Tofu Curry

Are you the type who eats tofu just because it is healthier than paneer and not because you actually like it? Then here’s a recipe that you are sure to love. I have tried using tofu as a substitute in many paneer dishes. Honestly, it does not taste as good as paneer, but it isn’t that bad either.* Look for the baking tip at the bottom. the texture of the tofu changes completely once it has been baked.

My parents visited the local library and came back with two Indian cookbooks. My mother has been hooked to one of them, ‘Vegan Indian Cooking’ by Anupy Singla and has written down almost all the recipes from it. One of them was this tofu curry, which looked so yummy that I had to make it. I am quite sure that you will love it too.   

Ingredients

Diced onion – 1

Chopped ginger – 2 tsps

Chopped garlic – 2 tsps

Diced tomato – 1

Green chilies 1-2

Yogurt (soy yogurt for a vegan dish) – ½ cup

Garam masala – 2 tsp

Dried fenugreek – 1 tsp

Oil – 2 tbsps

Asafoetida – ½ tsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Turmeric pd – 1 tsp

Cinnamon stick  - 1

Cardamom pods – 2-3

Cloves – 2

Red chili pd – to taste

Water – ½ cup

14 oz pkg firm tofu (baked and spiced)

Cilantro for garnish

Method

Blend together the onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, and chilies. Transfer the ground mixture to a bowl, add yogurt, salt, garam masala, fenugreek leaves, and red chili powder. *I did not have fenugreek leaves at home, so I left it out.

Heat oil in a pan. Add asafoetida, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Cook for about 30 seconds or until the cumin seeds sizzle.

Add the yogurt mixture and the water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly.

Add the tofu and simmer for another 4-5 minutes, remove from heat and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with rice or rotis. Bon Appètit. 

*The author had provided a tip, to use baked tofu for a firmer, drier texture. I did not have enough time to do this step, so instead of baking the tofu, I broiled it for about 10 minutes.

Cut the tofu slab into ½ inch thick slices. Rub one side of the tofu with garam masala, place the slices with the plain side facing down, and bake in a 350^oF oven for about 15 minutes or broil on high for 10. Turn the slices over, rub with garam masala, and return to the oven for another 15/5 (broil) minutes. Remove, cut into small cubes, and use in the curry. Else, cool it and store in the refrigerator for about a week, or in the freezer for up to two months.  

Strawberry-Lemon Sharbat

The past month was unusually warm and it really didn’t start feeling like fall until maybe a week ago. Till then the leaves were quite confused with the high temperatures and weren’t sure whether to start changing colors or not. But now there are shades of yellow and red in our area, and it finally feels like fall.

I personally like fall, as it is pleasant and beautiful outside. But if you ask some of my friends, especially those who live in the colder parts of the nation, I am sure they will unanimously say that they prefer summer. Anyway, since strawberries are still available in the market, here’s a refreshing drink that could remind you of the warm summer days. I had a box of berries that were starting to spoil (doesn't mean that you should wait for the berries to spoil :-)) and it so happened that my mother came across a recipe for a strawberry-lemon sharbat in one of my cookbooks. So we decided to make it and the drink was absolutely delicious.

A sharbat is a drink prepared from fruit or flower petals and is usually served chilled. A concentrated sugary syrup is made and diluted with water and ice, to make a cold, refreshing drink.

Ingredients

Strawberries – 1 cup (approx.)

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp or to taste

Water – 1 cup (approx.)

Sugar to taste

Method

Wash and dice the strawberries. In a saucepan, add the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and water. Place on low to medium heat, stir, and allow to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. After the 15-20minutes, the berries would have cooked down and there will be a clear liquid at the bottom. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool for a bit. Using a cloth or metal strainer, strain the liquid into a container.

At this point, you can either discard the pulp or return it to the saucepan to make strawberry jam.

If you are making the jam, check the sweetness and add more sugar if required. Place on low heat and allow it to thicken into a jam-like consistency. Stir occasionally, and once it has reached the desired consistency, remove from the heat and let it cool. Once cooled, store in an air-tight container and refrigerate. Bon Appètit.  

Note: Wet the rim if the glasses, dip them in salt and then pour the drink. Sip, turn the glass, sip again, and enjoy the salty, tangy, sweet sharbat. 
This sharbat can also be made with other berries, berry-mix, mangoes, or oranges.
Recipe taken from 'World of the East-Vegetarian Cooking' by Madhur Jafferey