Chef Priyanka’s Curried Walnut “Meat”

By Chef Priyanka Naik
Total Time
35 Mins
Serves
2-4
Serving Size
1
Meal
Dinner Lunch
Course
Main

DESCRIPTION

Curried Walnut “Meat” is hearty, aromatic, comforting and the perfect component to anywhere ground beef is used! Sloppy Joes, Lasagna, Shepherd's Pie, Tacos, Burritos - or even on its own! It’s the perfect balance of flavor and texture. You’ll never miss the meat and it’s accessible to everyone! Perfect for meal planning and dinner parties too.

Prep Time
10 Mins
Cook Time
25 Mins
Total Time
35 Mins
Calories
260
Total Fat
19
Saturated Fat
2
Trans Fat
0.019
Polyunsaturated Fat
13
Monounsaturated Fat
4
Cholesterol
0
Sodium
172
Carbohydrates
14
Dietary Fiber
4
Total Sugars
6
Protein
5
Vitamin D
0
Calcium
59
Iron
1
Potassium
311

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1 garlic clove - minced/grated
  • 1 dried cayenne chili
  • Hefty pinch of kosher salt
  • 1 cup California walnut halves and pieces
  • 1 tbsp Korean red chili flakes
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • ½ cup canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp tamari
  • ¼-½ cup water
  • ½ tsp toasted white sesame

Preparation

  1. In a food processor, pulse the California walnut halves until they are fine ground pieces.
  2. In a medium-large skillet/pan, heat oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in onion, ginger, garlic, and dried red chili. Sprinkle with a hefty pinch of salt and sauté until onions begin to sweat and let out moisture - about 5 minutes.
  3. Next add in the ground CA walnuts, Korean chili flakes, garam masala, turmeric, and sugar. Sauté another 5-7 minutes - we want the spices to become fragrant and the walnuts to start softening up.
  4. Add in the canned diced tomatoes, tamari and water. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue mixing and cooking. Cover and allow to cook another 5 minutes - the goal is for all the ingredients to break down and start resembling “ground beef.” Open the lid, stir and if it feels like it’s drying up, add in more water.
  5. Taste and adjust salt and sugar if necessary.
  6. Once the California walnut meat has softened, but still has a slight bite, add in the toasted white sesame seeds and turn off the heat. Allow to cool 2-4 minutes before serving over rice, in a taco or simply in between a bun.
  7. Suggested toppings: fresh coriander (cilantro) and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.