LIONS MANE CARROT AND PARSNIP KATSU CURRY

A katsu curry is the epitome of comfort food, hitting all the right notes during the blustery, chillier months. Wagamama really showed us that you can make a fantastic katsu curry without meat, and I wanted to showcase that for myself.

My mum used to make a sensational carrot and parsnip soup, so I wanted to blend that nostalgic recipe with a Japanese curry. To really bring out the flavours of those root veggies, I decided to roast them first. Also, I kinda love that the sauce is made right in the oven tin.

Lions mane is a bit more of a fashionable mushroom, but I totally get its popularity. It’s moist, meaty, and absolutely delicious, plus it’s really easy to work with.

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LIONS MANE CARROT AND PARSNIP KATSU CURRY

SERVES 4// MADE IN 1 HR//EASY TO LIL TRICKY// VEGAN

Ingredients

For the Curry:

• 3 parsnips, peeled , chopped

• 3 carrots, peeled , chopped

• 2 onions, peeled , chopped

• 2 apples, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled

• 1 knob of ginger, sliced

• 2 tbsp curry powder

• 2 tbsp garam masala

• 400ml coconut milk

• 1L mushroom stock

• Salt, to taste

For the Lions Mane Katsu:

• 400g lions mane mushrooms, sliced into 4 thick steaks

• 100g plain flour

• 200ml plant milk or cream

• 1 tbsp sriracha

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp ginger powder

• 100g panko breadcrumbs

• Oil for frying

• Flaky sea salt

For the Slaw:

• 1/4 savoy cabbage, shredded

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 1 tsp sesame seeds

• Salt, to taste

To Serve:

• Sticky Japanese rice

• Spring onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). In a large roasting tin, add the parsnips, carrots, onions, apples, garlic, and ginger. Sprinkle over the curry powder, garam masala, and salt, then pour in the coconut milk and 400ml of mushroom stock. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender, caramelised, and the liquid has mostly evaporated.

Blitz the roasted veggies with a hand blender to a rough pulp. Gradually add the remaining mushroom stock and continue blending until smooth and velvety. Keep warm.

Slice the lions mane mushrooms into 4 thick steaks. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, plant milk, sriracha, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger powder, and salt to make a smooth batter. Place the panko breadcrumbs in another bowl. Coat each mushroom steak in the batter, then carefully press into the panko. Place on a wire rack to avoid flattening the crumbs.

Heat oil in a frying pan to 180°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a chopstick: when a steady stream of bubbles forms around it, the oil is ready. Fry the steaks in batches for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and season with flaky sea salt. Slice if desired.

For the quick savoy cabbage slaw, mix the shredded cabbage with lemon juice, sesame seeds, and salt. Set aside.

Serve sticky Japanese rice in bowls and pour over the carrot and parsnip curry sauce. Top with the crispy lions mane katsu and the cabbage slaw. Garnish with spring onions before serving.