Vegan MoFo #5: Matar Tofu

I never tried Indian food until I went vegetarian. I was missing out. I know a lot of people who have never tried it. Again - missing out! This is a very easy curry recipe and if you have never made Indian food at home this is good place to start.  This is also very mild so if you like it spicy you can add more cayenne.

This comes from the wonderful World Vegetarian Classics by Celia Brooks Brown. If you are interested in exploring the many diverse cuisines of this planet then this is a good book to start your journey. There is a lot of great cultural information and the recipes generally are adapted to use ingredients you can easily find here at home.

This dish is traditionally made with cubed paneer, an Indian cheese that retains its shape even when fried. Tofu is the perfect vegan substitute.

Matar Tofu

Adapted from World Vegetarian Classics

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound extra firm tofu, cubed
1 medium onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cup coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
Pinch of cayenne, or more to taste
2 cups tomatoes, diced small
2 cups frozen peas
Cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubed tofu and fry until most sides are browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and sauté onions until softened. Add garlic and ginger and stir for 1 minute. Add a splash of the coconut milk, spices, and salt. Stir for one minute. Add the remaining coconut milk and tomatoes. Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the peas and fried tofu. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve over rice, garnished with the cilantro.