Indian Tofu Curry

When I’m back home, one of my favourite places to go is Sunset House.

They are a dive hotel (a hotel known for hosting scuba divers, not an actual dive, lol) and their bar is where I spent many a night in high school playing dominoes and drinking, and their restaurant is known for its amazing Indian food (even though it’s not actually an Indian restaurant). Their curries are amazing.

Well, on this most recent trip we definitely enjoyed a couple of curries there, and I loved how many vegetarian options they had. My favourite was their tofu curry, which is saying something because, if you know me, I find it hard to like tofu.

I can have it when it’s really well flavoured and I have found it hard, when making it at home, to get my tofu well marinated enough to hide the taste of – well – tofu.

But after having this curry I was determined to replicate the flavour when I got back to Vancouver so that my tofu curry cravings could be satisfied more than once a year! Here’s what I came up with…

Anna’s Indian Tofu Curry

INGREDIENTS (serves 4):

1 jar of biryani sauce, medium spiced, or try making this biryani sauce (it’s very good!)
1 package extra firm tofu, well pressed (I press the whole block, and then cut it into cubes and press the cubes!)
1 head broccoli, broken off into florets
1 head cauliflower, broken off into florets
2 large carrots, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas

For rice:
1 cup basmati rice
2-3 cups water
1 tsp curry powder
Pinch of saffron

Optional (to serve):
1 package pappadums (I like Patak’s)
Mango chutney
Greek yogurt mixed with some cucumber slices and lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make sauce, or if using a jar of store-bought sauce, open it!

2. Cut tofu into cubes, press again, and then pour sauce over tofu cubes in a shallow dish. Turn completely so tofu cubes are covered and leave to marinade for as much time as you can spare (maximum 1-2 hours).

3. Boil 3 cups water in a saucepan and add rice, curry powder and saffron. Turn down the heat so it is on a rolling boil and let cook.

4. Steam prepared vegetables in the order it takes them to cook. I steam broccoli and carrots first, adding cauliflower in after a few minutes. I then add peppers and mushrooms last. I don’t add the peas at this point.

5. When you feel that the tofu has marinated long enough, spray a frying pan with some cooking spray (or use oil) and scoop tofu cubes out of marinade and into frying pan. Cook until seared on at least two sides. Add to steamed vegetables and put to one side for a moment.

6. Add sauce to a large saucepan and then stir in tofu and vegetables and frozen peas. Stir until comes to a light simmer, then taste for seasoning. If you want to adjust by adding salt, pepper or herbs do so now.

7. When rice is cooked, spoon some onto a plate and then ladle curry next to it. You can also cook the pappadums according to package instructions now (usually just 30 seconds in the microwave) and then serve any optional sides with your curry. Enjoy!

Nutritional information per serving if serves 4:

Nutritional information courtesy of caloriecount.about.com