[Malaysian Recipes] Palak Tofu

A lot of Indian recipes are already vegan, or are super easy to veganize. Palak paneer is usually made with cottage cheese, so how do we turn palak paneer into a vegan dish? Simple! Replace the cottage cheese with tofu and turn it into palak tofu instead.

Palak tofu isn’t that much different from palak paneer. It looks the same, and even the texture is pretty similar. I also added a little bit of coconut cream to make this spinach curry a bit creamier. Personally, I really enjoy this dish with some basmati rice and Indian bread (try it with this gluten-free garlic roti)

Sprinkle some nutritional yeast, salt and pepper the tofu before putting it into the oven

Start cooking the spinach

Fry the cumin seeds, onion, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper for a few minutes

Add one tomato and cook some more

Let the spinach cool down in cold water

Blend everything together

Add the spices to the pan with some oil 

Add mix it together

Then, add the spinach and tomato paste

Stir well

The tofu is ready

Add the tofu to the pan

Ready to serve

HOW TO MAKE PALAK TOFU

Preheat the oven at 400°F (200°C). Cut the tofu into cubes, place them on baking paper and sprinkle some nutritional yeast, salt and pepper over the tofu. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until they have a light golden brown color. Turn them over halfway.


Meanwhile, bring a pot to a boil and add the washed spinach leaves. Cook for about five minutes, take the spinach out, rinse with some cold water and set aside.


Cut the onion, garlic, ginger and chili peppers. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil (I used coconut oil) in a frying pan. When heated, add the cumin seeds together with the onion, garlic, ginger and chili peppers.


Cook for about 3 minutes on medium high heat. Next, add the chopped tomato and cook it until the tomato gets soft. Remove from heat and let it cool down.




Once cooled down, put everything in a food processor or blender together with the spinach and a splash of water. Mix into a smoothe paste.


Using the same frying pan, heat 1 more tablespoon of oil and add all the spices and salt. Mix it all together before adding in the spinach paste. Also add the coconut cream and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.


When the tofu is nicely baked, mix it well with the curry and remove from heat. Serve with basmati rice or Indian bread. Optional: garnish the palak tofu with a swirl of coconut cream and some chili flakes.




PALAK TOFU

PREP TIME 20 mins
COOK TIME 35 mins
TOTAL TIME 55 mins

COURSE Main Course
CUISINE Indian


SERVINGS 5


14.1 oz spinach (400 g)
1 tomato
13.2 oz tofu (375 g)
3 chili peppers
8 garlic cloves
1 red onion
1 inch ginger
5 oz coconut cream (150 ml)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
3 tbsp cooking oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
1½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven at 400°F (200°C)
2. Cut the tofu into cubes, place them on baking paper and sprinkle some nutritional yeast, salt and pepper over the tofu (you can also add a bit of oil if you want to). Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until they have a light golden brown color. Turn them over halfway.
3. Bring a pot to a boil and add the washed spinach leaves. Cook for about five minutes. 
4. Rinse the spinach with some cold water and set aside.
5. Cut the onion, garlic, ginger and chili peppers.
6. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil (I used coconut oil) in a frying pan. When heated, add the cumin seeds together with the onion, garlic, ginger and chili peppers.
7. Cook for about 3 minutes on medium high heat. Next, add the chopped tomato and cook it until the tomato gets soft. Remove from heat and let it cool down a bit.
8. Put everything in a food processor or blender together with the spinach and a splash of water. Mix into a smoothe paste.
9. Using the same frying pan, heat 1 more tablespoon of oil and add all the spices and salt. Mix it all together before adding in the spinach paste. 
10. Also add the coconut cream and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
11. When the tofu is nicely baked, mix it well with the curry and remove from heat.
12. Serve with basmati rice or Indian bread. 
13. Optional: garnish the palak tofu with a swirl of coconut cream and some chili flakes.

NOTES

TOFU

Make sure to press the tofu first to remove some of the moisture.
Instead of baking the tofu in the oven, you can cook it in a frying pan with some vegan butter. I really recommend trying it this way too! Season the tofu with salt, pepper and nutritional yeast. Heat 1 tbsp of vegan butter in a frying pan, and cook the tofu until all pieces have a golden brown color.SPICY
If it's too spicy, add more coconut cream.

This recipe and image sources are referred in website: Mygreenpassion.com. Thanks so much!