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Palak Tofu

South Asian · 45 min · Medium · 4 servings

Palak Tofu

A silky, deep green spinach curry with cubes of golden pan-fried tofu folded through it. All the comfort of palak paneer with none of the dairy.

~300 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.

gluten-freenut-freehigh-protein
Plan it:

Method

  1. 1

    Fry the tofu

    ⏱ 12 min

    Heat the oil for the tofu in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the tofu cubes until golden on several sides. Season with salt and set aside.

  2. 2

    Blanch the spinach

    ⏱ 3 min

    Drop the spinach into a pot of boiling water for one minute only, then lift it straight into cold water. This fixes the color — overcooked spinach turns the curry khaki.

  3. 3

    Blend the spinach

    Squeeze the spinach dry, then blend it with one green chili and a splash of water into a thick, smooth puree.

  4. 4

    Make the masala

    ⏱ 15 min

    Heat the oil for the gravy in the frying pan and fry the cumin seeds until they crackle. Add the onion and cook until golden, then the garlic, ginger and remaining chili. Stir in the coriander and turmeric, add the tomato, and cook until it breaks down and the oil separates.

  5. 5

    Combine

    ⏱ 5 min

    Stir the spinach puree into the masala and simmer for a few minutes only. Fold the tofu back in with the plant cream, garam masala and lemon juice, and season with salt.

Notes

Blanch-and-shock the spinach and keep its time in the pan short — that is the entire secret to a bright green palak. Blending it separately, rather than wilting it into the masala, gives the smooth texture.

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