Tofu "Paneer" Kali Mirch

A partial top shot of a round black bowl with a creamy sauce and cubes of white tofu and green cilantro

5 from 5 votes

A spicy, tantalizing dish of tofu cubes cooked in a black pepper sauce is the stuff of memorable meals. This recipe, a vegan version of Paneer Kalimirch, a popular north Indian food often served in roadside eateries, is gluten-free.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Main Course/Curry

Cuisine: Indian Vegan

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 99kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

Saucepan
Blender

Ingredients

1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
1 ½ cups basic tomato onion sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
3 green cardamom pods
3 cloves
½ inch cinnamon stick
½ to 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
¼ cup raw cashews
16 oz extra firm tofu (cut into approx. ½-inch cubes. You can also use extra firm tofu, but be sure to squeeze out the water first by swaddling the tofu in paper towels and placing in a colander. Place a heavy weight on top and let the tofu stand at least 30 minutes until most of the water has been expressed)
1 teaspoon garam masala
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon cilantro (for garnish)
2 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the cumin, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns. As the spices start to change color, add the tomato onion sauce and kasoori methi and mix well. You don't need to let the sauce cook through at this stage.
Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a blender. Add the cashews and a cup of water and blend until smooth, then pour it all back into the saucepan and turn on the heat.
Add the tofu cubes and let the sauce come to a boil. Stir in the garam masala.
If your sauce feels too thick at any time, thin it out with water. You want a sauce that's thick enough to coat the tofu. Let the curry cook another five minutes on medium-low heat.
Stir in the lemon juice. Add salt and ground black pepper, if needed, and turn off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice.
Serve hot with naan, roti, paratha or rice.

Nutrition