I'm pretty sure Chicken Tikka and Paneer Tikka are everyone's favorite. For vegetarians Chicken Tikka is out the door. Paneer is the high in saturated fats so it is not the best alternative. But hey, tofu is a great protein packed option!
I created this recipe for a South Asian blog, The Society, a platform for food, fashion and lifestyle. Their theme this month is Healthy Living and this recipe focuses on a healthier alternative to the traditional Paneer Tikka recipe. Tofu is a great vehicle to any spice or cuisine. This Eastern Asian staple is quite bland but this feature makes it adaptable to any recipe you throw it in. Traditionally, white Basmati rice is served with Indian entrees but I chose to create a quinoa bowl that makes this a healthy meal all around. Go head, now you can justify eating dessert.
Tofu Tikka
Ingredients
7 oz extra firm tofu
1 large clove of garlic or 2 small cloves (slightly over 1/4 tsp, grated)
A quarter size section of ginger (slightly over 1/8 tsp, grated)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp non-fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp tomato paste (alternatively, you can use 2 tbsp ketchup + 1/4 tsp lemon juice to offset the sweetness of the ketchup)
2 tbsp water
Steps
- Start with draining out extra water from the tofu. I usually wrap the tofu block in a several paper towels and place something heavy on top and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Grate the ginger and garlic. Using the flat side of a chef's knife, press the grated ginger and garlic to make a paste. If you want to, buy one of these ginger graters. They are amazing!
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix the ingredients for the tikka sauce - garlic-ginger paste, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garam masala, salt, Greek yogurt, tomato paste and water.
- Unwrap the tofu from the layers of paper towels and set it on a cutting board. Gently slice the tofu into equal size cubes. I made 1 inch cubes. If you make them too small, they have the tendency to fall apart so be sure not to cut them too small.
- Transfer the cubed tofu to the tikka sauce and gently coat the tofu cubes with the sauce. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours or overnight if you want to prep ahead.
- Meanwhile, line a glass baking dish with aluminum foil, spray lightly with cooking spray and set aside. Trust me, you want to line the aluminum foil. It will make it super easy to clean up after.
- When you're ready to serve, transfer the tofu to the baking tray and broil on high for about 5 minutes at a time. It took me about 15 minutes to get a good char on the tofu. CAUTION: Keep a close eye on the tofu as broilers are notorious for burning food! Of course, I'm speaking from experience. I am petrified of broilers since I've burned a good amount of food in the past. I've learned my lesson so I dedicate my full attention to the food while I'm using the broiler.
Quinoa
Ingredients
1/2 cup dry, uncooked quinoa
1 1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp salt
Steps
[Follow the package directions or...]
- Rinse the quinoa well.
- In a small saucepan, boil water and then add the rinsed quinoa and salt. Cover and cook on medium heat until the quinoa is soft. If you don't think the quinoa is fully cooked, then just add a splash of water and continue to cook.
Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp cold water
Steps
- In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together to get a smooth texture. Add more water if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Add-ons
Sliced red radish
Chopped scallions for garnish
Greens of your choice - I used frisée
A slice of lime
You could also add sliced cucumbers or red onions
Assembly
In a bowl, add a scoop of quinoa, half of the tofu, sliced radish, frisée, yogurt, garnish with scallions and serve with a slice of lemon.
Total time about 1 hour | Serves 2
Nutrition facts (per serving without the add-ons) about 325 calories | 31 g total fat | 37 g carbohydrates | 27 g protein