Tofu Jalfrezi
My tofu jalfrezi is made with smoky onions and peppers and crispy tofu cubes in a spicy tomato sauce. It's quick and easy to make, and tastes like it came from a restaurant!
Servings: 3
Calories: 418kcal
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, or as needed, divided
- 1 (16 ounce/454 gram) package super firm tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup cornstarch, or as needed
- 1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 serrano pepper (optional), minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, or to taste (Note 1)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Cooked basmati rice, for serving
Instructions
- Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with about 4 tablespoons of oil. You want a depth of about ⅛ inch. Place the skillet over medium heat.
- While the oil heats up, place the cornstarch into a bowl and add the tofu cubes. Lightly dredge each tofu cube in the cornstarch.
- Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the tofu cubes in an even layer. Make sure to leave a bit of space between them to prevent them from sticking together. Cook the tofu for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer them to a plate when done.
- If the skillet is dry, add another tablespoon of oil (Note 2). Turn the heat up to medium-high and give the oil a minute to heat up, then add both bell peppers and the onion. Cook the peppers and onion for about 4 minutes, until the onion starts to soften and brown, and the peppers brighten in color and begin to blister.
- Push the peppers and onions to the side. Add the garlic, ginger, serrano pepper, paprika, coriander, cumin seed, ground cumin, and turmeric. Cook the mixture for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until very fragrant.
- Stir in the tomatoes, then the Kashmiri chili powder and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.
- Add the tofu back into the skillet and gently stir until it's coated in the sauce.
- Remove the skillet from heat and add the garam masala, then season the mixture with salt to taste. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
- Divide onto plates and serve with rice.
Notes
- Kashmiri chili powder will add heat, so leave it out or adjust the amount if preferred. If Kashmiri chili powder isn't available, you can use cayenne pepper, but keep in mind that it is much hotter and you will probably want to reduce the amount. If you're unsure how much to use, hold off until the dish is nearly finished, then add it to taste.
- The tofu will probably have absorbed all of the oil. If there is some left, adjust the amount of oil you add at this point. You'll need about a tablespoon to cook the peppers and onions. The amount doesn't need to be precise — you can eyeball it.
- Nutrition information does not include rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 992mg | Potassium: 770mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2108IU | Vitamin C: 96mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 4mg