Vegan Tofu Tikkā
This vegan Tikkā is Sheil's rendition of a northern Indian dish involving marinated protein or vegetables cooked in a tandoor, or clay oven, but made with marinated tofu baked on skewers instead.
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Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup 160 g unsweetened plain nondairy yogurt
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 garlic cloves - grated (about 1½ tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice - about ¼ lime
- 2 teaspoons garam masālā
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground red chili
- ½ teaspoon black salt
- One 14-ounce - 400 g block extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed for 1 hour (see Ingredient Tip in the notes below), cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- ½ medium red onion - cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
- 1 to 2 bell peppers - any color, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- A generous pinch of chāt masala
- Roughly chopped cilantro or mint
- Lemon or lime wedges
- Mint Cucumber Rāitā or Mint Cilantro Chutney to serve - optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, lime juice, garam masālā, paprika, salt, turmeric, red chili, and black salt. Adjust seasoning to taste. The mixture should be pungent, spicy, and salty.
- Add the tofu, onion, and bell pepper to the mixing bowl and stir gently until each piece is well coated. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and stir, then skewer onto 4 to 6 stainless-steel or bamboo skewers. If using bamboo skewers, they must first be soaked in water for 1 hour. Alternate the tofu, pepper, and onion on the skewers. Reserve any remaining marinade.
- Line the bottom of a 9 x 9 x 2-inch (23 x 23 x 5 cm) square baking dish with foil (for easier cleanup). Balance the skewers on top of the baking dish rims so the tofu is touching neither the bottom of the pan nor its neighbor.
- Bake the tofu skewers for 15 minutes, until starting to brown in spots. Remove from the oven, brush with the remaining marinade, rotate each skewer 180 degrees, then return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes, until browning in spots again. If desired, broil for a minute or two to obtain a char reminiscent of tandoor cooking.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chāt masālā to taste and chopped cilantro. Serve hot with lemon wedges and rāitā if desired.
Notes
Ingredient Tip:
Use a tofu press for best results, but if not available, you can place the tofu between two paper towels or clean kitchen towels. Place a flat plate or cutting board on top of the tofu and a few heavy cans (like beans or soup) on top of the plate. Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!