I delight in a hot butter chicken dish. Give me a rotli and I’m just the happiest woman. This is my recipe, but instead of chicken, I’ve used tofu.

I recently discovered a local Japanese shop in my neighbourhood. They sell everything including my favourite, edamame beans in the shell, kimchi, and tofu. Finding firm tofu in Joburg is rare so when I saw it I got so excited and bought a lot. 

At first, I was going to make a usual tomato chutney but because of the unexpected cold weather last week. But I decided to make something warm and hearty. A flavourful dish with hints of garam masala, fresh chili, and herbs.

I used yoghurt instead of coconut cream to make this dish. I found that with just the right amount of spice and sweetness, the creaminess of the yoghurt gravy tasted just as delicious as the coconut cream. But with a lot less fat. 

Top tip: Stir some corn starch into yoghurt and add 1 tbsp maple syrup as a substitute for coconut cream in curries. 

Ingredients

1 block tofu (length of your palm, thick as two fingers)

1 cup full-fat Greek yoghurt

1 tbsp corn starch/Maizena

1 tbsp maple syrup/1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tomatoes grated

2 tbsp tomatoe paste 

6 green chilies (split)

1 onion, grated finely 

5 cloves of garlic, diced finely

a chunk of ginger, grated 

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground cumin/jeera powder

1 tsp paprika/chili powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup water

Method

1. Break the tofu into pieces or cut it into squares. Leave it aside.

2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large pan and fry onions for about 5 minutes on medium-high heat. 

3. Add chili, garlic, and ginger, and fry for 1 minute. 

4. Add spices and fry for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.

5. Mix in tomatoes, tomato paste, and lower the heat. Let everything simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. 

6. With a stick blender, give the gravy a whiz until everything is very smooth. If you don’t have a blender, skip this step. 

7. Stir in yoghurt, mix in corn starch and the sugars/maple syrup. 

8. Add tofu. 

9. Cook for 10 more minutes until your curry is thick and bubbling. If you feel like you want a thinner gravy, add a bit more water. 

10. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with fluffy rice.