It is officially cold! The kind of cold that you feel in your bones, the kind of cold that is gets you to a snowman or snowwoman posture in a minute if you stand still for a minute!! Funny thing is Viennese claim we are not quite there yet! I don’t know why I am so fascinated by the weather…the cold weather but hey I always was interested in climate changes!!
This veganized butter chicken is sure to become a new dinner favourite! It’s beautifully spiced and wonderfully creamy. The grilled tofu has a great texture, bursting with flavour, while the blended cashews and coconut milk add a velvety creaminess to this delicious curry. This is not a quick dinner but we ate it for a couple of days! Also, it is a butter chicken without the butter, and so much better than a take away one! Give it a go and let us know how you feel!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup raw cashews, soaked for 1 hour or at least 2 hours or overnight
- 450 gr extra firm tofu, pressed, cut into 1 cm cubes
- ½ cup (120 mL) unsweetened soy yogurt
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1½ Tbsp garam masala
- 1½ Tbsp ground coriander
- 1½ Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1⅔ cups canned diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup canned tomato paste
- ½ Tbsp agave syrup or homey
- 1⅔ cups canned coconut milk (light)
Method
- Soak the raw cashews in boiling water to soften. Set aside while chopping the vegetables.
- Preheat the oven to 205°C,
- In a bowl, combine the tofu, yogurt, garam masala, cumin, coriander, and turmeric.
- Transfer the tofu onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake the tofu in the centre rack of the oven for 15 – 20 minutes, turning every few 5 – 10 minutes for even cooking, and to keep an eye on it to prevent burning.
- To a large pot on medium-high heat, sauté the oil, garlic, onion, jalapeno, and ginger until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add splashes of water as needed to deglaze the pan.
- Add in the garam masala, coriander, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring throughout to toast the spices.
- To the pot, add the drained cashews, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, agave syrup, and coconut milk. Blend everything using an immersion blender or transfer to a standing blender to blend until smooth. Let simmer on low, and cover with a lid. Once the tofu is golden, remove it from the oven and add it to the pot. Give it a gentle stir, and serve with rice, naan, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, some plant-based yogurt, and some lemon wedges.
Enjoy!
