Rara rooster curry, a North Indian Smoky Onion Fennel Pepper Cardamom curry, that’s completely bursting with superb advanced flavors! Put together it as-is with tofu or use your protein of option to make it your individual! It’s scrumptious served with flatbread, naan, or rice.
Right now, we’re making vegan rooster rara. The pronunciation of this has a D or an H within the second R, however you possibly can pronounce it nonetheless you want.
I’ve been exploring meat-heavy and regional Indian dishes, and growing simpler and vegan variations of these. And this rara rooster is my most up-to-date adaptation on this sequence!
The origins of rara rooster curry are disputed. It both comes from the Punjabi or Himachal area(north indian states), or it could come from Lucknowi delicacies(mid japanese state delicacies). There are totally different tales about it, however both means, it’s a completely scrumptious North Indian curry!
If you make these recipes with meat, it requires much more steps in addition to cooking the meat within the sauce for a for much longer time. However after we’re utilizing plant-based protein — like tofu, beans, or chickpeas — they don’t want that a lot time within the sauce. Should you’re utilizing different vegan proteins, like seitan or soy curls, you possibly can cook dinner these within the sauce for a for much longer time for a very good taste infusion. This curry has each meaty tofu items and mince meat type tofu crumble. Substitute these to choice.
Rara rooster makes use of a number of umami-packed onion caramelized with complete spices, and then you definately add in a rara masala mix. The black cardamom, clove, and fennel seeds give a completely totally different taste to the dish, and likewise there’s fairly a little bit of Kashmiri chili powder so as to add a vibrant, purple coloration and much more superb taste. Should you don’t use Kashmiri chili powder and use paprika, the colour payoff shall be rather less. Totally different manufacturers of Kashmiri chili powder can have totally different coloration payoffs and warmth as properly.
There are clearly many spices on this dish, however in the event you don’t have a spice or two, that’s wonderful. It’ll nonetheless prove completely scrumptious, so undoubtedly strive it.
We toast the spices for the rara masala mix earlier than grinding them, as a result of additionally it is used as a ending spice. It will be important that you just roast the ending spice beforehand to offer the ultimate mix a melded taste profile. In any other case, a number of the spices, like fennel, will present up much more strongly within the spice mix, and a number of the spices would possibly make all the pieces style a bit too earthy in the event that they’re not toasted.
Rara rooster curry is a really thick-sauced dish. Should you choose extra sauce, add in additional water, inventory, or non-dairy milk. The sauce is simmered for fairly a little bit of time to get all that taste payoff out of the spices.
One of many principal causes I’m making vegan variations of those meaty dishes is that they have an inclination to have much more spices, and decadent sauces in comparison with the vegetarian variations. That is both as a result of the meat wants extra seasoning, or as a result of meat dishes are extra expensive (in India). If you’re paying that a lot for a dish in a restaurant, you need one thing decadent and creamy with a fancy taste profile.
However all of that taste is definitely within the sauce, so we’re utilizing that very same sauce and all of these spices with plant-based protein. You may also add roasted veggies to the sauce as a substitute for a very flavor-packed veggie aspect.
Why You’ll Love Rara Rooster Curry
- simplified, plant-based model of a North Indian basic curry
- roasted complete spices give the tofu and sauce superb flavors from cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds, and extra
- one-pan meal
- versatile! Bake or fry the tofu, or use protein of your alternative. It’s even OK in the event you’re lacking a number of of the spices.
- gluten-free and nut-free with straightforward soy-free possibility
Extra North Indian Curries
For The Rara Masala Mix
For the Rara Curry Sauce
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 black cardamom pod, partially opened
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 1/2 cup chopped purple onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons floor coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 a sizzling inexperienced chili, reminiscent of serrano or Indian, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste, or use 4 cloves of garlic and 1” of ginger, all minced
- 4 ounces canned tomato puree, or unseasoned tomato sauce
- 1 cup water or inventory, or extra if wanted, or use non dairy milk or cream for creamier
- cilantro and lime juice, for garnish
Stop your display from going darkish
Make the rara masala mix.
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Add all the complete spices to a small skillet over medium warmth, and cook dinner them till the fennel seeds begin to change coloration. In case your bay leaf is simply too massive, you possibly can tear it into 2-3 items, in order that it toasts up simply, 3 to 4 minutes. Then, switch the roasted spices to a spice grinder or espresso grinder, add the nutmeg, and grind them up right into a powder. The bay leaves will take longer to interrupt down, however you wish to powder the bay leaves totally, in any other case they are going to be annoying in your mouth.
Make the tofu.
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Press the tofu, if you have not already, then tear about 12 ounces of it into 3/4” natural shapes. Crumble the remaining 2 ounces right into a separate bowl, and put aside.
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Add the garlic powder, Kashmiri chili powder, salt, half of the rara spice mix, and the cornstarch to a small bowl, and blend very well. Then, sprinkle this over the torn tofu, tossing properly to coat.
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Crisp a tofu in a skillet: Warmth a big skillet over medium excessive warmth, and add 1 teaspoon oil. As soon as the oil is sizzling, add the tofu to the skillet. Unfold it evenly, cook dinner for two to three minutes, then flip the tofu and cook dinner for an additional 2 to three minutes. Now, toss the skillet a few instances, so the tofu will get largely golden on the sides. Take away the tofu from the skillet, and set it apart. To bake the tofu as a substitute: unfold the coated tofu on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle the teaspoon of oil over the items, after which bake at 400° F (205° C) for 20 minutes, or till golden.
Make the sauce.
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To the identical skillet, add a teaspoon of oil over medium-high warmth. As soon as the oil is sizzling, add the cumin seeds and await them to vary coloration considerably and darken and get aromatic. This may take wherever from 1 to three minutes. Combine within the black cardamom and cinnamon stick for a number of seconds, then add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Combine properly, and cook dinner the onion for six to 9 minutes, or till evenly golden. (Add splashes of water in between to assist the onion brown onions brown evenly. After about 5 minutes of cooking the onion, scale back the warmth to medium.)
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As soon as they’re browned, add in one other splash of water and add the floor spices, inexperienced chili, and ginger garlic paste. Combine in and cook dinner for a minute. Should you’re utilizing minced ginger and garlic, cook dinner for an additional minute, in order that the garlic cooks . Then, combine within the tomato puree, water, and the crumbled up tofu. Cowl with the lid, and let the tomato puree cook dinner and thicken for six to eight minutes.
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Open the lid, and blend in one other 1/2 to 1 cup of water or inventory. Fold in your crisped up tofu, then cowl with the lid once more and cook dinner for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. As soon as the sauce is fairly thick and coating the tofu, swap off the warmth. For a saucier rara rooster curry, you possibly can add in additional inventory or water or non dairy milk and produce to a boil. Garnish with cilantro and lime juice, and serve with naan, flatbread, or rice.
To make it soy-free, use chickpea tofu, pumpkin seed tofu, seitan,, chickpeas, or different beans of alternative. For the chickpeas and beans, you don’t must coat them with spices and toast them. Add them on to the sauce. Instead of the crumbled tofu, which is supplying you with a minced meat texture, use some veggie grounds, cooked lentils, or chopped walnuts to make up the mince.
To make this with soy curls, soak them in sizzling broth, then drain and squeeze out the surplus the liquid. Toss with the identical cornstarch and spices because the tofu, then both bake them or crisp them up on the skillet. Add them to the sauce the place you add the tofu.
For extra protein: serve this with complete grain flatbread/roti or quinoa. Garnish with hemp seeds or my crispy lentils.
Storage: this curry will be made forward and refrigerated for upto 3 days. Freeze in an hermetic container for upto 3 months. Reheat within the microwave or in a skillet..
Energy: 158kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 12g, Fats: 6g, Saturated Fats: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g, Monounsaturated Fats: 2g, Sodium: 493mg, Potassium: 285mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 452IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 167mg, Iron: 3mg
Vitamin data is mechanically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
Components and Substitutions
- complete spices – For the rara masala mix, you’ll want black peppercorns, cloves, black and inexperienced cardamom pods, a bay leaf, and fennel seeds. For the rara curry sauce, you’ll want cumin seeds, a black cardamom pod, and a cinnamon stick.
- floor spices – The rara masala additionally makes use of a bit of little bit of floor nutmeg. To coat the tofu, use garlic powder and Kashmiri chili powder. For the sauce, use floor coriander and Kashmiri chili powder.
- tofu – Select agency or additional agency tofu for this recipe. We’re going to tear some up for the massive items of meat and crumble some for the minced meat that’s additionally frequent in rara curry. For soy-free, use beans or seitan. You may also use soy curls as a substitute of tofu, in the event you choose. You may also use lentils, chopped walnuts, or veggie grounds for the mince portion.
- cornstarch – Helps the spices persist with the tofu and helps the tofu crisp up within the pan.
- oil – To sauté.
- onion – Caramelized onion is the bottom for the curry sauce.
- sizzling inexperienced chili – Half a chili provides some good warmth to this dish. Use Serrano or comparable, and chop it finely.
- ginger garlic paste – You should utilize an equal quantity of minced ginger and garlic as a substitute, in the event you don’t have the paste.
- tomato puree – With the onion, that is the remainder of the sauce base.
- water or inventory – Provides moisture to the sauce.
- garnishes – Garnish this with contemporary cilantro and lime juice so as to add a contemporary taste component.
💡 Suggestions
- Don’t skip roasting the spices earlier than mixing for the rara masala! Roasting will assist the flavors meld
- When grinding the spice mix, ensure that the bay leaf is totally damaged down, as a result of the feel of bigger items could be disagreeable within the sauce.
- Add splashes of water when cooking the onion to assist it caramelize extra shortly and evenly.
How one can Make Rara Curry
Make the rara masala mix.
Add all the complete spices to a small skillet over medium warmth, and cook dinner them till the fennel seeds begin to change coloration. In case your bay leaf is simply too massive, you possibly can tear it into a few items, in order that it toasts up simply, 3 to 4 minutes.
Then, switch the roasted spices to a spice grinder or espresso grinder, add the nutmeg, and grind them up right into a powder. The bay leaves will take longer to interrupt down, however you wish to powder the bay leaves totally, in any other case they are going to be annoying (or could cause cuts) in your mouth.
Make the tofu.
Press the tofu, in the event you haven’t already, then tear about 12 ounces of it into 3/4” natural shapes. Crumble the remaining 2 ounces right into a separate bowl, and put aside.
Add the garlic powder, Kashmirhi chili powder, salt, half of the rara spice mix, and the cornstarch to a small bowl, and blend very well. Then, sprinkle it over the torn tofu, tossing properly to coat.
Warmth a big skillet over medium excessive warmth, and add 1 teaspoon oil. As soon as the oil is sizzling, add the tofu to the skillet. Unfold it evenly, cook dinner for two to three minutes, then flip the tofu and cook dinner for an additional 2 to three minutes.
Now, toss the skillet a few instances, so the tofu is generally golden on the sides. Take away the tofu from the skillet, and set it apart.
To bake the tofu as a substitute: unfold the coated tofu on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle the teaspoon of oil over the items, after which bake at 400° F (205° C) for 20 minutes, or till golden.
Make the sauce.
To the identical skillet, add a teaspoon of oil over medium-high warmth. As soon as the oil is sizzling, add the cumin seeds and await them to vary coloration considerably and darken and get aromatic. This may take wherever from 1 to three minutes. Combine within the black cardamom and cinnamon stick for a number of seconds, then add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
Combine properly, and cook dinner the onion for six to 9 minutes, or till evenly golden. After about 5 minutes of cooking the onion, scale back the warmth to medium. Add splashes of water in between to assist the onion brown onions brown evenly.
As soon as they’re browned, add in one other splash of water and add the floor spices, inexperienced chili, and ginger garlic paste.
Combine in and cook dinner for a minute. Should you’re utilizing minced ginger and garlic, cook dinner for an additional minute, in order that the garlic cooks properly. Then, combine within the tomato puree, water, and the crumbled up tofu. Cowl with the lid, and let the tomato puree cook dinner down for six to eight minutes.
Open the lid, and blend in one other 1/2 to 1 cup of water or inventory. Fold in your crisped up tofu, then cowl with the lid once more and cook dinner for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. As soon as the sauce is fairly thick and coating the tofu, swap off the warmth. For a saucier rara rooster curry, you possibly can add in additional inventory or non pretty milk or cream and produce to a boil.
Garnish with cilantro and lime juice, and serve with naan, flatbread, or rice.
What to Serve with Rara Rooster
Serve with naan, flatbread, or rice and veggie sides of your alternative, reminiscent of Diwani Handi greens or saag aloo.
Often Requested Questions
Rara rooster curry is of course gluten-free and nut-free.
To make it soy-free, use chickpea tofu, pumpkin seed tofu, seitan, soy curls, chickpeas, or different beans of alternative. For the chickpeas and beans, you don’t must coat them with spices and toast them. You may simply add them on to the sauce. Instead of the crumbled tofu, which is supplying you with a minced meat texture, use some veggie grounds, cooked lentils, or chopped walnuts to make up the mince.
sure this curry will be made forward and refrigerated for upto 3 days. Freeze in an hermetic container for upto 3 months. Reheat within the microwave or in a skillet.
