Background

• Matar paneer is a classic comfort food with peas and cheese in a mildly spiced creamy tomato gravy. This version is made with tofu and cashews replacing the cheese and heavy cream.

Ingredients

• Tofu Paneer

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

• 8-10 oz super firm tofu (or firm tofu pressed to remove water)

• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

• ½ teaspoon garam masala

• Tomato Gravy

• 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil

• ⅓ cup raw cashews (pieces work just fine because it’s going to be blended)

• 1 medium onion diced (white or yellow)

• 3 garlic cloves diced (doesn’t have to be chopped too fine)

• ½ inch ginger diced (doesn’t have to be chopped too fine)

• 1-2 green chile chopped (optional)

• 3 medium roma tomatoes or 7-8 ounces of diced or crushed tomatoes (½ a can)

• 1-1 ½ teaspoons salt

• ½ teaspoon cumin powder

• ½ teaspoon garam masala

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon red chile powder

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste (or tomato puree and skip the water)

• 1 cup water (or more if needed to thin the sauce)

Instructions

1. Prepare the tofu paneer

2. Cut the tofu into ½ inch cubes and fry in neutral oil on a nonstick pan at medium heat, flipping frequently

3. Once the tofu is slightly browned, add nutritional yeast and stir to coat

4. Turn off the heat and add garam masala. Mix and set aside.

5. Prepare the tomato gravy

6. Sauté onions in neutral oil in a medium saucepan until translucent

7. Add cashews, garlic, ginger, and green chili (if using) and sauté for 2 more minutes

8. Add tomatoes to deglaze pan and salt, cook for another 2 mins and set aside to cool

9. Blend the gravy with an immersion blender or transfer it to a regular blender once cool and set aside

10. Put it all together

11. Bloom spices in 1 tablespoon neutral oil at medium-low heat for 30 seconds

12. Add tomato paste to deglaze and mix

13. Add tomato gravy and water as needed to thin the sauce (or cook longer to thicken)

14. Add tofu and frozen peas and cook for 5 mins or until desired thickness is reached