Vegetarian Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 blocks extra-firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 0.5 teaspoon salt — for tofu
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter — or olive oil
• 1 large onion — diced small
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger — grated; or 1 tsp dried
• 2 cloves garlic — minced
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt — for sauce
• 3 ounces tomato paste
• 1 can (13.5 oz) full fat coconut milk

Method

1. Press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in paper towels. Place a plate or pan on top of the wrapped tofu, and put a couple of heavy books on top of that. Let the tofu press for 20 minutes. ⏱ 20 min timer
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Slice the tofu into about 6 slices. Now, rip each slice into medium-large pieces. You can also simply cut them into cubes, if you prefer, but ripping gives the tofu a great texture for this dish.
4. Add the tofu pieces to a large ziplock bag, along with the olive oil, cornstarch and salt. Close the bag, and shake gently to coat.
5. Arrange the tofu evenly on the prepared pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and crispy. ⏱ 30 min timer
6. While the tofu bakes, prepare the sauce: Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion for 3-4 minutes in the butter, then add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the spices, salt, tomato paste and coconut milk. Stir until smooth and combined, then simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. ⏱ 15 min timer
7. When the tofu is done baking, add it to the sauce and stir to coat the pieces. Serve over rice with Easy Vegan Naan. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes