Kadai Tofu (Vegan)

Rohit Ghai

Rohit Ghai

5th January 2022
Rohit Ghai

Kadai Tofu (Vegan)

20 min

Kadai dishes, both vegan and non-vegan, are very popular in India.
It’s all about the spice mix, which is made with coriander seeds,
whole red chillies, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and black pepper.
If you don’t have a Kadai, you can use a wok or really any other pan.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
  • 150g (5oz) onions, finely chopped
  • 1 green chilli, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons Ginger/Garlic Paste
  • 300g (10oz) tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 2.5cm (1in) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
  • 2 tablespoons soya cream (optional)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 225g (8oz) tofu, soaked in warm water for 20–25 minutes, then cubed
  • 1 large green pepper, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
  • 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, crushed

To serve

  • chopped coriander leaves, to garnish
  • chapatis, to serve

For the Masala

  • 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 2 dried red chillies (more if you’d like the dish hotter)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Method

First, make the masala. In a small Kadai or pan, dry roast the spices for 3–4 minutes on a medium heat until fragrant. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, then grind half to a fine powder and leave the other half coarse. Set both aside.
Heat the oil in a pan that you can
subsequently, cover with a lid and add the coarse masala. Stir, then add the onions and sauté. until golden brown. Add the green chilli and the Ginger/Garlic Paste and sauté for a further 1–2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and tomato puree, stir,
then cook for around 6 minutes until the
tomatoes are really soft. Add 3–4 teaspoons of the fine masala (or add all of it if you like it spicy). Stir in the Garam Masala and Kashmiri chilli powder.
Add half the julienned ginger, cook for
30 seconds, then stir in 120ml (4fl oz) water. Add the soya cream (if using) and salt, and mix well. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the tofu and green pepper and mix
well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook
for 5–6 minutes on a medium heat until
the pepper has softened slightly.
Stir in the dried fenugreek leaves, along with the remaining julienned ginger and garnish with the coriander. Serve with chapatis.

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