Tofu Tikka Masala

Ingredients

For the sauce

• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 2½ tablespoons coconut or avocado oil
• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons ginger, finely grated or crushed
• 2 green chillies, crushed or finely chopped (optional)
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander/cumin mix
• ½ cup water
• handful fresh coriander, chopped

For the tofu marinade

• 1 pack (approx. 400 g) extra firm tofu
• 3 tablespoons plain coconut yogurt (unsweetened)
• 4 tablespoons avocado oil (1 tablespoon for cooking the tofu)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ¼ inch fresh ginger, grated or crushed
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed

Method

The tofu preparation always comes first with this recipe. One of the most important steps is to drain the liquid out of the tofu: Place the tofu in between a muslin/dish cloth and place a weight on top (such as a tin of beans) and leave for 45 minutes.

Place all of the ingredients for the tofu marinade in a large bowl, leaving out 1 tablespoon oil and mix together making a thick marinade.

Once the tofu preparation has been done, cut the tofu into small cubes. Add the tofu to marinade and coat evenly. Leave in fridge for a minimum of 45 minutes, the longer the better. A few hours or overnight gives a deeper flavour.

To prepare the curry sauce, heat the coconut or avocado oil in a pan on a medium heat. Add the cinnamon and cumin seeds and wait for seeds to sizzle and pop.

Add the onion and cook on a medium to low heat until onions are browned. This may take up to 5-7 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies (if using) and cook for around 1 minute.

Add the ground coriander/cumin and cook for a further minute, stirring.

Add the tomatoes and salt, stir and cook on lower heat for around 15-20 minutes, until you have a nice thick sauce. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.

Once cooled, place the sauce in a blender (I used a Nutribullet) and blend until totally smooth. Return the tikka sauce to saucepan. Taste and add salt if necessary and a little water if the consistency is too thick.

Heat a frying pan to a medium heat, brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of avocado oil all around pan and add the tofu (depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in two batches). Cook until tofu is browned and lightly roasted on both sides. This usually takes around 8-10 minutes, turning halfway.

Heat up the sauce and add the roasted tofu pieces to the sauce just before you’re ready to serve. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and enjoy with rice or roti/chappati. Yum!

Notes

• The cinnamon and cumin are extremely important ingredients for the tikka masala flavour. Do not replace these with something else.
• Draining the tofu is key to getting the flavour of the spices in this dish. The longer, the better.
• You can replace the water in the sauce with vegetable stock.