A 15-minute vegan curry, from ‘a 68-year-old seeking a healthier lifestyle’

When I first started on a plant-based diet, I was worried I wouldn’t have time for all the cooking, and I assumed it took a lot of planning, but this isn’t the case. This recipe is my daughter Tara’s, and she told me: “Dad this only takes 15 minutes to make.” So I tried it.

It’s very easy to make (for someone like me who is new to anything other than bacon and cabbage or a roast dinner). It is a spicy curry with brown rice pasta. I never thought I’d see the day I’d be cooking curries or pasta, but I have to say this is my go-to dish since Tara gave me her recipe. After a long day working outside, it’s delicious, quick and very filling.

I use a bag of Asian style stir fry frozen vegetables for this as it just takes seven minutes to cook. Alternatively, you could add in two carrots, some broccoli, one medium onion, some green beans and four stalks of baby corn. You can find teriyaki tofu in most supermarkets, or just use regular tofu. For the pasta, I use chickpea wholegrain fusilli. You can also use rice but the chickpea pasta adds more protein.

Padraig Howley is “a 68-year-old on a journey to a healthier lifestyle”. His Instagram is Sing and Step with Padraig.

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Tara’s teriyaki tofu curry

Serves 3

Ingredients

Coconut oil
1 bag of frozen stir fry vegetables
1 tin of coconut milk
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
½ green chilli
½ red chilli
1 block teriyaki tofu, cut into cubes and pan-fried
200g chickpea whole grain fusilli
Nori/Irish seaweed, to garnish

Method

1 Add a little oil to the pan on a low heat.

2 Add the veg, if you're using frozen this takes 5-7 mins to cook. If you don't have the stir fry mix, add the chopped carrots, broccoli, green beans and baby corn and cook till starting to soften.

3 Add in the tin of coconut milk. Stir and let simmer on a low to medium heat. Add the green chilli and red chilli, curry powder, paprika and turmeric.

4 Next, add the pre-cooked tofu, let it simmer as you begin to cook the pasta.

5 Put 200g pasta into boiling hot water. I add a tablespoon of turmeric to the water to flavour the pasta. When the pasta is ready, drain it, then add the pasta to the curry in the pan and mix together. To garnish I use some of the Wild Irish Seaweed nori.