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    Home > Indian Vegan Recipes > Indian Street food Recipes

    Kadai Tofu 'Paneer'

    Posted: Jul 19, 2018 ยท Updated: Apr 26, 2022

    Jump to Recipe

    A recipe for a vegan Kadai Tofu "Paneer" that's lipsmackingly delicious and nutritious. Cubes of tofu are dunked in a creamy tomato sauce, sucking in all of the spice and flavor. A vegan and gluten-free recipe that's ready in under 30 minutes.

    Vegan Kadai Tofu "Paneer" in kadhai with two spoons on the side and onion and cilantro garnish.

    As alluring as Indian restaurant food can be to someone who loves the medley of vibrant flavor, spice and some healthfulness, it is not always vegan friendly. And a major culprit is paneer, which often gets dunked into flavorful vegan sauces.

    Vegan kadai tofu in kadai bowl with spoons on the side.

    Paneer is an Indian cheese that looks a lot like tofu but has a flavor and mouthfeel that's creamier, like cottage cheese. But tofu makes a good enough substitute in most Indian dishes calling for paneer, especially when there's a flavorful sauce that it can soak up, and I've often used it recipes like my Palak Tofu "Paneer" and Chili Tofu "Paneer".

    When substituting paneer, use extra-firm tofu, with as much water pressed out of it as possible, but of late I've really been loving this high-protein tofu at Trader Joe's that's very firm and holds its shape beautifully in saucy dishes. That's what I used in my Kadai Tofu "Paneer."

    A "kadai" is an Indian wok, and when you see a dish labeled with this prefix, you can be sure it's a stir-fry or saute of vegetables or meat sauteed in a wok with spices, not unlike the balti cuisine of England. You should make this recipe in a wok, although if you don't have one, a large saucepan would work too.

    ***

    Make these Indian recipes with tofu next:

    • Oven-blackened Tandoori Tofu
    • Tofu Tikka Masala
    • Tofu "Egg" Curry
    • Tofu Curry
    • Tofu Makhani
    • Vegan Butter Chicken

    ***

    This is an incredibly simple dish: all you need to do is saute tomatoes, add a few onions or shallots with ginger and spices, and then finish it off with the tofu cubes. It took me under 30 minutes to make, and the best part is, you really don't need anything special to serve it with. Rice or roti or naan all work, or you can even serve it with a good bread, like a sourdough.

    The recipe for the "kadai" spice mix makes enough to last you at least for two uses, so you can make some and store the rest in an airtight jar for another use.

    I can also certify this is a kid-friendly and kid-approved recipe. Jay couldn't have enough of it, and he especially loved the tofu cubes, which was quite something because in the past getting tofu down his gullet has been a challenge.

    If you try this recipe, be sure to let me know how it turned out for you.

    Vegan Kadai Tofu Paneer in karahi with two silver spoons.

    Vegan Kadai Tofu "Paneer", gluten-free, can be nut-free #vegan #indian #tofu #curry #glutenfree HolyCowVegan.net

    Kadai Tofu "Paneer"

    A recipe for a vegan Kadai Tofu "Paneer" that's lipsmackingly delicious and nutritious. Cubes of tofu are dunked in a creamy tomato sauce, sucking in all of the spice and flavor. A vegan and gluten-free recipe that's ready in under 30 minutes.
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Main/Side
    Cuisine: Indian Vegan, Indian Vegetarian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Vegan kadai tofu paneer
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 182kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 

    • 14 oz high protein tofu (or extra firm tofu, cut into ยฝ-inch cubes. If using extra-firm tofu, press out all the water you can by swaddling the tofu block in paper towels and placing it in a colander with a weight on top. Leave it for at least an hour to drain out most of the water from the tofu.
    • 3 large tomatoes (diced)
    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 2 tablespoon cilantro (coriander leaves, chopped)
    • 1-inch piece ginger (grated or julienned)
    • 2 shallots (sliced)
    • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
    • 1 heaping tsp garam masala powder
    • ยผ cup raw cashews (blended with ยฝ cup water to make cashew cream)

    For spice mix:

    • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1 dry red chili pepper
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
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    Instructions

    • In a skillet, dry-roast the spice mix ingredients: the coriander seeds, dry chili pepper, cumin seeds and fennel seeds, until a couple of shades darker and fragrant. Remove to a spice grinder or blender and process to a coarse powder. Set aside.
    • Heat the oil in a wok or a large saucepan. Add the cumin seeds and when they start to turn color, add the tomatoes. Saute the tomatoes until they are fully mashed and pulpy. 
    • Add the ginger, shallots and cilantro along with the coriander powder and garam masala powder and continue to saute for another five minutes. Add in the tofu cubes and 1 tablespoon of the prepared spice mix and mix well.
    • Add the cashew cream and stir to mix. Check for salt. Let the sauce come to a boil, then turn off the heat. If you want a saucier sauce, add more water or vegetable stock to get it to the consistency you like.

    Recipe notes

    For a nut-free version, use ยฝ cup of canned coconut milk instead of cashew cream, but this will slightly change flavor.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.5g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 9.7g | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 2.9g | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3.8mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    About Vaishali


    I cook and eat simple, tasty and nutritious plant-based food in my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. Read more about me here.

    Try these recipes next

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maxine Kaufman-Lacusta

      July 10, 2020 at 4:53 pm

      Thanks for this yummy-looking recipe. I'm a lover of coriander seed, so I look forward to trying your corianderfull recipe next time I have tomatoes.

      Reply
    2. April

      February 25, 2020 at 11:53 am

      Hi Vaishali
      Made the dish this morning. Tasted lovely however it doesnโ€™t look like your fish. I used 3 red Roma tomatoes but they were not soft tomatoes so I guess the color did not hold.

      Reply
    3. Denise

      August 16, 2018 at 8:35 am

      5 stars
      No Trader Joe's nearby us here, so I tried this with frozen/thawed/pressed extra firm tofu. It has a chewier texture and sops up the flavor - and liquids - so, likewise, I needed to add more liquid (veg broth). It's delicious! And it makes a ton, so this is a good one to share or enjoy for leftovers. I also agree with cutting up the tofu into smaller pieces - its a better compliment to the dish, especially using the frozen style. A small amount of cashews goes a long way! Love that!

      Reply
    4. margaret van Haren

      August 01, 2018 at 7:11 pm

      It was delicious!!!
      Will certainly make it again ( I probably would make the cubes very small and put some salt on the tofu next time).
      As Always: Thanks Vaishali!
      i always enjoy your recipes!!!

      Reply
    5. Krithika

      July 25, 2018 at 12:29 pm

      4 stars
      The biggest find from this recipe is the Trader Joe's tofu. It's wonderfully chewy, right out of the package. I will be using this for all my tofu dishes now!!
      I made this with exactly half the amount of ingredients and found the gravy quantity to be far too less for the tofu I added. The taste was great, but was a little bland because the gravy ratio was off. I will try again with the full recipe for everything but the tofu and see how it goes.

      Reply
    6. Lee

      July 19, 2018 at 4:00 pm

      About how many pounds of tomatoes.
      3 large doesnโ€™t say much especially when
      weโ€™re at the height of tomato season.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        July 20, 2018 at 10:01 am

        Use about a pound of tomatoes. It doesn't have to be exact.

        Reply
    7. Holly

      July 19, 2018 at 1:11 pm

      Could you please clarify the cashew cream in step #4?

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        July 19, 2018 at 1:45 pm

        Hi Holly, added now-- thanks.

        Reply
    8. Maureen Merrill

      July 19, 2018 at 12:55 pm

      How much cashew cream or coconut milk?

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        July 19, 2018 at 1:45 pm

        1/4 cup cashews blended with 1/2 cup water. You can sub with 1/2 cup coconut milk.

        Reply
    9. Michelle Rich

      July 19, 2018 at 12:31 pm

      Cashew cream is not in your ingredients list - how much should we use?

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        July 19, 2018 at 1:44 pm

        1/4 cup cashews blended with 1/2 cup water, added, thanks!

        Reply

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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