Vegan Chicken Changezi (Tofu in tangy spicy tomato sauce)
Vegan Chicken Changezi - marinated baked tofu chunks are simmered in a rich, mild tomato coconut sauce to create a vegan version of the popular spicy chicken dish chicken changezi. Vegan & Gluten-free + Soy-free Option.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the “chicken” tofu:
- 14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu pressed for 10 minutes, see Soyfree options in notes
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or you can use finely minced ginger and garlic
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala or use amchur(dry mango powder)
- 1 teaspoon paprika or use 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
- 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce:
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 1/4 cups of chopped red onion or 1 medium/large onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or you can use finely minced ginger and garlic
- ½ hot green chili such as serrano finely chopped
For the spices:
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons water
- 1 cup canned tomato puree or unseasoned tomato sauce ,
- 1 cup coconut milk (Use atleast 1/2 cup coconut cream) , or 1/3 cup yogurt + 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves or omit if you don't have it
- 1 teaspoon vegan butter
For garnish:
- 1 green chili thinly sliced
- Generous pinch of chaat masala or garam masala
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Make the tofu chicken; press the tofu if you haven’t already then tear the tofu using your hands into organic shapes. Add the tofu to a bowl and add the ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, and oil and toss well to coat. To a small bowl add all the spices and cornstarch and mix really well. Sprinkle the mixture all over the tofu pieces and toss well to coat.
- Spread the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400ºF (205ºC) for 22-25 minutes until crispy to preference.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce; add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and a good pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is evenly golden brown. Keep stirring occasionally and add splashes of water to help the heat get conducted evenly so that the onions brown evenly. 8-12 minutes
- Add in the ginger garlic paste and green chili and mix well. Add all the spices and 2-3 tablespoons of water. Mix really well and cook for one minute to roast the spices and the ginger garlic paste. Mix in the tomato puree and coconut milk. Bring to a boil. (If you are using pureed crushed or fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomato puree, add just the tomato puree first and cook for 5-6 minutes to thicken a bit and then add the coconut milk.)
- Once the sauce is boiling consistently, mix really well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Then add in the fenugreek leaves, vegan butter, and the baked tofu. Toss well to coat and switch off the heat.
- Garnish with garam masala, chaat masala, cilantro, and sliced green chili. Serve with roti, Naan, flatbread or rice.
Video
Notes
- For a thicker sauce, Mix 1 teaspoon of flour into the coconut milk and then add it to the pan.
-Soy-free you can use other vegan chicken or chicken substitutes, seitan or chickpeas, or cauliflower or chickpea tofu. If using cauliflower bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked through. Then add it to the sauce.
If using chickpeas, marinate for about 5-10 minutes then add them to the sauce.
Soy curls (5-6 ounces); rehydrate the soy curls in hot broth and squeeze to remove excess moisture, then proceed with the recipe to marinate and bake.
Oil-free: omit the oil in the tofu. Sauté onion with 2-4 tbsp broth.
Nutrition
Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 802mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 2mg