Did you know that tofu is one of the most hated foods in America? I’m honestly not surprised. Most folks turned off by tofu either haven’t even tried it or don’t know how to prepare it properly. At a glance, tofu appears a pale white flavorless blob sitting in cloudy brine. But as they say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Tofu has been eaten for over 2000 years for a reason, and in my humble culinary experience, the potential of tofu in plant-based recipes is endless. When I look at a block of tofu, I think of it as a blank canvas. You can shred and seasoning it for a crispy ground tofu perfect for sandwiches, salads, and bowls. You can marinate and grill it to serve with noodles. You can blend it for a creamy, protein-packed sauce or dressing. And in this recipe, we utilize one of my all-time favorite methods: pan-frying. The result - crispy golden brown crust with a juicy flavorful interior. This is one of my tried and true recipes. This tofu masala is one of my tried and true recipes, a definitive standby for when I’m looking for comfort paired with bold spice and complex flavor. Make this for everyone you know and they will love you (or at least really really like you). Ok, let’s get into this:
FULL RECIPE
Tofu Masala w/ Basmati Rice
ingredients
1 block extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and broken into 1-inch jagged pieces
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder
1 small red onion, finely diced
one 1.5-inch knob ginger, peeled and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Fresno chiles, seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 can (15.5oz) full fat coconut milk, whisked in a bowl until creamy smooth
1 cup basmati rice, cooked per package instructions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Kosher salt, oil, water as specified below in the preparation instructions
preparation
add your tofu chunks to a medium to large glass storage container. pour the soy sauce and 1 tablespoon avocado oil over. place a lid on the container and shake to evenly coat the tofu. remove the lid, add the cornstarch, place the lid back on, and shake until all pieces are evenly coated.
place a medium nonstick pan over medium heat and allow to warm 3 minutes. add 3 tablespoons avocado oil and warm 20 seconds. place half the tofu chunks in the pan and spread out so that no piece is touching another. allow to fry undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes. use tongs to flip each of the tofu pieces to the other side and fry another 2 to 3 minutes (NOTE: if you try to lift the pieces following the first 4 to 5 minutes and they don’t come off the bottom of the pan, allow them to fry for longer; the pieces will separate from the bottom as long as they are fried enough). fry the second batch of tofu and set all pieces aside.
immediately after removing all the tofu, add the cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and Kashmiri chile powder to the pan and stir into the oil to bloom the spices for about 20 to 30 seconds. add the onion, ginger, garlic, and Fresno chile with 3 to 4 pinches Kosher salt and stir into the oil. allow to cook 1 to 2 minutes. add the tomato paste, season with another 2 pinches salt, and stir the tomato paste into the aromatics and spices. cook 2 minutes. pour in the coconut milk and 1 cup water. add another 2 pinches Kosher salt and stir together. use an immersion blender and blend all the ingredient in the pan until the sauce turns creamy and smooth. cook down 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens to your preferred consistency (alternatively, you can skip the immersion blender, cook the sauce down, then pour into a standalone blender and blend until creamy). taste the sauce for seasoning and add more Kosher salt if needed (add in pinches and taste after each seasoning).
serve the crispy tofu over basmati rice and pour the sauce from the pan over top to cover completely. garnish with fresh cilantro, serve, and enjoy 🙏
