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.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 182kcal
Ingredients
- 14 oz super-firm tofu/high-protein tofu (or extra firm tofu, cut into ½-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 avocado oil or any neutral 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
- ¼ cup raw cashews (blended with ½ 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)
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.
Notes
For a nut-free version, use ½ 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