you can either use a fish substitute or go all veg.  In this recipe, I decided to use tofu and a stack of veg, but you can use whatever option you like including banana blossom.  This is a mild curry, but can easily be heated up. 

  Written by McDonald, T.   |  Date 4th of January 2022 If you thought that making curry from scratch was difficult, think again.  In addition, perhaps one of the most famous curries in the UK is easily made vegan: Tikka Masala.  After much reading around, I found a combination of ideas that suited my needs for this recipe.  It doesn't lose any of the flavour and is completely vegan.  Subsequently, this is my interpretation of this timeless classic. It has the spices that give it the flavour you would expect, but has extra nutrition.  I used cashew cream instead of dairy cream and added a few extra vegetables.  This is one you really have to try for veganuary. 

Written by McDonald, T.   |  Date 31st of December 2021 This is a very simple curry that needs no great skill.  Very straight forward and packeted with flavour.  Lentils provide Carbohydrate, protein and fibre as well as B1 and B6.  As for flavour, they add a real delightful creaminess to the curry and are often used as a mince meat substitute. 

Written by McDonald, T.   |  Date 4th of October 2021       This recipe uses cashew cream instead of cream or coconut milk for that extra special flavour.  You can read how to make cashew cream here .  Don't worry it is very easy to make and it is the key to giving a creamy texture and taste to the curry.  If you are new to curries, this is a good one to try because it is very mild in spiciness.  Ingredients  100g of tofu 1/2 of onion  4 x garlic cloves chopped 40g of aubergine 2 mushrooms 30g bell pepper Cashew cream 2 tbsp of creamed coconut  1.5 tomatoes   2 tsps of saltations 1 tbsp of coriander 1 tbsp of turmeric  1 tbsp of korma spice 1 tsp of cumin powder  0.5 tsp of chilli powder 1.5 tbsp of brown sugar Apparatus  Frying pan Blender  Spatula   Wooden spoon Method  Step 1  Assuming the tofu has been prepared and diced. Fry the tofu, garlic, onion, aubergine and...

By McDonald, T.   |  Updated 30th of  September 2021   Traditionally this dish is made with lamb or mutton, but we are vegan so I will use tofu, but you can use any meat substitute that you like.  If you look around, you will be able to find many different ways to prepare this curry, but this is the way i like to do it because it looks authentic and tastes astonishing.  Notes before you get started It is fine to use vegan cream instead of cashew cream. See how to make the cashew cream here . If you are worried about nutrition particularly B12, you can add a teaspoon of nutritional yeast with added B12 Use a washed out jar to marinade the tofu pieces in.  I used a salsa jar meaning that i didn't need to by a new jar.  Marinated tofu in repurposed jar Adding veg is an option.  I like to add a bit of carrot and broccoli to bulk it out a bit and add more nutrition. Making the tomato sauce is great because if you make a big batch, you can us...

Written by McDonald, T.   |  Date 6th of September 2021 Dhal means split pulses usually lentils, which can be used in this curry, but then it wouldn't be yellow split pea Dhal!  Instead of using coconut milk, I used cashew cream, which keeps the creaminess but changes the texture. Servers 2 Ingredients  Yellow split peas 1/3 cup Cannellini beans (optional) 1/3 cup Cashew cream ( how to make cashew cream ) Chopped tomatoes 100g Garlic 4 cloves Onion 1/2  Mushrooms x 4-6 medium Cabbage x 60g Bell pepper x 40g Curry powder x 1 tsp Gram masala x 1 tsp Goan spice x 1/4 tsp Brown sugar x 1 tsp Salt to taste Method Prepare the beans. If you have dried beans, they will need to be soaked overnight and boiled for 15 minutes the next day. Fry the mushrooms, onions and garlic in a frying pan.   Add the spices and stir for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, cashew cream and little water if needed.  Add the sugar. Leave to simmer for about 20 minutes. Results...

  Written by McDonald, T.   |  Date 12th of July 2021       There are many different ways to prepare this dish, but i like to make it with cashew cream.   This is an easier dish than you might think to prepare and is very customisable.  For instance, you can add veg or do without the lime juice.  The main ingredients are the tofu and cashew cream, with is easy to make.  I hope that you like, subscribe and share with your friends.  

Written by  McDonald, T.    |  Date 25th of March 2021 This is diffidently a fire breathing monster!  However, if you are worried it will turn out more like a Godzuki than a Godzilla, just add some more chillies.  Good blend of Goan and Bhuna spices with beautiful tender pieces of tofu.  Ingredients  Tofu x 50g Black turtle beans x 15g Chickpeas x 20g Candelilla beans  x 10g Carrot Cabbage Green beans Onion  Sultanas  Bhuna spice x 3 tsp Chopped tomatoes Chillies (how many depends on how hot you want it) Basmati rice 65g Creamed coconut x 2 tbsp  Marinade  Cider vinegar x 2 x tbsp Soy sauce x 2 tsp Goan spices  x 1 tsp Paprika x 1 tsp Garlic granules x 1 tsp Method  Press the tofu.  Cut the tofu into bite size pieces and add to the marinade then leave in a fridge all night.  Prepare the beans if using dried ones. Fry the tofu in the creamed coconut. Add all the other ingredients except the rice. Add th...

Written by  McDonald, T.    |  Date 25th of February 2021 This curry is out of this world!  It has a great assortment of textures and tastes that make every mouthful a different experience.   The fresh sweetness of the apple gives a great contrast to the medium spiciness to the curry. Ingredients  Tofu x 100g Apple x 1 Cabbage x 60g Peas x 25g Sweet red pepper or bell pepper x 1/4 Chili pepper x 30g Onion x 1/4  Mushroom x 2 small Coconut cream x 2 tbsp Tomato paste x 1 tbsp Vegan milk x 150ml Bhuna spice x 3 tsp Cumin x 1/2 tsp Cardamom pods x 4 Chopped tomatoes x 4 tbsp Nutritional yeast with B12 x 1 tsp Salt to taste White pepper x 1/2 tsp Lemon x 1/4 Marinade for tofu Vegetable stock x 150ml Garlic granules x 1 tsp Tandoori Message spice x 1 tsp Balsamic vinegar x 1 tbsp Teriyaki sauce x1 tbsp Mustard powder x 1 tsp Method Press the tofu for at least 3 hours and then cut it bite size into cubes  Mix all the marinade ingredients toge...

By McDonald, T.   |  Date 26th of January 2021  Fancy a good curry?  This is a great vegan curry that can easily be adjusted to make it hotter.  It has cauliflower chunks with a rich creamy sauce and will surprise you with its texture.  This little beauty has all the goods including coconut milk to give it that authentic curry experience. Serves 1 Ingredients Unless otherwise stated, a teaspoon (tsp) = 1 level teaspoon.   Cauliflower x 170g Mushroom x 1 Basmati rice x 50 Peas for the rice x 20 Coriander garnish Marinade Balsamic vinegar x 1 tsp Soya sauce x 1 tsp Olive oil x 1 tsp Salt to taste Tandoori Masala spice x 1 tsp Sauce Olive oil 50g of  onion, finally chopped 1 Garlic clove 110g of chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp of tomato paste 1 heaped tsp of korma spice 1 tsp of Garam Masala 1 tsp of turmeric. 1/2 tsp of brown sugar 110ml of coconut milk 1 tsp of nutritional yeast with B12 1 heaped tbsp of sultanas Salt to taste Method Mix the marinade t...

By McDonald, T. | Date 5th of August 2020 Every mouthful is a wave of flavour that goes from sweet at the beginning to spicy at the end. This 100% vegan dish will blow your mind and satisfy that hunger all in one go. This is a dish to be savoured. Notably, the vegan Quorn pieces taste like chicken in this dish. Servers 2 Ready in 30 minutes Ingredients 4 heaped tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter 1 red chilli chopped into tiny pieces 1/2 a red bell pepper chopped into small pieces (leave some for the rice) Baby corns cut into thirds Mangetout Vegan Quorn pieces  2 heaped tablespoons of sultanas   4 cloves of garlic finely chopped 400ml of coconut milk 3 cups of water 5 tsp of soya sauce 2 tsp of garam masala 2 tsp of cayenne chilli powder 2 tsp of garlic granules 3 tsp of garlic paste 3 tsp of tomato paste 5 cardamom pods 1 tsp of cumin seeds. 4 tsp of coriander leaf 3 tsp of black pepper 1 tsp of salt Rice 2 cups of basmati rice ...