i've found it: my new favorite greens dish. while i would never dissuade you from my trying my earlier saag tofu recipe, this newer version comes together much quicker and with fewer ingredients, making it an ideal weeknight recipe. from start to finish, this dinner will take you no more than forty-five minutes to throw together.
i piloted the recipe using spinach but look forward to trying it out with kale or chard next time around. serve with some rice, dal, and naan for a hearty, well-balanced meal.
palak tofu with fire-roasted tomatoes
adapted from pinch of yum
for the palak:
1 tablespoon oil
1 red onion, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1-2 teaspoons fresh ginger
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 14-ounce can fire roasted
tomatoes, drained
1 huge carton of spinach or other greens (you can
use as spinach as you want, but i would suggest no fewer than 8 handfuls)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
½ cup water
1 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of
pepper
for the tofu:
8 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and
cubed
1 teaspoon oil
salt and pepper
prepare your tofu by first removing
all of the excess water. you can do this by wrapping it in paper towels and
setting a plate or something heavy on top of it for a couple of minutes. repeat
as necessary until it feels firm and dry.
heat one tablespoon of oil in a
large skillet over medium high heat. once your oil is hot, toss in the cubed
tofu and pan fry until lightly browned on both sides. when it’s cooked, add a
pinch of salt and pepper, stir, and then dump into a small mixing bowl to cool
(note: you could also do this step in advance to save time).
in the same skillet, heat a
tablespoon of oil over medium heat. sauté the onion until soft, about 8
minutes. push the onion to the side of the pan and add the cumin seeds. stir
the cumin seeds around in the middle for about a minute so they can crackle and
pop.
add the garam masala, ground
coriander, ginger and garlic. sauté everything together for 2-3 minutes. add
the fire roasted tomatoes and sauté for another 5-10 minutes.
now add the spinach, a few handfuls
at a time, to the mixture. to help the leaves cook down, keep scooping the
tomato mixture over the greens. when all of the spinach is cooked, add the
fresh cilantro to the skillet. sauté for another couple of minutes.
transfer the mixture to a blender or
food processor. pulse a few times until you get the desired consistency. I like
mine mostly smooth with a few chunks (not pureed). return the mixture to the
skillet, and stir in the water. add the salt, pepper, and tofu.
simmer for 5-10 minutes. serve immediately.
