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Vegan Butter Chicken, vegan recipe

Vegan Butter Chicken

Vegan butter chicken with crisp baked tofu in a silky, nut-free tomato and coconut sauce, ready in about fifty minutes without a blender.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the tofu
  • 2 blocks extra-firm tofu 14 to 16 ounces each; vacuum-sealed super-firm tofu can skip pressing
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil plus a little for the baking sheet
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala for the coating
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter or 2 more tablespoons neutral oil
  • 1 large onion finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 14 ounces; or 1 3/4 cups
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk 13.5 ounces; unsweetened
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or coconut sugar, to balance the tomato
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus wedges to serve
To serve
  • 4 cups cooked basmati rice or any rice you keep on hand
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped, optional

Method
 

  1. Press the tofu if it is the water-packed kind. Wrap each block in paper towels, set a plate on top, and weigh it down with a heavy pan or a stack of books for 20 minutes. If you bought the vacuum-sealed super-firm tofu, skip this and move straight to the next step.
  2. Heat the oven to 425F (220C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it with a little oil. Tear the pressed tofu into rough, bite-sized chunks instead of cutting neat cubes, since the ragged edges give the sauce something to cling to.
  3. Put the tofu in a bowl and sprinkle over the cornstarch, the garam masala, the salt, and the tablespoon of oil. Toss gently until every piece wears a thin, even coating, then spread the pieces out on the sheet with a little space between them so they roast instead of steam.
  4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the pieces once about halfway through, until they are golden at the edges and crisp enough to rattle on the pan. They will soften slightly once they go into the sauce, so let them get properly crisp here.
  5. While the tofu bakes, make the sauce. Melt the vegan butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, add the onion, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until it turns soft and translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 1 minute, just until the raw smell fades.
  6. Lower the heat and add the garam masala, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and tomato paste. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes, until the paste darkens from bright red to a deeper brick color and the spices smell toasted rather than raw. This step is what gives the sauce its body.
  7. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, scrape up anything stuck to the bottom, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the raw tomato flavor cooks out. If it starts to spatter, keep the heat low and stir often.
  8. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the coconut milk, the maple syrup, the salt, and the lemon juice. Adding the coconut milk away from direct heat keeps it from splitting. Return the pan to low heat and let the sauce warm through for 3 to 5 minutes without boiling.
  9. Fold in the baked tofu and let it sit in the sauce for a couple of minutes to soak up some color. Taste and adjust the salt, lemon, or maple syrup, then serve over basmati rice with cilantro and lemon wedges.

Notes

The tofu is the part worth getting right, since it sets the texture of the whole dish. Extra-firm or super-firm tofu works best, and the vacuum-sealed kind saves you the pressing step. Brands of coconut milk vary a lot in fat and thickness, so if yours pours thin, simmer the sauce a few minutes longer before the tofu goes in. Taste for salt right at the end, because tomato paste and coconut milk both swing from brand to brand. This recipe uses no cashews and no blender, so nothing needs soaking ahead of time.