Vegan Paneer Masala

Ingredients

• Cashew nuts

  Nuts, raw

  3 tbsp or 26g

• Tofu

  Extra firm, prepared with nigari

  16 oz or 454g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  2 tbsp or 27g

• Smart balance light buttery spread

  Margarine-like spread

  3 tbsp or 42g

• Tomatoes

  Red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice

  3 ½ cup or 840g

• Jalapeno peppers

  Raw

  1 pepper or 14g

• Ginger root

  Raw

  2 tbsp or 12g

• Garlic

  Raw

  3 clove or 9g

• Bay leaf

  Spices

  2 tbsp, crumbled or 4g

• Fenugreek seed

  Spices

  1 tbsp or 11g

• Cumin

  Spices, cumin seed

  ½ tsp, ground or 2g

• Coriander seed

  Spices

  ½ tsp or 0.9g

• Cinnamon

  Spices, ground

  ½ tsp or 1g

• Nutmeg

  Spices, ground

  ½ tsp or 1g

• Chili powder

  Spices

  1 ½ tsp or 4g

• Coconut milk

  Nuts, canned (liquid expressed from grated meat and water)

  1 ¾ cup or 396g

• Salt

  Table

  1 tsp or 6g

• Fresh cilantro

  Coriander leaves, raw

  1 tbsp or 1g

• White rice

  Long-grain, regular, raw, enriched

  1 cup or 185g

• Water

  Plain, clean water

  2 cup or 473g

• Cornstarch

  2 tbsp or 15g

Directions

1. Soak cashews in hot water for 1 hour. Drain and grind into a paste using a mortar and pestle or food processor with a little water. Set aside.
2. Puree the canned tomatoes in a blender and set aside.
3. Grind ginger and garlic together into a paste using a mortar and pestle or food processor. Set aside.
4. Cook rice according to package directions. While rice is cooking, begin preparing the masala.
5. Heat olive oil and buttery spread in a large skillet or wok. Add bay leaves and simmer until fragrant, then discard the leaves.
6. Add the ginger-garlic paste and chili powder. Stir well, then add the tomato puree and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently.
7. Stir in the cashew paste and coconut milk, and simmer over medium heat.
8. Add diced jalapeno, salt, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.
9. Cube the tofu and add it to the skillet. Stir and cook until heated through. Add cornstarch and stir until the sauce thickens.
10. Garnish with cilantro and serve over the cooked rice.