You’ve probably noticed that Isaac and I love Indian food. Typically we just go to Lehja when we’re craving it, but lately I’ve been on a mission to learn how to make some of my favorite dishes at home.
My first experiment was Gina’s channa masala recipe. It turned out to be delicious so this week I decided to try a vegan version of mattar paneer using tofu instead of the paneer. Paneer is a soft cheese with a similar consistency to tofu so I thought it would work out well.
Oh my goodness you guys… it turned out fantastic! I was so happy with the results and ended up having the mattar tofu for dinner that night as well as lunch and dinner the next day. It’s THAT good.
The tomato based sauce pairs nicely with the tofu cubes and the peas add a nice hint of sweetness. I had forgotten how much I love peas!
This meal totally takes me back to the days I used to buy Amy’s Organic Frozen Mattar Tofu meals. Honestly those meals are some of the only frozen meals on the market that I’ll buy, but this is even better because it’s home cooked. 🙂
Is it bad that I already want to make it again?!? I don’t think so.
Mattar Tofu (vegan + gluten free)
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz) package organic extra-firm tofu, cut into small cubes
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
- 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 Tablespoon garam masala
- 1/2 Tablespoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 bag frozen baby peas, thawed slightly
- fresh chopped cilantro, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Placed onion, ginger, garlic and cayenne pepper into the container of a blender or food processor along with ⅓ cup water and blend until the mixture turns into a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a large sauté pan. Once hot add tofu cubes in a single layer and stir-fry until golden. This shouldn’t take very long. Once golden place tofu cubes onto a plate and set aside.
- Carefully add the contents of the blender into the same sauté pan you used for the tofu. Just be very careful with this part as the paste may splatter. Cook, stirring constantly until the paste turns a light brown color (about 5-6 minutes).
- Add the garam masala, coriander, turmeric, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Stir and cook for a few minutes longer. Add in vegetable broth and peas, mix well and bring mixture to a boil.
- Cover, lower heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Lift cover and add the tofu cubes. Simmer ten minutes or until tofu and peas are heated through. Top with a little cilantro and serve with brown, basmati or jasmine rice.
Do you like Indian food? What’s your favorite dish?
This looks delicious! As a Pakistani, I love making healthier, yet just as delicious, versions of our dishes. I will definitely try this one out 🙂
This sounds amazing! I’m sending to Josh with the note, “Let’s have Indian sometime soon!”
This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂
http://www.mintnotion.com
Now I have a purpose for the block of tofu in my fridge.
I adore making Indian food, especially for the leftovers, as they are always better the next day!
I am so unbelievably excited to try this, Brittany! I am a major tofu fan, an Indian food lover, and am pea obsessed. I think it’s meant to be 😉
I’ve never actually had Indian food, but this may change my mind. It looks delicious!!!
I love Indian food! Especially saag–I make it in the crockpot and can eat it for a whole week 🙂
How much is a bag of peas?
Yum, yum, yum, yum! I have 80% of the ingredients and will be making this for dinner tonight!!! I just need to pick up some tofu and peas and I’m set. Thank you so much for sharing and for the beautiful photos!
Oh my!!! So tasty! I am actually not a huge Indian food fan, but I really loved this recipe. My husband and I were able to make it even with our jam-packed week nights.
By the way, since following “Eat to Live”, and basically trying to relearn how to cook, your website has been the most amazing find! You’ve helped me more than you know.
Woo-hoo! So glad that you enjoyed the mattar tofu! It makes me so happy to hear that my blog has helped you — that’s what EBF is all about. 🙂
By the way, the Superfood Energy Balls have been renamed in our house as little balls of heaven. Occasionally I make them with peanut butter instead of the almond butter and both versions are, well… little balls of heaven
Loved this recipe! Living alone, I often end up wasting a lot of food, so I try to half recipes. This one I decided not to and Im glad I didn’t. I’ve eaten it twice and am still not sick of it. Yum!
So glad that you liked this recipe, Amy. And hooray for tasty leftovers. I love cooking once and eating twice (or three times). 🙂
Palak Paneer, Gajar Ka Halwa, Pav Bhaji – I love them all!! 🙂 Changing Mattar Paneer to Mattar Tofu is an interesting idea about which I’m really curious – another inspiration in my bookmarks… I hope it will become my favourite, too, as it looks like a great (and tasty) last minute lunch idea. Honestly, if I was cooking the result never looked liked this – and definitely not in the pictures! For me it’s really important how I see the food I eat, creative dining events like this helped me a lot to realize this fact: the combination of an ordinary place and professional cooks revealed that creating a dish that looks delicious is easier than I thought and it’s all about the small details… Just like on these colourful photos!
Wow! That looks absolutely scrumptious. I def have pinned it to my Go-To Food ideas board on Pinterest so thank you lady!
I finally got around to making this last week, and it was delicious. My husband, who claims he can’t stand tofu, had seconds and leftovers the next day!
Your comment made my day! I love finding recipes that can convert tofu haters. 🙂
I’m curious – where does the name “Mattar” come from in your Mattar tofu recipe-
that is my maiden name!
Debbie-
I think it’s Hindi (or Indian) for pea. 🙂
It is Urdu/Hindi for peas! Mattar is found in many of our dishes.
A native speaker 🙂