⚠️ Untested Recipe: This recipe hasn’t been tested yet. Measurements and instructions may need adjustment.

A classic Indian restaurant dish - spicy masala sauce with pan-fried tofu and bell pepper. “Kadai” refers to the wok-like pan it’s traditionally cooked in. The original uses paneer, but tofu works great as a vegan alternative. You can also use chickpeas.

Ingredients

Main

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 400 g firm tofu, cubed
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped

Sauce

  • 4 tomatoes, chopped (or 4 dl crushed tomatoes)
  • 2 green chilies, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 0.5 dl cashews
  • 1 dl water

Spices

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 0.5 tsp garam masala
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric
  • 0.5 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt

To serve

  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
  • rice or roti/chapati

Instructions

  1. Fry tofu: Heat oil in a pan and fry tofu and bell pepper until nicely colored. Transfer to a plate. (You can also skip this step and just add them directly to the sauce.)

  2. Make sauce: Blend tomatoes, green chilies, ginger, cashews and water until smooth.

  3. Toast spices: Heat oil in the pan. Fry cumin seeds until colored. Add coriander, garam masala, turmeric and chili powder. Fry for 1 minute.

  4. Combine: Add the fried tofu, bell pepper and tomato purée. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt.

  5. Serve: Top with fresh coriander. Serve with rice or roti/chapati.

Notes

Restaurant test: This dish is a good measure of an Indian restaurant’s quality - it’s simple to make well if you know how.

Protein options: Traditional kadai paneer uses paneer cheese. For vegan, use firm tofu or chickpeas.

Source: Indian Enough