Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

Easy, tasty vegan recipes

Kadai Paneer Tofu Bowl with Garlicky Sauteed Spinach and Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf

By Vaishali | Updated on | Posted on | 36 Comments

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This kadai paneer tofu bowl with garlicky spinach and a quinoa-cumin pilaf is fragrant, healthful, delicious, and it will make you glow inside out.

Kadai Tofu BowlBut first, I have a new best friend in the kitchen and I’m giving it away to you. For real.

All-Clad asked me to review their new NS1 Nonstick Induction Chef’s Pan and because I’ve used their stainless steel pans for years in my kitchen for almost all of my cooking (and I absolutely love them), I took them up on the challenge. They are also offering one of these to one of Holy Cow!’s readers and if you love to cook healthy food with a minimum of fat, trust me, you are going to want this absolutely amazing — and really good-looking — pan.

Kadai Tofu BowlIf you’ve visited me before, you probably know I don’t do much cooking in non-stick pans: my go-to pans are cast iron  and stainless steel. But sometimes, like when I’m cooking food with acids like tomatoes or lemons in it, I pull out my non-stick wok, because acids tend to react with cast iron. Stainless steel does not lend itself very well to low-fat cooking because ingredients like ginger and garlic, which almost every Indian sauteed dish starts out with, tend to stick to the bottom.

I’ve tried out a number of recipes so far in this All-Clad pan, each one low-fat or fat-free, and they’ve all worked out beautifully. There are so many things I love about this pan, including:

  • The size. The pan is huge– 12 inches in diameter and 4 1/2 inches high, which makes it the perfect size for sauteeing and stirring and creating fairly large recipes.
  • The shape. It’s got a nicely curved bowl that is almost wok- or karahi-like and therefore perfect for sauteed or stir-fried dishes. Since I could use a wok to cook nearly anything — and I almost do — I loved this feature. It worked great for the Kadai Tofu that’s cooked in a Kadai or Indian wok.
  • The safety. One of the reasons I stopped using non-stick pans for most of my cooking is because I found most didn’t live up to that non-stick promise and got scratched up pretty easily pretty soon, which made them pretty much unusable. But this All-Clad pan has a bonded, three-level non-stick coating that promises durability and I must say it stood up to the repeated cooking I put it through quite admirably.
  • The lid. Oh, the lid. I never buy pans that are sold without lids because, honestly, they don’t make much sense to me. This pan has a beautiful, flat, stainless steel lid that’s rather heavy and fits snugly over the pan, making it wonderful for steamed dishes like the Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf. I also love the fact that the lid is flat because I can easily employ an old Indian housewife’s trick– pour some water over the lid of the pan and vegetables will steam beautifully with little or no water added to them. Since most lids are curved, it’s usually impossible to do this, but this one is just perfect.
  • The look. It’s important, and this pan does not let you down in that aspect. The stainless steel handles are beautiful and so is (seriously) the hardy stainless steel base.
  • The cleanup. Can’t emphasize this enough, but when you cook three dishes one after the other in the same pan, like I did for this post, fast cleanup is absolutely a must. The pan is also dishwasher-safe, though, which is a huge bonus, because I’d rather let the machine pick up the work whenever possible.

Kadai Tofu BowlSo go on, make this pan your own by entering the giveaway (it retails at $99.95 and is sold exclusively at Williams-Sonoma retailers). For a chance to win it (you do have to live in the United States to enter), all you have to do is share this post on social media (use the hashtag #AllCladNS1Cooking) and then leave me a comment below telling me what you’d do with this pan if it were yours. I will close out the giveaway on Nov. 14 and pick a winner at random, so don’t forget to come back and check if you won.

Bye for now, but first, here’s the recipe for this scrumptious Kadai Paneer Tofu Bowl with Garlicky Sauteed Spinach and Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf.

Looking for more tasty vegan bowls?

Vegan Caribbean Bowl with Chickpea Curry, Roasted Plantains and Coconut Rice

Vegan Crack Chilli Tofu Noodle Bowl

Curried Chickpeas Bowl with Turmeric Rice and Garlicky Chard

Sesame Soba Noodle Bowl with Spinach and Tofu

Greek Goddess Glow Bowl with Tempeh Feta

KADAI TOFU BOWL

Kadai Tofu Bowl

Karahi Tofu Bowl with Sauteed Garlicky Spinach and Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf. #vegan #glutenfree #giveaway
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Kadai Tofu Bowl with Garlicky Sauteed Spinach and Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf. And a Giveaway.

A delicious and meaty Kadai Tofu Bowl with Cumin-Quinoa Pilaf and Sauteed Garlicky Spinach. A complete meal in a bowl.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 20 mins
Course: Main
Cuisine: Indian, Vegan
Servings: 6
Calories: 257kcal
Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

Ingredients

For Kadai Tofu

  • 14 oz firm tofu. (Drain out all water and pat dry. Cut into six tiles and place in a baking pan sprayed with oil, then spray on some more oil on top. Bake in a 450-degree oven for 30 minutes or until really chewy. You want very chewy tofu for great texture in this recipe. Once the tofu has cooled, cut into a small dice.)
  • 1 medium red onion (thinly sliced)
  • 2 tomatoes (finely diced)
  • 1 large green bell pepper (finely diced)
  • 6 button mushrooms (or crimini mushrooms, sliced)
  • 1-inch knob ginger (peeled and julienned)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup cashews soaked for an hour and blended into a paste with 1/2 cup of water.
  • 2 tbsp mint (chopped)
  • 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped)
  • Dry roast ingredients for Kadai Masala:
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp peppercorns
  • 3 pods green cardamom
  • 1-inch stick cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
  • 3 dry red chili peppers

For Sauteed Garlicky Spinach:

  • 8 cups baby spinach
  • 1/2 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • Salt to tase

For Quinoa Cumin Pilaf:

Instructions

Make the Kadai Masala:

  • In a pan, roast all of the dry-roast ingredients until fragrant and the coriander is a couple of shades deeper. Set aside to cool for a few minutes, then grind into a fine powder in a coffee or spice grinder.

Make the Kadai Tofu:

  • Heat the oil in a large pan, like the All-Clad. Add the onions, saute a couple of minutes until it starts to soften, then add the tomatoes, paprika, and turmeric. Cover with a lid and cook until the tomatoes are completely broken down. Stir occasionally during cooking.
  • Add the green peppers and mushrooms, stir, and continue to cook, covered for another five minutes.
  • Add the tofu and the karahi masala, a tablespoon at a time. Add enough masala to your taste, and store the remaining in an airtight jar for another use.
  • Add 1/2 cup of water, cover the pan, and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the cashew paste and salt to taste.
  • Sprinkle the coriander and mint leaves, stir, and turn off the heat.

Make the Pilaf:

  • Heat the oil in a pan.
  • Add the cumin seeds and roast them for a minute.
  • Add he drained quinoa and cook, stirring, until the grains start to look dry and opaque, around 2-3 minutes.
  • Add 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Let the quinoa come to a boil, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. After turning off the heat, let the quinoa sand for at least 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and serving.

Make the Garlicky Sauteed Spinach:

  • Heat the oil in a pan.
  • Add the sesame seeds and stir for a minute.
  • Add the garlic and stir-fry until the garlic is slightly golden.
  • Add the spinach and mix well. Cover and cook for a couple of minutes until the spinach is completely wilted.
  • Add salt to taste.
  • Assemble your bowl by layering the Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf first, then the Karahi Tofu, and finally the Sauteed Spinach.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Potassium: 723mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4437IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 191mg | Iron: 5mg

 

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.

Comments

  3. Angelica says

    I would love to win this pan, looks like it would be great to cook in. I tend to cook for a large group so a bigger pan is a must!

    Reply

  5. Darren L. says

    This pan would be a blessing to own! I would use it to make an udon noodle veggie and tofu stir fry! Mmm yum yum!

    Reply

  6. usha says

    I would use this pan to make different varieties of fried rice and any veg or non-veg fries that use tomatoes.

    Reply

  7. Heidi Williams says

    I am in the market for new pans and would love to win this pan. I love cooking and am trying to reduce the fat/oil in my diet. The 1st thing I would make in the pan is KADAI TOFU BOWL WITH GARLICKY SAUTEED SPINACH AND QUINOA-CUMIN PILAF. Although I might have to make this sooner, it sounds amazing. I love your blog and the delicious recipes that you share. Thank you!!

    Reply

  8. Manimala says

    This dish looks so yummy,will get my pots and pan out and cook one great meal tonight .Thanks so much.I am always looking for low carb,high protein vegan dishes….Yahoooo

    Reply

  9. Anonymous says

    This looks really yummy! This will be our fancy Friday night dinner:)

    Never baked tofu. Looking forward to trying out!

    Reply

  10. Bharathy Chummar says

    My teenage son has been learning to cook using Blue Apron, that way he can cook a complete meal even in my absence using the ingredients and following the simple and easy to follow directions. This pan would be great for him to practice his cooking skills.

    Reply

  11. valerie sobus says

    i’d love this for making pad thai! the largest pan i own is not large by any means….and whenever i try to make pad thai or lo mein (or anything really that has me sautéing large amounts of food) noodles and carrots and everything else goes flying every which way out of the pan. this would be so nice to have! also i tweeted the giveaway and here’s the url to my tweet https://twitter.com/mamasobus/status/662615455811502081! thanks for the chance to win such a beautiful pan!

    Reply

  12. christina p says

    I would use this pan to make my favorite root veggie fall dish. Thanks for the chance to win!

    Reply

  14. Saranya says

    Oh this looks like an amazing quality product. I think it would be perfect for quick stir-fry dishes or Indian curries/subjis. I can imagine making a crispy potato curry in the non-stick pan and a simple tomato rasam. Comfort meal 🙂 Would love to win this product, Vaishali! Thank you for the opportunity 🙂

    Reply

  16. Joan Kubes says

    Well I would use this a lot cause I’m always cooking at home. First thing is a beef and brocoli stir fry.

    Reply

  22. Amishi Shah says

    I would love to use the non-stick pan for making milk-based Indian sweets or mithaai. That way I don’t have to think of the milk sticking to the bottom.
    Other thing to use the pan – pav bhaji! Nom nom nom

    Reply

  25. Laura Henry says

    If this pan was mine, I could see it becoming my go-to pan for so many of my dishes….from curries, to tofu scrambles, to sauces, to veggie sides. I’m extremely excited to try this recipe out (seriously, I might make it tomorrow!!) and would certainly use the pan to make it in the future. 🙂 (Also, I tweeted this post for my social media share. @_laura_beth2402 🙂 )

    Reply

  26. Ela says

    Wishing you a very Happy Diwali ! Thank you for your wonderful recipes.!
    If I got the All clad pan I would make nut chikis ( but crisps) using it. On a medium high heat I would add one cup of sugar and let it become a syrup. Keep stirring it . Add one and a half cup of finely chopped nuts. Mix it all well and turn off heat . Spread nut mixture on a greased surface like a stone cutting board or granite or marble counter top. Use a rolling pin to even out the mix to the thickness you like. Let it cool for 3 minutes. Break it up and enjoy the delicious nut bars or crisps !

    Reply

  27. Pavani says

    What a lovely giveaway!! Thank you for hosting. I think I’m going to make stir fries, curries, fried rice, just about anything 🙂

    Reply

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