Best vegetarian replacement for chicken in a curry

[feelingrubbish2023]

Simply cook recipe, forgot to change my choices so I have the ones they sent me. It's a chicken makhani.

The recipe uses chicken marinaded in yoghurt, baked in the oven hen added in with the other ingredients.

Would either tofu, quorn work in this way? If not was thinking I could do aubergine and courgette (would I bake it first?)

It's not the sort of recipe I'd usually choose but don't want to waste.

Paneer

Paneer is wonderful and if you have a local Asian supermarket, it's so cheap!

Any of the things you suggest would work. Don't pre-cook veg, marinate as you would raw chicken.

But yeah, a curry without paneer is a waste, I am afraid 😂

Tofu is great as it absorbs all the flavours of the curry.
Quorn is ok too but I prefer ‘oumph’ and ‘this isn’t’ brands for mock meats.
I love butternut squash, aubergine, lentil and mixed veg too.

Paneer, tofu, Quorn, chickpeas, or what the cluck "chicken" which we find in co-op. Parsec prawns, if you eat fish?
Aubergine would work for texture but wouldn't give the protein.

Any of those! I have fake chicken strips (£1.50 in Aldi) in my freezer & used in emergency curries. The ones I bought were already Indian style, so it worked well, but I also use cauliflower, aubergine, even broccoli or courgette, in place of chicken chunks. I prefer veg to fake meat or tofu.

Sorry should have said no cheese!

Big portobello mushrooms. Lovely meaty texture. Or aubergine but prefer mushroom

I can get some what the cluck chicken actually, just never sure if marinading that sort of thing in yoghurt is a waste of time or not!

Think I'll go for aubergine and portobello mushrooms, won't bother marinating or pre baking. I'll throw in a few chickpeas for protein.

I'd use quorn. I've marinated it before and it's fine. It does absorb the flavours quite well.
It's also not as processed as some of the other fake meats if you are bothered about that.

Aubergine and mushroom will be lovely, and as you said, no need to marinate as that's specific to chicken/meat.

Enjoy!

I've made this loads of times, it's a favourite of ours. We do use chicken but we no longer bother marinading it with the yoghurt and cooking separately as it makes very little difference. The recipe card suggests roasted broccoli and tinned lentils or chickpeas and to skip the yoghurt. I would recommend adding some garlic, ginger and fresh coriander 👍.

I love an aubergine curry. Would much rather that than any type of meat substitute.

Roasted cauliflower is one of my favourite chicken replacements in a curry. First found the technique in Meera Sodha's cauliflower korma and use it in all kinds of dishes now. The texture is great: soft, but with a bite and the taste is subtle enough that it takes on other flavours without competing.

I want cauliflower curry now !

The point of marinading meat in Indian cooking is not really to flavour it, it’s generally to tenderise it – so there is not much point doing it to vegetables or tofu.

Tofu & mycoproteins benefit from being marinaded, for flavour.

My favourite veggie curry contains chickpeas and potatoes as the main bulk

Halloumi!

Mushrooms and or paneer