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Vegan Katsu Curry

With a crispy tofu cutlet smothered in Japanese curry sauce, this authentic vegan Katsu Curry recipe is a delicious symphony of textures, tastes, and flavors that's easy enough to make at home.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 794 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese-Western Fusion

Ingredients

  • 1 batch tofu katsu
  • 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice
Curry sauce
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable stock
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoon date syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon Potato Starch
  • 200 grams onion (~1 medium onion)
  • 120 grams carrot (1 small carrot)
  • 15 grams garlic (~3 large cloves)
  • 15 grams ginger (peeled)
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 14 grams Japanese curry powder (~ 2 tablespoons)
Flash fried vegetables
  • 80 grams mild green peppers (seeds removed and cut into strips)
  • 80 grams red bell peppers (seeds removed and cut into strips)
  • 150 grams kabocha (seeds removed and sliced thinly)
  • 150 grams Japanese eggplant (halved)
  • vegetable oil (for frying)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. The day before you want to prepare your Katsu Curry, follow the steps in my tofu katsu recipe to prepare the tofu.
  2. Prepare the vegetables. You need to make sure they are very well dried after washing them, or they will spatter when you fry them. I recommend cutting slits about ⅛-inch apart into the skin side of the eggplant, so it cooks through faster while keeping the skin from getting tough. This is also a good time to bread your katsu and prepare a cooling rack with a few sheets of paper towels.
  3. Whisk the vegetable stock, soy sauce, tomato paste, date syrup, cocoa powder, and potato starch together in a bowl until evenly combined.
  4. Roughly chop the onion, carrot, garlic, and ginger. Add them to a food processor blender and puree until smooth. You can also do this with the rasp side of a box grater or using a daikon grater.
  5. Pour the pureed vegetable mixture into a frying pan(I recommend a non-stick pan) and stir in the baking soda.
  6. Put the pan on the stove over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir regularly and let the mixture cook until any extra liquid has evaporated and it starts to thicken into a paste (5-6 minutes).
  7. Add the oil and then fry the paste until it's glossy and tan in color (another 5-6 minutes). This is a good time to start preheating a high-sided pot with about 1-inch of oil up to 340°F (170°C) to fry your katsu and vegetables.
  8. Add the curry powder into the pan with the caramelized vegetables and quickly stir them together to toast the spices.
  9. Pour the vegetable stock mixture into the pan and stir it in. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and stir periodically.
  10. Deep fry the vegetables one type at a time. The kabocha will take about 2-3 minutes. The peppers will take anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute, and you'll know they're done when the skin starts to bubble. Drain the vegetables on the prepared rack.
  11. For the eggplant, you want to add them into the oil skin-side down to prevent them from turning brown. Flip them over after 30 seconds and continue frying them for about another minute. Drain the eggplant cut-side down on the prepared cooling rack.
  12. Fry the tofu katsu according to the recipe.
  13. To plate your Katsu Curry, slice the tofu katsu and arrange it on a bed of cooked rice along with the fried vegetables. Pour the curry sauce over half of the katsu and vegetables and serve immediately while the katsu is still crisp.

Nutrition Information

Calories 794kcal (40%) Carbohydrates 166g (55%) Protein 33g (66%) Fat 3g (5%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Sodium 2078mg (87%) Potassium 1372mg (39%) Fiber 12g (48%) Sugar 27g (54%) Vitamin A 13161IU (263%) Vitamin C 112mg (124%) Calcium 139mg (14%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 794

% Daily Value*

Calories 794kcal 40%
Carbohydrates 166g 55%
Protein 33g 66%
Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 2078mg 87%
Potassium 1372mg 29%
Fiber 12g 48%
Sugar 27g 54%
Vitamin A 13161IU 263%
Vitamin C 112mg 124%
Calcium 139mg 14%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.