Tofu is an inexpensive meat substitute that packs lots of nutrition. I did not grow up eating tofu but as a chef have enjoyed learning how to cook with it. Plain tofu can become extremely tasty once you add certain combinations of spices, herbs, and vegetables.

Today I present my take on spinach tofu. The key element is a puréed spinach seasoned with ginger, garlic, garam masala, and other spices. If you’ve ever heard of palak paneer, it’s a bit like that. I use tofu, however, and dust it with cornstarch and white pepper powder before frying it until crispy on the outside.

This dish has a lot of flavor! Although I use tofu below you could make this with another type of protein such as various types of beans or meats.

Ingredients

Tofu

1 14 oz container tofu
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs canola oil

Curry

1 lbs fresh spinach, wash and cut into 1 inch long
1 cup water
2 tbs canola oil
1 cup yellow onion, grated or process in food processor
1/2 tbs ginger, minced
1/2 tbs garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
1/3 cup heavy cream

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 20200610_154848.jpg — Ingredients for the curry

Instructions

Tofu

Drain and pat dry tofu well. Cut tofu into 16 equal cubes.

Mix cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle over tofu. Gently coat the tofu in the cornstarch mixture.

Heat 1 tbs oil in a large nonstick deep frying pan. Fry half of the tofu till lightly brown on all sides. Try not to overcrowd. Repeat with the remaining 1 tbs oil and rest of the tofu. Transfer to a plate. Set aside.

Curry

Place spinach and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Cover and cook the spinach till wilted in medium-high heat. It should take around 4-5 minutes to wilt. Puree mixture in a blender. Set aside.

Be careful while blending hot food!