Tofu Achari “Paneer” – Tofu and vegetables simmered in an achari sauce made with tomatoes, onions and classic Indian pickling spices. Add chickpeas or extra vegetables to make this soy-free. Vegan, gluten-free, with a nut-free option.
Achaar (or Achar) means pickle. Many Indian pickles use whole or ground spice blends that create the distinct achari flavor. Rather than vinegar, oil is often the pickling medium in Indian pickles. Spices tempered in oil and mixed with fruits like mango or vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower and chilies produce intensely flavored condiments that accompany meals. The exact spice blend varies by region, but typical pickle spices—mustard seeds, fennel, nigella, fenugreek and cumin—lend a savory, slightly pungent profile. When those spices are added to a sauce, they give it a pronounced “pickle” character (not vinegary, but aromatic and tangy from the spices).
This achari tofu is a vegan take on the popular Achari Paneer: a tomato-onion based sauce spiced with pickling spices. For a shortcut, you can blend a spoonful of store-bought Indian mango pickle into the sauce. Vegetables such as bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and peas pair beautifully with this sauce. In this version I use bell pepper and broccoli with tofu, but you can skip the tofu and add beans or more vegetables for a soy-free dish. The sauce is simple and quick to make but delivers big flavor.
Like many well-spiced dishes, the flavors deepen if the sauce sits for a few hours. This recipe doesn’t rely on garam masala because the whole spices provide plenty of complexity. If you try this or any other Indian mains, feel free to adjust spices and ingredients to suit your pantry and taste.
More curries and mains from the blog include Butter Tofu (Tofu in Butter Masala), Hemp-Tofu in Pasanda Sauce, Gobi Musallam (whole roasted cauliflower in makhani sauce), Instant Pot Vegan Butter “Chicken” (soy curls + chickpeas) and Palak Tofu (tofu in spinach curry).
Tofu Achari “Paneer” – Tofu & Veggies in Achari Sauce
Ingredients
Achari Masala blend:
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp each mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds (use whichever seeds you have)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Achari Sauce:
- 8 oz tofu, pressed and cubed (or substitute chickpeas for soy-free)
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger (or 1 tbsp minced)
- 1 hot green chile, seeds removed to reduce heat, or 1/4 green bell pepper
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 large tomatoes or 1.5 cups canned
- 3/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp sugar or maple syrup
- 1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt (or vegan sour cream / cashew cream)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups vegetables such as thinly sliced bell pepper, broccoli (small florets), peas or zucchini
- 1/4 tsp nigella seeds (optional garnish) and cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Toast the whole spices (except red pepper flakes) in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant or the fennel starts to change color. Mix in the red pepper flakes, remove from heat and pulse once in a blender or crush lightly with a mortar and pestle. Reserve 1/2 tsp of the mix for garnish.
- Prep the tofu: press and cube. You can use it as-is, crisp it briefly in oil, or bake with spices for extra flavor.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt; cook until golden. Blend the garlic, ginger and chile with a tablespoon of water into a paste, or mince finely, and add to the onions.
- Cook for a minute, then add the achari spice mix, coriander, paprika and turmeric. Stir and cook another minute to toast the ground spices.
- Blend the tomatoes until smooth (or use chopped tomatoes) and add to the skillet. Cook until the tomato mixture is well roasted.
- Add salt, sugar and the non-dairy yogurt; mix well. Add 1/2 cup water, the tofu, and the vegetables except broccoli. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, sweetness and heat. (Optional: stir in 1–2 tsp mango pickle or a pinch of garam masala for more depth.)
- Add the broccoli, mix, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and steam for about 3 minutes so the broccoli is tender but not overcooked. Uncover and simmer a minute to thicken the sauce if needed, then remove from heat.
- Garnish with the reserved achari spice, extra nigella seeds or a pinch of cayenne for heat, and chopped cilantro. Serve with flatbread, rice or grains.
Notes
Fenugreek: If you have dried fenugreek leaves instead of seeds, use 1/2 tsp leaves and mix them with the spices and red pepper flakes.
If you don’t have nigella seeds, substitute 1/2 tsp onion flakes mixed in with the warm spices.
To make this nut-free, use a nut-free non-dairy yogurt or replace cashew cream with 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds plus 2 tbsp mashed potato blended smooth.
Nutrition values are per serving when the recipe is divided into 3 servings.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
