Rich Tofu Curry without Coconut Milk

Step 1

Either use a tofu press or wrap your block of tofu in a kitchen towel or a few paper towels. Place a few heavy objects on top of it (I like to use my Dutch oven). Let it press anywhere for 30 minutes to 2 hours to get rid of excess moisture. I usually press it for 1 hour. Then, cut tofu into 1-inch cubes. (See photo in the blog post above for reference).

Step 2

Add the cubes to a medium mixing bowl and toss with garam masala, salt, and cornstarch.

Step 3

Heat a large frying pan or a stainless-steel pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and when it's hot, add the tofu. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. You may need to fry the tofu in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. When ready, remove the tofu from the heat and set aside.

Step 4

Next, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. When hot, add the diced onion and season with a pinch of salt. Saute over medium to medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes, or until brown and caramelized. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent burning. If the onion starts to burn at any point, add a generous splash of water and stir. When ready, the onion should be dark brown and caramelized (see photo in the blog post above for reference).

Step 5

Then, add the garlic, ginger, and red chili pepper and fry for an additional 1 minute, or until fragrant.

Step 6

Add the tomato paste and spices and toast for 1 minute, or until the tomato paste darkens in color and caramelizes.

Step 7

Pour the vegetable broth and scrape off any stuck pieces on the bottom. Add the tomato passata, add the cashews, and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.

Step 8

When most of the liquid has evaporated, use an immersion blender to blend the tomato-cashew sauce into a thick gravy. If you don't have an immersion blender, see my top tips in the blog post above for an alternative.

Step 9

Add the fried tofu to the gravy and stir to coat on all sides. Finally, finish with a generous handful of chopped fresh cilantro.