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tofu eggplant curry in th pan with cilantro
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4.91 from 10 votes

Tofu Eggplant Curry

Rich, cumin, black cardamom scented Indian Tofu eggplant curry. Spicy crispy eggplant and tofu with Onion Coconut cardamom sauce. serve with naan, or rice. Gluten-free
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: eggplant and tofu curry, tofu eggplant curry
Servings: 4
Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the tofu and the eggplant:

  • 7 ounces firm or extra firm tofu pressed for at least 15 minutes and then torn into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 cups sliced eggplant (baby eggplant preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste or 3 cloves of garlic, minced and 1/2” piece of ginger, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or use paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or other starch
  • 1 teaspoon oil

For the sauce:

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 black cardamom pod, broken open, or use green cardamom
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, Red onion, chopped small
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons shredded coconut
  • 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste , or 5 cloves of garlic minced, 1 inch ginger minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or Indian chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt or used non-dairy cream of choice
  • 1 1/2 cups of water

For garnish:

  • cilantro and lime juice
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Crisp up Tofu and eggplant: Press and tear up the tofu, if you haven't already, and set it aside. Also slice the eggplant, if you haven't already. No need to peel the eggplant, if you're using the smaller or the Japanese variety. If it's a larger eggplant, then peel and slice it.
  • Add the tofu and eggplant to a bowl, then add the ginger-garlic paste and toss to coat. If you’re using minced ginger and garlic, add that and also add in 1/2 a teaspoon or more of lime juice to help wet the tofu and eggplant. Then mix the spices and cornstarch in a small bowl and sprinkle that all over. toss well to coat.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and once the oil is hot drop the tofu and eggplant mixture evenly all over the skillet. Cook on one side for 2 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook the other side. Stir occasionally to make sure that none of the pieces are getting too brown. Once the eggplant is crisped up on most of the edges, remove the tofu and eggplant from the skillet and set it aside. This whole step can take anywhere from 8 to 12 minutes.
  • Make the sauce: Heat another teaspoon of oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and mix for a few seconds. Then, mix in the rest of the whole spices. Continue to cook until the cumin seeds and the black cardamom are fragrant.
  • Add the onion and the salt into the pan. Mix and cook until the onion is golden, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Add in the almond flour, shredded coconut, ginger-garlic paste, cayenne, and coriander. Mix and press and to break down any almond flour lumps as well as to mix the ginger-garlic paste. Cook for a minute or two to roast the almond flour and shredded coconut, then add in the tomato paste and yogurt. Mix the tomato paste in, adding in a few tablespoons of water, if needed, to help the tomato paste mix in.
  • Add in the rest of the water, mix really well, and cover the skillet with the lid. Bring the sauce to a good boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Open the lid, taste and adjust salt and flavor. I usually add another bit of salt at this point. If the sauce is too thick, you can add in more water or some non-dairy milk. Then, fold in the tofu and eggplant. (I usually fold in about two thirds of the tofu and eggplant, then put the rest of the tofu and eggplant on top of the sauce for serving. It also looks great this way!) Simmer for a minute, then switch off the heat.
  • Let the dish sit for another 2 to 3 minutes for the flavors to meld and the sauce to infuse some of the tofu and eggplant. Garnish with cilantro and lime juice and serve with naan, flatbread, or rice.
  • You can also add this to wraps or make a naan pizza. To make the naan pizza, stick the tofu eggplant curry on a pizza crust or naan, top it with some cheese, and broil for a few minutes just to melt and brown the cheese a bit.
  • Store refrigerated for upto 3 days, freeze for upto 2 months.

Video

Notes

Japanese eggplant or baby eggplant works best in this recipe.
Eggplant and tofu curry is naturally gluten-free.
To make this nut-free, omit the almond flour and use a nut-free nondairy yogurt.
To make this soy-free use chickpea tofu, pumpkin seed tofu, soy-free tempeh, or cooked chickpeas instead and use a soy-free non-dairy yogurt.

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 672mg | Potassium: 486mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 409IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 2mg