A curry is one of the most popular and beloved dishes from everyone around the country - including ourselves.
It's one of those dishes that is truly versatile and comes in so many different variations for you to enjoy, including Panang, Thai, Tikka Masala, Korma...the list goes on.
Now, if like so many people, you have been taking part in this year's Veganuary, or maybe you're just looking to cut down on your meat consumption, you can be left wondering what options you have.
That's why we decided to sample a few different plant-based curries from Morrisons after the supermarket recently unveiled their recently expanded Plant Revolution Range.
The new range aims to make plant-based eating more affordable and accessible to all and we wanted to see whether it was really worth the hype.
So, of course, we sent our reporter Rachel Williams to sample four different versions of our favourite dish from the new range.
Here is how she got on...
What curries were sampled?
I'm quite partial to a good curry myself and, seeing as I have never really tried a plant-based version, I thought it would be interesting to see how they tasted - especially against their meat alternatives.
I chose Morrisons because they have not only recently expanded their plant-based range, but they have also launched new curries in the range.
Which is why we decided to pick up a few of their new curry dishes and see how they tasted.
These were what I tried over the course of a week:
- Firecracker Udon Cauliflower - £3.50
- Butternut Panang - £3.50
- No Chicken Tikka Masala - £3.50
- Thai Style Green Curry - £3.50
Overall verdicts
Firecracker Udon Cauliflower
Up first was one of the supermarket's newest entries onto their Plant Revolution range, so consider me initially intrigued to see how this turned out.
I'll be straight up and admit that I am not usually the biggest fan of cauliflower, so this one proved to be a bit of a challenge for me.
Now, cauliflower aside, this was actually a rather lovely dish and the taste alone deserves some appreciation.
The sauce had that firecracker spice that you expect and it didn't dry up, which I have sometimes find to be the case with some supermarket curries.
The noodles added an interesting touch in place of rice and the vegetables were crunchy and sharp.
So, all in all, this was a good dish and the only downside was, unfortunately, the main star of the show.
If the cauliflower was removed with anything else, then I think this would have been just that slight bit better, but that is just personal preference.
Butternut Penang
Next up was the Butternut Penang and if there's a curry that makes me swoon, it's a really well made Penang.
When done right, this Thai style curry is rich, bold, full of flavour and gives off an aroma that should make your mouth water - which is what this description has done to you, right?
Anyways, consider my disappointment when I cooked this up and it lacked any distinct flavour that comes with the curry dish.
The main offender was that the sauce was very thin and dried up as soon as it was cooked, which led to a sad and dry dish.
The rice was also quite clumpy and felt as though it had been overcooked.
This was a shame, as it could have been so well.
Thai Style Green Curry
Alright, so this is where it starting to look like good things will be happening.
For me, a Thai Green curry is hands down one of my favourite go-to curry dishes - it's zingy and has a hint of spice that should pack an absolute punch.
So, consider me delightfully surprised when this is exactly what I got once I tucked into this plant-based alternative.
The sauce was thick, the vegetables were crunchy, the rice was perfectly cooked and the decision to use sweet potato was an intriguing but winning move.
Adding sweet potato to the dish gave it that bit of sweetness that offsets the spice just that bit and, when I make my own Thai green curry next time, I may choose to do this myself.
All, in all, a great dish that deserves a round of applause.
No Chicken Tikka Masala
Ah, the good 'ol classic dish that is beloved by pretty much everyone across the country.
While the origins of this dish may be subject to hot debate, our love for it is usually never questioned.
For me, like a Thai curry, Tikka Masala is also another curry dish that I usually find myself leaning towards whenever I am ordering from a restaurant or in need of a good homemade curry.
The most important of this curry for me is not the meat used, but the sauce, as it has to be really creamy, moderately spiced and with a hint of sweetness.
Let me say, this vegan curry gives it a rather good go, if I'm being completely honest.
In terms of the sauce, it gave me everything that I was looking for in flavour, though I would have liked it to have been that bit creamier as it was a tad on the drier side.
And, I know I said that the choice of meat wasn't the main thing for this dish, I will admit that the choice to use soy protein pieces was...interesting.
For me, I would have preferred something like tofu or quorn pieces as it would have been more substantial compared to the rather slippery pieces that we got.
Overall, though, it wasn't the worst dish of the bunch and I would still give it a recommendation to anyone who loves a good old-fashioned Tikka Masala.
Our verdict
If you're a regular Morrisons shopper and want to give a plant-based curry a go, then I would hand down recommend the Thai Green Curry.
It has all the hallmarks of a rather fine curry, from its full-bodied flavour to its crunchy vegetables, it was definitely the star of the show.
I would also say that the Tikka Masala gave it a good go and would definitely get my recommendation as well.
If cauliflower is your thing, then the Firecracker Cauliflower also packs a spicy punch that will keep you on your toes.
The only one to fall short for me was the Butternut Penang, as it didn't have any of the recognisable features of a good Penang, so I would maybe leave that one on the shelf.
All in all, I have to give credit to Morrisons for creating rather decent plant-based alternatives to one of the most loved dishes and they are definitely worth trying out.
If the curries are anything to go by, then I would be more than willing to shop a few more items from their Plant Revolution range.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
