Tofu Vindaloo

Whenever Gerry and I go out for Indian food, he orders some kind of Vindaloo dish. Since I have been making more Indian food at home, we rarely go out for it anymore, but that doesn't mean he has to go without his Vindaloo. Since one of my vegan cookbooks had a recipe for Tofu Vindaloo and we haven't had tofu in a while, it sounded perfect.

I started by making a spice paste in a mini food processor. I then sauteed the tofu cubes in a skillet until golden brown on all sides and set them aside. I proceeded to saute some onion, carrot and red pepper in the same skillet before adding the spice paste. A can of tomatoes finally went in with some peas and some water and allowed to stew for 10 minutes or so. Finally the previously browned tofu went back in the pan and allowed to simmer for 10 minutes so the tofu could absorb the flavors from everything else. I served this over some basmati rice.


My menu for today was:

Breakfast - Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal with Slivered Almonds and Dried Cranberries
Lunch - Panzanella (Tuscan Bread Salad)
Dinner - Tofu Vindaloo over basmati rice



Tofu Vindaloo
Adapted from Vegan Planet

3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 16-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 cup water, or more as needed

In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, ginger, cardamom, coriander, cumin, mustard, cayenne, cinnamon, turmeric, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Process until smooth and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a medium-size bowl and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper, cover, and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and juice, peas, and water and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the tofu and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes so that the tofu can absorb the flavors of the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings. If the stew is too thick, add a little more water. Serve hot.


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