🥘 Ingredients
- avocado oil or neutral-flavored oil 2 tbsp
- cumin seeds 2 tsp
- black mustard seeds or brown mustard seeds 2 tsp
- garlic cloves 6
- fresh ginger 2 inch
- serrano peppers 1-3
- ground coriander 1 ½ tsp
- ground turmeric 1 tsp
- sweet or hot paprika 1 tsp
- ground cinnamon ¼ tsp
- freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg ¼ tsp
- dried curry leaves 15-20
- full-fat coconut milk 1
- tomato sauce 1
- organic cane sugar or coconut sugar 3 tsp
- small head cauliflower 1 lb
- kosher salt 1 ½ tsp
- Freshly
- from block OR from block 1
- sea salt or Diamond Crystal kosher salt 4 tsp
- garam masala 2 tsp
- baby spinach 3 cup
- freshly squeezed lemon juice 0.5-1 tbsp
- cilantro leaves and tender stems 1 cup
- Cooked
- good-quality creamy vegan yogurt 4 tbsp
For mild heat, use 1 pepper and remove the membranes. For moderate heat, use 1 pepper with the membranes; for spicy, use 2 peppers with membranes. For spicy!, use 3 peppers. If you have extra time, dice 1 small or medium yellow onion. Add that after the cumin and mustard seeds and cook until softened and starting to turn golden. Then add the garlic, ginger, and chiles. This will add even more flavor! If you have fresh curry leaves, use half the amount, as they have more flavor. If subbing coconut milk with cashew cream, make the cashew cream before starting on the curry: (1) Soak 3/4 cup raw cashews overnight, or quick soak: cover with water and boil on the stove for 15 minutes. Drain. (2) Add cashews to a high-powered blender with 1 cup water, a pinch of salt, and a few squeezes of lemon juice. Blend on high until totally smooth and creamy. If making Crispy Pan-Fried Breaded Tofu, batter the tofu before starting on the curry. Once you’ve added the cauliflower to the curry, start cooking the tofu. Skip step 4; simply assemble as listed in step 5. Storage: Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This curry, like many curries, thickens after resting. I like to reheat it in a saucepan over medium heat, adding a few splashes of plant-based milk to thin it out a bit and stirring until warmed through. Any unsweetened plant-based milk is fine. Storage: You can freeze this curry, though the texture will be a little different. When reheating, add a few splashes of plant-based milk to add more moisture and finish with some fresh lemon juice. Nutrition boost: Use more baby spinach and/or sauté some chopped carrots after toasting the cumin and mustard seeds.
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1Gather: avocado oil or neutral-flavored oil , cumin seeds , black mustard seeds or brown mustard seeds , garlic cloves , fresh ginger , serrano peppers , ground coriander , ground turmeric , sweet or hot paprika , ground cinnamon , freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg , dried curry leaves , full-fat coconut milk , tomato sauce , organic cane sugar or coconut sugar , small head cauliflower , kosher salt , Freshly cracked black pepper to taste, from block OR from block , sea salt or Diamond Crystal kosher salt , garam masala , baby spinach , freshly squeezed lemon juice , cilantro leaves and tender stems . For the for serving:: Cooked white or brown rice or flatbread of choice, good-quality creamy vegan yogurt .
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2Make the curry. Heat the oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the cumin and mustard seeds, and cook until popping and cumin seeds start to turn golden, 45 to 60 seconds (see Note 2). Add the garlic, ginger, and serrano pepper(s), and cook for 90 seconds , stirring frequently. Add the turmeric, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg and curry leaves, and cook for 30 seconds. NOTE: If using a stainless steel pan, this might stick, so arm power and stir almost constantly; add a splash or two of water as needed.
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3Deglaze the pan by pouring in the coconut milk, scraping up any browned bits with a spatula. Add the tomato sauce and sugar, and bring to a rapid simmer. Stir occasionally and simmer for 3 minutes .
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4Add the cauliflower, salt, and pepper, and spoon the curry over the cauliflower. Cover the pan with a lid and adjust the heat to maintain a decent simmer. Cook for 12-13 minutes , opening the pan to stir occasionally, until thickened a bit and the cauliflower is fork-tender.
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5While the cauliflower is simmering, boil the tofu. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add 2 tsp sea salt (or 4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt). Use a slotted spoon or spider tool to lower the tofu into the boiling water. Once the water comes back to a boil, boil the tofu for 2 minutes . Scoop out the tofu using the slotted spoon and drain well.
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6Assemble. When the cauliflower is tender, add the garam masala and spinach to the curry. Stir and briefly cook until the spinach is wilted. Nestle the boiled tofu into the curry and toss to combine. Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and cilantro, and season to taste with salt as needed. Serve over rice or with flatbread (but keep leftovers separate from rice, or the rice will eat up all the sauce). Dollop on some vegan yogurt before serving, if desired.