If you’ve been here for a while, you know that I love tofu, especially in flavor-loaded dishes like crispy Air Fryer Tofu, Mango-Chipotle-Glazed Tofu, Lemon-Glazed Tofu and Chilli Tofu. Another one of my favorite recipes to make with tofu is this vegan Kadai Tofu Paneer, where the tofu stands in for the Indian cottage cheese, paneer. Paneer looks a lot like tofu but has a flavor and mouthfeel that’s creamier, like cottage cheese. But tofu makes a good substitute in most Indian dishes calling for paneer, especially when there’s a flavorful sauce that it can soak up, and I love using this technique in recipes like Palak Tofu “Paneer”. When substituting paneer, use extra-firm tofu, with as much water pressed out of it as possible, but of late I’ve really been loving this high-protein tofu at Trader Joe’s that’s very firm and holds its shape beautifully in saucy dishes. That’s what I used in my Kadai Tofu “Paneer.” A “kadai” is an Indian wok, and when you see a dish labeled with this prefix, you can be sure it’s a stir-fry or saute of vegetables or meat sauteed in a wok with spices, not unlike the balti cuisine of England. You should make this recipe in a wok, although if you don’t have one, a large saucepan would work too. This is an incredibly simple dish: all you need to do is saute tomatoes, add a few onions or shallots with ginger and spices, and then finish it off with the tofu cubes. It took me under 30 minutes to make, and the best part is, you really don’t need anything special to serve it with. Rice or roti or naan all work, or you can even serve it with a good bread, like a sourdough. Check to get new recipe updates by email.
The recipe for the “kadai” spice mix makes enough to last you at least for two uses, so you can make some and store the rest in an airtight jar for another use. I can also certify this is a kid-friendly and kid-approved recipe. Jay couldn’t have enough of it, and he especially loved the tofu cubes, which was quite something because in the past getting tofu down his gullet has been a challenge. If you try this recipe, be sure to let me know how it turned out for you.
More Indian tofu recipes
Oven-blackened Tandoori Tofu Tofu Tikka Masala Tofu Curry Tofu Makhani Vegan Butter Chicken
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