Meat Free Mowgli by Nisha Katona (Nourish, £25). Photography by Gareth Morgans.
Mowgli Soya Keema Pau
This is a twist on my Mowgli Lamb Keema (the original recipe of which can be found in Mowgli Street Food), swapping in veggie mince and serving it as the classic Indian street food known as keema pav. It is the Indian equivalent of a burger, with spicy mince and peas served in a bun piled with some tangy salad. It is brilliant for when you have friends over – kids in particular love it (you can adjust the chilli level). You can make the keema ahead of time, but add a splash of water when reheating.
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 brown onion, peeled and finely diced
- 2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2–3 green chillies, stalks removed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée/paste
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 tsp sugar
- 300ml boiling water
- 300g frozen soya mince/ meatless grounds
- 80g frozen peas
- 4 burger buns
- salt, to taste
- ½ small bunch coriander, roughly chopped, to serve
Method
Heat the oil in a wide pan that has a lid over a medium heat. When hot, add most of the onion (keep back a handful to serve) along with a generous pinch of salt and cook for five to six minutes, or until softened.
Meanwhile, blitz the ginger, garlic and green chillies to a paste in a food processor.
When the onions are soft, add the ginger, garlic, chilli paste along with the tomato purée and ground spices, and stir to combine. Add the chopped tomato (reserving some to serve), sugar and two teaspoons salt and cook for three to four minutes until the tomatoes start to break down.
Pour in the boiling water and bring to a simmer, then add the soya mince and peas. Pop the lid on the pan and cook for a final three to four minutes.
Meanwhile, toast your burger buns.
Fill the toasted buns with the veggie keema and garnish with the reserved tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle over the chopped coriander and enjoy. Alternatively, put everything on the table in bowls and let people build their own.
