Healthy Vegan - Vegan Plum, Chickpea and 'Lamb' Curry

I made a Plum and Chickpea Curry last year but did not get round to sharing it at the time, so with it being the Plum season in the UK I thought I would make it again and share my vegetarian vegan version of 'Lamb' and Plum Curry.  

This 'Lamb' and Plum Curry is a real recipe adapted from Camellia Panjabi 50 Great Curries of India.   I used vegan soy pieces* that I picked up from a Polish shop, they were not that great, but for the vegetarians the Quorn fillets will also work.  If you don't want to use the mock meat substitute, then just double up on the chickpeas.  

If you can't quite get you head round it, think of the plums as zingy purple tomatoes - the plums in a way replace the tomatoes in this dish; and for those of you who have had either Red or Green Tomato curry, then this will not sound that strange. It was actually quite nice, sharp and sweet.

Here are  13 Vegetarian and/ or Vegan Meat Free Fruit Curry Recipes.

Plum, Chickpea and 'Lamb' Curry 
Ingredients
Serves 4
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium onion, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 inch ginger, peeled and grated
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 - 1 teaspoon red chilli or 4 red chillies, minced
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
400grams plums, stone removed and sliced into quarters
1 x 400grams tinned chickpeas, rinsed (see notes  in blog post*) or 2 tins
Optional: 1 packet of soya meat (see notes  in blog post*) 
200ml vegetable stock
Optional: fresh coriander
Method
Heat oil in a wide pan, then saute the onions until translucent and soft, then stir in the garlic and ginger, spices and cinnamon bark and saute for a couple of minutes before stirring in the plums.
Allow the plums to soften and break down a little before stirring in the mock meat or chickpeas, along with the stock.  

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the mock meat is cooked through.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary
Garnish with optional coriander.
Serve with rice.
Adapted from Camellia Panjabi 50 Great Curries of India