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    Home » main course:India

    Malai Tofu Curry – Vegan Malai Paneer

    Published: Nov 3, 2021 by Richa 33 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    Malai Tofu – a simple Indian weeknight curry with tofu “paneer” in a thick spiced tomato coconut milk sauce. Serve with naan and/or rice for a delicious plant-based dinner. Soy-free option included.

    overhead shot of a serving of malai tofu curry served with a side of quartered naan

    This quick vegan malai Tofu curry is my spin on a regular restaurant-style creamy Paneer malai.  Another one to add to the options for Diwali! The word “malai” means cream and while traditionally, heavy cream is used for the cream component of the dish, I use coconut milk in this recipe. The sauce usually has some texture from soaked nuts and I use almond flour for the added texture which reduces all the steps for soaking and then blending the nuts. Another difference from the restaurant favorite would be that this recipe uses pan-fried tofu instead of paneer cheese to make this dairy-free. Crisped extra firm tofu is a great stand in in the delicious sauce!

    Indian malai tofu curry with coconut cream in a sauteeing pan

    Indian cooking isn’t hard once you get to set yourself up with all the required spices and this recipe is especially simple.  Tofu is so forgiving and there are no delicate veggies added so no need to be careful about overcooking anything. This meal is also great for making ahead of time.

    I like to use extra-firm tofu for this malai tofu recipe and press it for an half an hour before cooking. If you want, you can even press overnight. Simply wrap the tofu in a towel and place a heavy object on top to press.

    Once your tofu is pressed and cut into cubes, coat it with a mix of cornstarch, garam masala, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and then pan fry to crisp.

    tofu malai curry drizzled with coconut cream served with a side of naan bread

    More Restaurant Style dishes from the blog

    • Gobi Do Pyaaza
    • Indian Butter Tofu. GF
    • Bombay Potato and Peas
    • Tofu Pasanda
    • Tofu in Spinach Curry – Saag Tofu
    • Vegetable Jalfrezi – Veggies in smoky tangy curry
    • Gobi Broccoli Makhani
    • Tempeh Tikka Masala

    tofu malai curry served with rice and bread
    Print Recipe
    5 from 14 votes

    Malai Tofu ( Vegan Malai Paneer)

    Malai Tofu - a simple Indian weeknight curry with tofu in a thick spiced tomato coconut milk sauce. Serve with naan and/or rice for a delicious plant-based dinner. Soy-free option included.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: creamy tofu curry, tofu malai curry
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 416kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    • 14 ounce (396.89 g) firm or extra firm tofu pressed for 15 minutes and cubed
    • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 tsp cornstarch or tapioca starch
    • 1 teaspoon oil

    For the sauce:

    • 1 tablespoon vegan butter or oil
    • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
    • 4 cloves garlic minced or 2 teaspoons paste
    • 1 inch ginger minced or 2 teaspoons ginger paste
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
    • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
    • 2 bay leaves
    • a good pinch of cinnamon
    • 1/4 cup (60 ml) tomate paste
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt divided
    • 15 ounce can (425.24 g) full-fat coconut milk reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut cream for garnish, or use cashew milk
    • 3 tablespoons almond flour
    • cilantro and pepper flakes for garnish

    Instructions

    • Press and cube your tofu if you haven't already then add to a bowl. Sprinkle the Garam masala, garlic powder, starch and oil and toss well to coat.
    • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil then add your coated tofu and cook until it is crisped and golden on most of the edges. Remove from the pan and set aside

    Make the sauce.

    • Heat butter in the same skillet. Then add onion and a good pinch of salt and mix.Cook until the onions start to turn translucent.
    • Add in your garlic and ginger and mix well and continue to cook until the onion is evenly golden and the garlic and ginger are cooked.
    • Add in the spices, bay leaves, and another good pinch of salt and mix well.
    • Then add in your tomato paste, sugar, remaining salt, and mix well. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to help the tomato paste mix in.
    • Then cook until there's a sheen of oil on the tomato-onion mixture. It will take 2 to 3 minutes.
    • Then add in your almond flour and coconut milk and mix in. Bring it to a boil to mix all of the spices and tomato paste into the coconut milk.
    • Add in your crisped tofu. Mix gently then bring to a good simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for another 5 minutes or so.
    • Taste and adjust salt and flavor then take off heat.Garnish with the reserved coconut cream drizzled all over then cilantro and pepper flakes. You can also use cashew cream for the garnish or blended-up silken tofu.

    Video

    Notes

    Soyfree: To make this without soy, use 1 can of chickpeas and skip the crisping step.
    You can also use roasted vegetables in the sauce to make it soy-free.
    Nut-free: omit them almond flour 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Malai Tofu ( Vegan Malai Paneer)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 416 Calories from Fat 315
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 35g54%
    Saturated Fat 18g113%
    Sodium 443mg19%
    Potassium 546mg16%
    Carbohydrates 18g6%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 14g28%
    Vitamin A 391IU8%
    Vitamin C 13mg16%
    Calcium 190mg19%
    Iron 6mg33%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Ingredients:

    •  firm or extra firm tofu pressed for 15 minutes and cubed
    •  Garam masala and garlic powder
    • a dusting of cornstarch or tapioca starch created a crispy layer around the tofu cubes
    • For the sauce onions, garlic and ginger are sauteed in vegan butter to create the gravy
    • as for spices, we add a fragrant blend of ground cumin, coriander, cardamom, cayenne, bay leaves
      and cinnamon
    • tomato paste is added for umami along with some sugar to balance out the acidity
    • full-fat coconut milk lends the gravy its thickness and silky texture. Make sure to reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of the coconut cream for garnish. You can also use cashew milk instead of coconut milk
    • almond flour  is used as a thickener as well as for texture in the sauce
    • I use cilantro and pepper flakes for garnish but fresh chopped mint or even some chopped nuts will be amazing

    Tips:

    • To make this curry without soy, use 1 can of chickpeas and skip the crisping step
    • You can also use roasted vegetables in the sauce to make it soy-free
    • frozen peas (matar) are another great addition. Just stir them in in the end.

    ingredients needed for making tofu malai

    How to make Malai Tofu Curry:

    tofu cubes being fried in a sauteeing pan

    Press and cube your tofu if you haven’t already then add to a bowl. Sprinkle the Garam masala, garlic powder, starch and oil and toss well to coat.

    tofu cubes being sauteed in a s frying pan

    Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil then add your coated tofu and cook until it is crisped and golden on most of the edges. Remove from the pan and set aside

    onion sliced in a black sauteeing pan

    Make the sauce. Heat butter in the same skillet. Then add onion and a good pinch of salt and mix. Cook until the onions start to turn translucent.

    garlic and onion in a black sauteeing pan

    Add in your garlic and ginger and mix well and continue to cook until the onion is evenly golden and the garlic and ginger are cooked.


    onion and garlic being tempered with spices in a black skillet

    Add in the spices, bay leaves, and another good pinch of salt and mix well.

    Then add in your tomato paste, sugar, remaining salt, and mix well.

    tomato paste being added to onion garlic mix in a sauteeing pan

    Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to help the tomato paste mix in.

    Then cook until there’s a sheen of oil on the tomato-onion mixture. It will take 2 to 3 minutes.

    coconut milk, tomato paste and spice mix in a black frying pan

    Then add in your almond flour and coconut milk and mix in. Bring it to a boil to mix all of the spices and tomato paste into the coconut milk.

    gravy for Indian Tofu Malai curry in a black skillet

    Add in your crisped tofu. Mix gently then bring to a good simmer.

    Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for another 5 minutes or so.

    pan-fried tofu cubes in a black frying pan

    Taste and adjust salt and flavor then take off heat.

    tofu malai curry with coconut milk gravy

    Garnish with the reserved coconut cream drizzled all over then cilantro and pepper flakes.

    If you don’t have any coconut cream left, you can also use cashew cream for the garnish or even blended-up silken tofu.

    Indian Malai Tofu curry with naan bread on a white plate

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    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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    1. serialdeviant

      November 23, 2022 at 1:26 am

      I know this might be sacrilegious, but my daughter is allergic to coconut (and some tree nuts, including cashews, but not almond), so what can I use to replace coconut milk? Would it be better to use soy milk, or buy a soy-based cream instead?

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 23, 2022 at 5:13 pm

        Yes use a non dairy cream that is ok. Some oat milk mixed with a. Teaspoon of flour to thicken will also work or a bit of non dairy soy yogurt and water

        Reply
    2. S

      May 16, 2022 at 11:06 am

      5 stars
      LOVE this recipe and make it at least once a week. I’ve stopped putting the glaze on the pressed tofu before air frying (10mins at 300) due to time constraints, but it still tastes amazing!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        May 18, 2022 at 9:32 am

        great to hear!

        Reply
    3. Jo

      April 03, 2022 at 10:53 am

      5 stars
      First time making this and it definitely won’t be the last, it is delicious! Easy to make and I can’t wait to eat it again.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        April 06, 2022 at 10:51 am

        Excellent news Jo

        Reply
    4. Peg

      March 02, 2022 at 10:01 pm

      5 stars
      This dish is soo freakin’ delicious!!! I ate half of it for dinner and cannot wait to eat the rest tomorrow! I just love your cooking 🥰 You make everything so easy, accessible and flavorful! Thank you! ❤️

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        March 03, 2022 at 11:25 am

        hhaah, that’s great Peg

        Reply
    5. ines

      February 19, 2022 at 1:11 pm

      5 stars
      this is so delicious! highly recommend

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        February 22, 2022 at 8:56 am

        thank you for your great recommendation

        Reply
    6. Suzanne

      February 18, 2022 at 4:02 pm

      5 stars
      Another winner! Richa, your recipes are always a home run.Is there any way to save the recipes that we make from this site into a “saved” or “recipe box”? That would be a great feature.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        February 19, 2022 at 10:44 am

        thanks Suzanne, not at the moment.. but you’d love my cookbooks! https://www.veganricha.com/mybooks/

        Reply
      • Emma

        February 26, 2022 at 10:32 am

        So good!! I’m a total novice at cooking Indian food but this was totally non-intimidating and it came out soo good 🙂

        Reply
        • Richa

          February 26, 2022 at 11:22 am

          Yay!

          Reply
    7. Maia

      February 09, 2022 at 8:57 am

      5 stars
      I’ve tried this recipe a few times now and I love it so much! It’s going to be in regular rotation in our house from now on.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        February 13, 2022 at 6:12 pm

        some recipes you end up memorizing

        Reply
    8. Amy

      January 22, 2022 at 2:43 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks Richa! This was excellent. Will make again. I had trouble with the sauce. Subbed A/P flour and it clumped so I threw it in the vita mix. Problem solved and the sauce was silky smooth. This reminded me of a lovely neighborhood restaurant I used to frequent in the SF Bay Area. Thanks for all the feels!

      Reply
      • Richa

        January 22, 2022 at 3:19 pm

        Don’t use all purpose , just omit the almond flour. All purpose will get lumpy

        Reply
    9. Sarah

      January 17, 2022 at 2:08 pm

      This was absolutely delicious!! I used chicken instead of tofu and no sugar because I’m following Whole30. Wow. Using extra ghee didn’t hurt either!

      Reply
    10. Monica

      November 20, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious. I baked the tofu instead of pan frying

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 22, 2021 at 5:19 pm

        nice option Monica

        Reply
    11. Franny

      November 06, 2021 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe, Richa! Easy and satisfying. I love the spice blend you use here. My partner and I ate the whole thing! He cannot tolerate very spicy peppers (cayenne) so I subbed smoked paprika. Will definitely make again. Thank you! 🌺

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 08, 2021 at 11:17 am

        nice

        Reply
    12. HKG

      November 06, 2021 at 1:36 pm

      We can’t wait to try this! What is a good substitute for the almond flour?

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 06, 2021 at 5:59 pm

        You can just omit it nor add some coarse powdered pumpkin seed

        Reply
    13. Linda

      November 05, 2021 at 12:34 pm

      I’d give it a 6 star if I could! Absolutely delicious, easy recipe to follow, perfect amount of spiciness.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 05, 2021 at 1:50 pm

        wow! thanks, Linda =). I think that the 5 star didn’t click through it looks like

        Reply
    14. Lauren

      November 04, 2021 at 8:36 pm

      5 stars
      This was sooo good! I love this sauce and wasn’t sure if I could recreate it, but this is a great recipe. I had some extra cherry tomatoes to use up and I added a few cashews for texture, but other than that, I followed the recipe and am so thankful for it!

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 05, 2021 at 11:14 am

        Awesome

        Reply
    15. Anjali

      November 04, 2021 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      This dish is a crowd-pleaser! I added some lemon juice while it was cooking with the coconut milk and it was perfect.
      Thank you for these amazing recipes!

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 04, 2021 at 10:49 am

        Awesome!

        Reply
      • Cheryl

        February 03, 2022 at 4:36 pm

        5 stars
        Delicious!!! Love that it’s pretty quick, but tastes incredible.

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          February 05, 2022 at 10:02 am

          best of both worlds

          Reply

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