Saag Gosht with Dry-fried Tofu

Ingredients

1 block extra firm tofu, dry fried

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium white onion, diced

2 large cloves of garlic

1 serrano chili, finely diced

1 inch fresh ginger, grated

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons coriander

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons garam masala, divided

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 C. tomato sauce

1 C. vegetable stock

12 oz chopped frozen spinach

¼ cup cashew cream*

For tofu marinade:

Juice of one lemon

½ teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper

2 teapsoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Cut tofu into six planks, press between layers of paper towels for an hour. (I used 2 cutting boards and my cast iron pan.)
2. In a dry cast iron pan, fry the tofu planks over medium heat until the tofu is golden brown on both sides.
3. Cut tofu into strips and coat in the lemon-cumin marinade. Set aside.
4. In cast iron dutch oven, sauté the onion, garlic, and chili in olive oil until translucent.
5. Add ginger and spices (reserve 1 teaspoon of the garam masala.) Saute until spices smell toasted.
6. Add tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste thickens and darkens
7. Add vegetable broth to deglaze the pan.
8. Add tofu strips, reserve the marinade
9. Add spinach and place in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and stir in reserved marinade, cashew cream and remaining garam masala.
11. Serve over rice.

The dry fried tofu method is from Thug Kitchen. The Saag Gosht recipe is from the Betty Crocker Indian food cookbook, which sounds like it shouldn’t be a thing but is one of the most useful home-cooking Indian cookbooks I own.

*Cashew cream is a seriously hippy ingredient, and in terms of calorie count it’s pretty much sixes with heavy cream. But it’s actually vegan, and a healthier fat, if you’re into that thing.