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.
This is a really easy-to-put-together recipe, and you'll be so, so glad you made it. The tofu cubes are chock-full of flavor, and so is the spinach and the quinoa. Together, they make food magic happen.
I love bowls like these because of the ease and convenience of putting them together, and the fact that they make you feel like a million bucks on a satiated tummy. Now how can anyone argue against that?
Bye for now, and 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
- 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
Recipe card
Kadai Tofu Bowl with Garlicky Sauteed Spinach and Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf
A delicious and meaty Kadai Tofu Bowl with Cumin-Quinoa Pilaf and Sauteed Garlicky Spinach. A complete meal in a bowl.
6
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 cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms (or crimini mushrooms, sliced)
- 1-inch knob ginger (peeled and julienned)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- ¼ cup cashews soaked for an hour and blended into a paste with ½ cup of water.
- 2 tablespoon mint (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
- Dry roast ingredients for Kadai Masala:
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 pods green cardamom pods
- 1-inch stick cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- 3 dry red chili peppers
For Sauteed Garlicky Spinach:
- 8 cups baby spinach
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- Salt to taste
For Quinoa Cumin Pilaf:
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed under running water
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
- Salt to taste
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 ½ 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 Information
Calories: 257kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 14gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPotassium: 723mgFiber: 7gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 4437IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 191mgIron: 5mg
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Tried this recipe?Let us know in the comments below!
Trezlen says
If I won this pan, I would use it to try out lots of vegan recipes.
Anusha says
Hi Vaishali,
I would love to win the Allclad pan and make the Blackeyed peas with lobhia keema. That would be my first dish. 🙂 I have had my eye on it for a while. It looks so delicious. I shared the post on Facebook. 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/anusha.visvanathan.9
Thanks,
Anusha
Anonymous says
Wishing I could do a nice stir fry with a pan like this!