Vegan Paneer Masala

Ingredients

• Cashew nuts

  Nuts, raw

  3 tbsp or 26g

• Tofu

  Firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride (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

  Dried

  2 leaf or 0.4g

• 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. Cover the cashews with hot water and soak for 1 hour. Drain and blend to a smooth paste with a splash of water; set aside.
2. Blend the canned tomatoes until smooth; set aside.
3. Process the ginger and garlic into a fine paste; set aside.
4. Cook the rice with the water until tender; keep warm.
5. Heat the olive oil and buttery spread in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 whole bay leaves and bloom until fragrant, then remove and discard the leaves.
6. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and chili powder; cook until aromatic. Add the tomato puree and cook, stirring often, until the raw tomato smell mellows.
7. Whisk in the cashew paste and coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
8. Add the jalapeño, salt, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, and fenugreek seeds. Simmer about 10 minutes to meld flavors.
9. Cut the tofu into cubes and add to the skillet; cook gently until heated through. Stir cornstarch with a little cold water to make a slurry, then add and cook until the sauce thickens to your liking.
10. Finish with chopped cilantro and serve the masala over the cooked rice.