Pahadi Curry (1 Pan North Indian Mountain Tofu Cardamom Pepper Curry)

5 from 8 votes

Pahadi Curry (1 Pan North Indian Mountain Tofu Cardamom Pepper Curry)

Pahadi curry — crispy tofu in a flavorful cardamom pepper onion curry sauce — is an amazing, one-pan meal! Vegan version of a deeply seasoned North Indian mountain cuisine Pahadi mutton. 1 Pan 40 minutes, gluten-free recipe. Options for Soyfree Nutfree

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: biscuits, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: pahadi curry

Servings:

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the tofu “mutton”

14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu pressed for at least 15 minutes and torn into bite size, 1” pieces
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste or use 2 cloves of garlic, minced, and 1/2” of ginger, minced
1 tablespoon non-dairy yogurt or non dairy cream
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca starch

For the sauce

2 teaspoons oil divided
2 black cardamom pods broken or opened up slightly
8 black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
1 1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt divided, or more, as needed
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste or use 6 cloves garlic minced and 1 inch ginger minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste or tomato ketchup
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt
1 cup non-dairy milk or water

For garnish

fresh cilantro

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the tofu “mutton”.

Press and tear the tofu, if you haven't already. Then, add it to a bowl along with the ginger-garlic paste and yogurt. Toss to coat. Mix the spices and cornstarch in a small bowl and sprinkle all over. Toss again to coat the tofu really well.
Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the tofu and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir and flip occasionally to crisp all of the edges. Remove the tofu from the skillet, and set it aside.
If you're baking the tofu, just transfer the coated tofu to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400° F (205° C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Make the sauce.

Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the same skillet over medium heat, then add the whole spices and cook for a minute, or until the cloves and black cardamom are fragrant. (Reserve a few peppercorns for garnish later optional )
Mix in the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, until the onion is golden. Add splashes of water, to help the onion cook evenly..
Then, mix in the ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, and Kashmiri chili powder. Cook for 10-15 seconds. Then, add the tomato paste, almond flour, and nondairy yogurt, and mix very well. Now, mix in the non-dairy milk and another 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Cover the pot with the lid and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling evenly, open the lid taste and adjust salt and flavor, and continue to simmer covered for another 5 minutes. Then, fold in the tofu and remove the pan from the heat.
Garnish with cilantro (and reserved toasted peppercorns) and serve with naan, roti, or rice.
Store refrigerated for upto 3 days. Freeze for upto 2 months. Reheat in a skillet or microwave.

Video

Notes

This recipe is naturally gluten-free. It’s also coconut-free, as long as your non-dairy yogurt and milk don’t contain coconut.

To make this soy-free, use chickpea tofu, pumpkin seed, tofu or soy-free tempeh. You can also use seitan or other soy-free chicken substitutes.

To make this nut-free, omit the almond flour and make sure to choose nut-free non-dairy yogurt and non-dairy milk.

Nutrition