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I fell in love with Madras curry recently and so I learned how to replicate the curry-house style Madras veggie curry as I just love it so much – I want to cook it now every week. Good news is, it’s not at all difficult and if you make curries at home, you probably already have the spices you need in your cupboard or spice rack. Madras is an earthy, fragrant blend of curry spices that you can tweak to your taste, it’s medium spicy so should be suitable for everyone who likes curries. This is of course, a simpler, say “Western” version of the real Madras curry, but it’s still a good dupe and you don’t need to buy too many exotic spices.
What is Madras curry?
Madras curry is originated in the southern part of India, in the region of Madras (now known as Chennai). It’s bold and spicy in flavours, a favourite among curry lovers. Madras curry dates back to the British colonial era when Indian cuisine started to gain popularity in the UK and it was named after Madras due to its association with the region’s flavours and spices.
For the real Madras curry, you’ll need quite a lot of fresh spices that are hard to obtain in regular supermarkets – but the big ones are definitely selling them, these include fenugreek, cassia bark, Kashmiri chillies, fresh curry leaves and cardamom pods too.
Tips when making this veggie Madras curry:
- use the whole cauliflower: slice the stalk and wash the leaves and roast them. They make a delicious side to this curry with their peppery taste that’s similar to kale
- you can use a mix of vegetables in any ratio, but you will need to adjust cooking time accordingly
- you can also prepare your own Madras powder in a jar and just use it when you are cooking a Madras curry
- I find rice is the best but it’s also nice on it’s own or with some naan bread
Vegetable Madras Curry Recipe
Ingredients
The vegetables you need
- 1 small head cauliflower broken into smaller florets and slice the stalk
- 4-5 small potatoes (like baby potatoes) chopped into small cubes
- 1 400ml can chick peas drained
- 2 handfuls frozen peas
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
The spices you need
- 2 green chillies slit lengthwise (adjust to taste)
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 thumb size fresh ginger minced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them toast until they start to jump around in the pan.2. Add the chopped onions to the pan and sauté until they turn golden brown, followed by the garlic, ginger and chillies. Sauté for another minute.3. Add all the vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes, if necessary, add a little water.4. Stir in the spices, mix well to coat the vegetables.5. Add 150 ml water and let it simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add some more water if required.
- Serve immediately, with rice, naan-bread, oven baked cauliflower leaves and plant based or dairy yogurt.
Check out my other curry recipes:
Vegan Paneer And Butternut Squash Curry
Vegan Thai Sweet Potato, Cauliflower and Wild Garlic Curry Recipe