Tofu Tikka Masala
I try not to do too many Instant Pot posts as I’m not really a kitchen gadget gal, but I have found it to be an integral part of busy days in our home [infinite thanks to my MIL for spotting a need when didn’t even know we had!].
Pressure cooking allows me to make warm and rich homemade meals without the time commitment of stovetop cooking, but any of these recipes are easily adaptable to a covered-pot-on-the-stove setup.
This is by far the creamiest Indian dish I have ever made, and the tofu in particular saved well in the fridge. Both of my children absolutely loved picking the tofu out of this dish and ate every last bite we gave them at multiple meals (possibly multiple meals in a row… what can I say? Desperate times…).
I kept the ingredients list as basic as possible, but for anyone who has never made an Indian dish before, a trip to Penzey’s or Whole Foods might be a good idea. Prep time shouldn’t be too bad with the help of the IP and an immersion blender, but there are a lot of moving parts to this recipe. Additionally: do NOT forget to pull the cardamom pods and whole cloves prior to serving!
Tofu Tikka Masala
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 1/4 teaspoon curry powder we used Penzey’s Now Curry blend
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 16 ounces super firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cubed
For the sauce starter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon AP flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic, grated 5-6 cloves
For the sauce
- 1 onion
- 2 large tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 whole cloves
- 4 green cardamom pods
For the spice mix
- 1 teaspoon EACH: turmeric, salt, Penzey’s curry, and garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon asofoetida optional
- 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper powder
To finish
- 1/4 cup cream
- cilantro to top
Instructions
Prepare the tofu marinade
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Combine all of the spices in the tofu list.
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Pour the vegetable broth into a large tupperware container and whisk the spices into it.
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Place the cubed tofu into the broth and refrigerate until needed.
Sauté to make the sauce
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Turn the IP on sauté mode and add the olive oil and cumin. Toast, stirring constantly for about 1 min.
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Add the flour and ginger powder and sauté until golden brown. (2-3 more minutes.)
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Add the garlic and stir until it becomes fragrant, ensuring it does not burn. Turn the IP off.
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Dice the tomato and onion in a large bowl [if using immersion blender] OR slice and place in the bowl of a food processor. Sprinkle with salt, and cinnamon. Puree with immersion blender or food processor until it forms a paste. Add in the whole cloves and cardamom pods, but do not blend these.
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Add the sauce mixture into the IP and turn on sauté again. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
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Add the spice mix ingredients and stir often. Scrape the bottom of the IP to avoid a BURN reading during the pressure cooking stage.
Pressure cook and finish
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Add the tofu to the IP along with the broth and cook on HP for 5 minutes.
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Use natural pressure release and stir in cream. REMOVE cardamom pods and cloves.
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Serve with rice and top with cilantro.