Healthy vegan tofu korma curry

A healthy vegan verison of the takeaway classic 'chicken korma' a british classic takeaway dish. This dish is made with tofu and cashew cream making it a healthy dairy-free fakeaway you have to try!

Chicken korma is a well known favourite takeaway curry ordered in the UK and I’m here to veganise that well loved dish for you using tofu! This version is a much healthier version of the takeaway favourite that is traditionally filled with cream, butter and yoghurt- we are using cashew cream to give that creamy texture but completely dairy free and then tofu for that plant based protein boost. Korma is one for the people that don’t love spice and is well known for being the mildest curry you can get, so crack this one out on a curry night to cater for all people. This curry is all cooked in one pan ensuring all of the flavours are kept in and saves on washing up. The perfect midweek meal that’s flavour intensifies overnight so make a big batch and take some for lunch the next day, the fragrant smell will make you the envy of the lunch room and you’ll enjoy it just as much as the night before if not more!

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Ingredients and substitutes-

• Tofu- For this recipe it is best to use the firmest tofu you can find to ensure it holds its shape and doesn’t fall apart whilst cooking in the sauce. I used extra firm from the brand ‘Tofoo’.

• Ginger garlic paste- This is a staple in my kitchen making garlic and ginger accessible and easy whenever I need it. I cook a lot of East and south Asian food and if you do too I’d recommend to buy this paste. However you may use fresh garlic and ginger if you prefer.

• Cashew nuts- Traditionally this curry has dairy and fat from butter, yoghurt or cream but I am using a plant based wonder that is cashew cream making this curry recipe much healthier than a takeaway version. Cashew cream can be made by soaking raw cashew nuts in hot water for 15 minutes then blending with the water in a high speed blender to make a smooth cream. I swear by cashew cream because it is healthy and cashews are a cupboard item meaning there is no need to worry about use by dates.

• Cornflour- Cornflour must almost always meet tofu in the cooking process. The cornflour dusting on tofu allows for a crisp outer when frying and then helps to thicken the sauce.

• Whole spices- I like to use whole spices that I buy from South Asian brands which are usually cheaper and more authentic than mainstream supermarket brands. I make curries quite often and the whole spices used in this recipe are versatile and can be used for many recipes so they are worth buying for me but if you feel like you’d not use them then you can just substitute for a more common ingredient, we don’t love food waste around here!

• Powdered spices- Just like the whole spices I also usually always have these in my spice cupboard. Garam masala is a pre made spice blend readily available in most supermarkets and turmeric is what gives this curry the wonderful yellow colour so do not miss that if you’d like your curry to look the part.

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Top Tips!

Spice-

Korma is well known for being the mildest curry you can get so needless to say this recipe has no chilli in it however if you’re a spice lover but still fancy a creamy curry then feel free to make it your own by adding some chilli.

Blender-

To make the cashew cream you will need a high speed blender (700w minimum) this will ensure a silky smooth sauce. If you don’t have one you can use vegan cream instead but the sauce will still have lumps of onion in by the end which I still love!

And now for the recipe!

Dairy free vegan tofu korma curry

​Serves- 2 Time- 30 minutes

Ingredients-

• 280g extra firm tofu

• 1 onion, diced.

• 2 tbsp neutral oil

• 1 tbsp corn flour

• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

• 30g raw cashew nuts + 60ml boiling water

• 100 ml water

• 1 tbsp plain flour

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 inch cinnamon stick

• 2 cardamom pods

• 3 whole cloves

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp salt

Method-

1. Add the cashews to a high speed blender cup, cover with 60 ml of boiling water and leave to soak.

2. Unpackage the tofu and pat it dry with a kitchen towel. Then rip the tofu up into even bite sized chunks, ripping instead of cutting gives more jagged edges to catch all of that lovely sauce.

3. Pop your tofu pieces into a big bowl and sprinkle on the cornflour, giving the pieces a toss to make sure all pieces are evenly coated.

4. Add 2 tbsp oil to a pan then add the whole spices and toast for a minute. Then add the tofu and cook until golden. Remove the tofu leaving the whole spices in and set the tofu aside.

5. Add the diced onion into the same pan with the whole spices and cook until soft. Now add the ginger garlic paste. Then add the powdered spice mix and flour and stir well to coat the onions.

6. Next blend the cashews in the high speed blender with the water to make the cashew cream then add to the onions. Lastly add 100ml water and stir to combine making sure there are no flour or spice lumps.

7. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes then blend the whole mixture to make a smooth curry sauce.

8. Add back in the tofu chunks and simmer on low for 15 minutes adding in water as needed for consistency.

9. Before serving taste the sauce to see if any additional salt is needed.

10. Seve up with some fluffy basmati rice and a naan bread if you fancy.

FAQ-

·         Can I use a different type of tofu or protein?- If you can’t find extra firm tofu you can use medium or firm however the tofu may not hold its texture as easily so be careful when stirring the curry to reduce breakage. You can of course use any protein you like or even vegetables. The korma sauce is versatile and can be used with almost anything for the perfect curry.

·         What can I use instead of cashews?- Cashew cream is used to make this dish creamy however if you’re looking for a nut free curry then add coconut milk or vegan cream to give you the rich creamy sauce without the nuts.

Why not try these other curry recipes?

• Butter bean curry

• Creamy coconut chickpea curry

• Vegan butter cauliflower curry

Did you make this recipe?

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Click here to watch the recipe video

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