Palak Tofu (Vegan Palak Paneer)

5 from 1 vote

Palak Tofu (Vegan Palak Paneer)

From Dr. Sheil Shukla, "This palak (spinach)-based gravy proves that a gravy dish can be both hearty and refreshing ant the same time. It's vibrant in color (due in part to the ice cubes added after cooking the spinach) and light, as it contains no nut-based cream. I recommend using garlic with a heavy hand in this recipe; the spinach will love it, and I trust you will, too. If you prefer a creamier version, you can stir in some cashew cream. And you can try adding chickpeas instead of tofu, to make a dish known as palak chhole. Serve with Rotli, Paratha, or plain rice."

Republished with permission from Dr. Sheil Shukla and The Experiment Publishing.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings: people

Calories: 243kcal

Author: Jenn Sebestyen

Equipment

Ingredients

Spinach Gravy

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 yellow onion diced (about 2 cups/300 g)
½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
8 cloves garlic minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 green chili minced (plus more to taste)
3 cups packed, roughly chopped spinach (about 5 ounces/140 g)

Turmeric Tofu

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 block (14 oz/400 g) extra-firm tofu drained and pressed for 30 to 60 minutes and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground turmeric

To finish

1 teaspoon garam masala
juice of ½ lime (about 2 teaspoon) or to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a wide pan or braising pan over medium heat. Add the coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds and heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the onion and salt, and stir occasionally until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat between medium-low and medium to prevent the onions from browning too quickly.
Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili, and stir until very fragrant, 2 minutes. Add 1 cup (240 ml) water, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer.
Add the spinach, stir, cover, and continue to cook until it has just started to wilt, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl or blender, and stir in 4 to 6 ice cubes to cook quickly.
Blend until smooth. This gravy can be chunkier or smoother according to your own preference. Set aside.
To prepare the tofu, heat the oil in a large, wide nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the tofu and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally until the tofu is lightly browned on most sides, about 10 minutes. stir in the turmeric until the tofu pieces are evenly coated.
Pour the spinach gravy into the pan. Bring to a brief simmer over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the garam masala and lime juice and adjust the salt to taste.

Notes

~ Use super firm or extra firm tofu for best texture and don't forget to press the tofu!

~ Use fresh garlic and ginger for most aromatic flavors.

~ If you don't have coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds, use the garam masala spice blend instead. Adjust to taste.

~ Don't skip the ice! It will help the spinach keep it's bright green color!

~ Finish with a squeeze of lime to balance the flavors.

~ To make this recipe soy-free, use a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas instead of the tofu.

~ For a creamier version, soak ⅓ cup (50 g) cashew in hot water for 30 minutes, drain, then blend with ⅓ cup (80 ml) water until smooth. Add to the gravy in step 7 before simmering.

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