Sukhi's - Tofu Tikka Masala Curry with Pulao Rice

I'm pretty proud of this concoction. For one, I love Indian food. The bad thing is that a lot of Indian curries contain cream so if you want Indian curries without cream (and meat), you often have to make them from scratch. I'm a big fan of making meals from scratch when I have a few hours free, but I'm also a big fan of quick, easy meals during the week.  So, I introduce Sukhi's Home Chef Collection as the solution. I took the Pulao Rice Complete Spice Mix along with Tikka Masala Curry Sauce and made an incredibly delicious Indian meal in less than 30 minutes!

I am also really excited about this product that I just discovered -- MimicCreme Almond & Cashew Cream Unsweetened. It comes in little 16-ounce containers and worked out perfectly for this curry where it called for cream. I once tried a coconut creamer in one of these dishes and it turned out awful. The MimicCreme cream is just the right consistency with a great taste - and it really doesn't taste like nuts when mixed into something. If you use cream while cooking and want an awesome vegan alternative, use the unsweetened MimicCreme!

Okay, on to the recipe. This is about as easy as it gets. Please note: it helps if you press the water out of the tofu a day ahead of time, but if you don't have time to press the tofu, you can use it as is.

Tofu Tikka Masala Curry with Pulao Rice
2-4 servings

Ingredients for the Rice

• 2 T canola oil
• 1 packet Sukhi's Pulao Rice Spice Mix
• 2 cups water 
• 1 cup basmati rice (I used brown basmati)
• Salt, to taste

Ingredients for Curry

• 1 lb. extra-firm tofu
• About 30 fresh green beans
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 packet Sukhi's Tikka Masala Curry Sauce
• 1/4 cup MimicCreme Almond & Cashew Cream unsweetened (do not use the sweetened one) 

 

Instructions
First, get the rice started. In a small saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium high heat. Then, add the Pulao Rice Spice Mix to the oil and saute for 3-5 seconds.

 

Add 2 cups of water, then the basmati rice and cover. Reduce heat and cook for 25 minutes if using brown basmati. White basmati will take less time. You will want to cook until all of the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, but not overcooked. Add salt to taste.

While the rice is cooking, start on the curry dish. I used my TofuXpress tofu press to press the water out of the tofu so that it is a better consistency when cooked. If you don't have a tofu press, try putting the tofu on paper towels and place it on a plate, then top with another plate and a weight. Over the course of several hours, the water will seep into the paper towels. If you didn't do this, you can still use the tofu - no big deal.

Start by cutting the tofu into little rectangles. Then, cut the ends off the green beans and slice them in half.

Here is where the instructions on the packet should be more specific. It helps to heat the saucepan up to medium high heat first, then add the water and curry sauce. If you add the tofu and vegetables in with the curry sauce, it doesn't dissolve as well in the water. So stir the water and curry sauce first until mixed. Then, add the tofu and green beans and coat. Cook for about 7 minutes. Then add the cream and cook another 10 minutes or so.

Serve the curry over the rice.

In total, cooking both meals only took about 30 minutes so it was perfect for a weeknight dinner. Oh, and how did it turn out? It was incredibly flavorful! The real secret to Sukhi's meals are the spices they use. The tomato-based Tikka Masala Curry sauce brought in the spices of paprika, celery seeds, ginger, onion, cardamom, and jalapeno and it was thick enough to coat everything well. Pair that with the Pulao Rice mix loaded with cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and bay leaves and you have yourself an incredibly flavorful authentic Indian meal. I was so excited at how well this came out using the MimicCreme. If you love Indian food, then I highly recommend you give this a try!