Best whole veg alternative to chicken in a curry?

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

Dc likes chicken curry (we haven't always been a meat free household) and I'm looking for the best whole veg (ie. not processed fake meat - obv I will cut the veg up) alternative that might satisfy?

He likes cauliflower and potatoes - but I'd like to include something a bit more 'meaty' - mushrooms are sadly out. He is not keen on the fake chicken chunks - we have tried loads of brands without success.

Any ideas, and how I could make them taste more 'meaty'? I have tried smoked paprika and nutritional yeast dusted over before frying to get a bacon flavour with some success.

Definitely aubergine. Love the idea of cashews, I'll definitely try that.

I am happiest with a good old potato and spinach curry with peas and lentils in the ‘sauce’. Other veg can cook down to mushiness! Or make it and stir in with the rice like a biryani with a nice raita (and chutney). Mmmmmmmmm. I love a good curry.

Thanks for all suggestions! Turnip I hadn't considered. Unfortunately ds is frustratingly fussy - doesn't like tofu, doesn't like anything 'sweet' in a savoury dish which rules out sweet potato, any kind of squash, dried fruit, sigh 🙄🙄
Paneer I will try out. I wonder if there's a way to use aubergine without it becoming too mushy? Perhaps roasting it and coating in breadcrumbs, and adding it at the end to the curry? He is not the only fusspot and I am slightly running out of creative steam wrt trying to find acceptable alternatives for them all. Tearing my hair out May commence soon...

Sorry - I should come clean and admit to being vegetarian, not vegan
I couldn't find a vegetarian section... Hope I'm not too much of an interloper 🙏🙏🙏

Just read your update op. I've been a vegetarian for over 25 years. One thing I'd say is it gets really restrictive when you have loads of preferences like your dh does. How long have you been vegetarian? This fussing will get old ver very quickly.

If they like eggs perhaps you could try boiled or strips of omelette in the curry (obs veg not vegan)

I agree with pp of having lots of little things with different colours, textures and flavours. Eg, fried onions, caramelised garlic, roasted peanuts, finely diced cucumber, herbs etc on the side.

@BewareTheBeardedDragon

Thanks for all suggestions! Turnip I hadn't considered. Unfortunately ds is frustratingly fussy - doesn't like tofu, doesn't like anything 'sweet' in a savoury dish which rules out sweet potato, any kind of squash, dried fruit, sigh 🙄🙄 Paneer I will try out. I wonder if there's a way to use aubergine without it becoming too mushy? Perhaps roasting it and coating in breadcrumbs, and adding it at the end to the curry? He is not the only fusspot and I am slightly running out of creative steam wrt trying to find acceptable alternatives for them all. Tearing my hair out May commence soon...

Corn on the cob and cassava curry is good.

You could do a soya mince/ TVP keema.

Otherwise the usual things. Tempeh, tofu, beans, pulses. I like to do sweet potato with cashews or peanuts.

I didn’t slot this was a vegan section! Is there a veggie section? I’ve been veggie since 1984.

Sorry, I see sweet potato is out. D'oh. Bamboo shoots?

Ooh cassava, yum! What about making a curry base and then a bunch of steamed veg and tofu or paneer all separate and then an array of aromatics. And people can assemble their own leaving out the bits they don’t want?

Boiled eggs actually work in a curry / pop then in at the last minute (quartered).

Not sure if they are vegan, but falafels are great in a curry. Bake them first and then place them on the vegetable curry/sauce and simmer for 5 minutes just before serving.

Using falafels is genius! I must try that 😃

plus it's my ds, not a dh (don't have one of them) - it's so old but I live in hope that they'll all grow out of it... 😬😆

trut that is a very good idea. I will try various items on the side and go from there. 👍👍

Jackfruit, it's white so looks like chicken, doesn't taste of anything so tastes like chicken and cooks like chicken. Best fresh but comes in tins as well.

Could also do other similar things like palm hearts.
Another option would be to Bread and fry some veg and then have curry sauce over it. Could do the same with cheese, halloumi might work well or Mozzarella.

For fussy veggies I would do curry sauce with veg in it, then serve it on top of chips.

Ooh yes - they will eat falafel!

@TheBabyAteMyBrain I love the idea of halloumi in a curry, I can’t believe I’ve never thought of it before.

Sweet potato and chick peas

My friend is very anti vegetarian (I know!) so I took him for my favourite meal - chilli paneer. He was so convinced he said it was the best chicken he'd even tasted

I now call it chicken cheese

Yes, roast the aubergine chunks and add them to the curry at the end. They don’t go mushy that way.

Jackfruit or banana blossom, you can find them tinned in big supermarkets.

We tried jackfruit this week - ds didn't like it
Eldest dc did though, which was great.

What's really annoying is that it's knowing it's not meat which is a huge part of the problem. Before taking the plunge I used to feed them meat free meals with meat substitutes and they just accepted them thinking they were meat. Now they know that nothing will be they are more fussy. Ffs.