
Red curry paste originally contains fish
Originally, red curry paste consists of red chilies, lemongrass, garlic, sea salt, turmeric, and shrimp paste. Fortunately, there are vegan alternatives. In addition, products that are not explicitly labeled vegan may also be suitable for vegans. Just check the ingredient list. Unfortunately, I have also seen pastes that were marked as vegetarian and yet contained shrimp paste. In any case, to be 100% sure, you need to check the ingredients.
In this recipe, the red curry paste makes the Vegan Coconut Chicken Curry incredibly flavorful and harmonizes perfectly with the coconut milk.

What is the difference between red pepper flakes and chili flakes?

Let's get started

Vegan Coconut Chicken Curry
LenaIngredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 plant-based chicken filets
- 1 medium onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 350 ml water
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- Juice of ½ lime
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari sauce for gluten-free option
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- Fresh cilantro to garnish chopped
Instructions
- Melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and almost cooked through. Remove the chicken, place it on a clean plate, and set aside.
- Add the onion to the same pan and sauté in the remaining oil for 4-5 minutes while stirring continuously. When the onions have softened, add the garlic. Combine well and continue to cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
- Add onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder, red pepper flakes, and red curry paste. Stir frequently until everything is well mixed.
- Add the water, crumble in the vegetable stock cube and bring to a boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the fresh lime juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Stir well until everything is well combined.
- Simmer and reduce the mixture for about 5 minutes, then add the coconut milk.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Cover and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve garnished with cilantro and a lime wedge.
Notes
- Serve the Vegan Coconut Chicken Curry with rice or noodles.
- Add more red pepper flakes for a spicier version.
- Replace soy sauce with tamari sauce for a gluten-free option.
Nutrition
For this recipe, I used the Schnitzel from Hermann. Hermann is an Austrian company that produces organic meat alternatives from oyster mushrooms. However, its products are “only” vegetarians.
More info about Hermann: https://hermann.bio/en/