Makhani Curry
This recipe is a vegetarian (vegan if you use vegan butter) version of a butter curry (usually butter chicken curry) known as makhani. You could substitute the tofu for chicken if you prefer.
Butter Vegetable Curry (Makhani)
A butter curry loaded with vegetables
Ingredients
Fried Tofu
- 400g firm Tofu cut into 2cm cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
Makhani curry sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cardamom pods
- 3 cloves
- 10 peppercorns or 1 tsp ground pepper
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 5 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tbsp grated root ginger
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 400g tin of plum tomatoes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp harissa paste
- 2 tbsp methi fenugreek leaves
- 1 tsp sugar
- 400 ml vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 25 g butter
Vegetables
- 1/2 courgette chopped into 2cm pieces
- 1/2 sweet potato chopped into 2cm pieces
- 2 medium potatoes chopped into 2cm pieces
- 1 carrot chopped
Instructions
Prepare the tofu
- In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients and lemon juice and then add the tofu pieces
- Mix so the tofu is coated with the marinade
- Heat the oil in a frying pan
- fry the tofu until each side is slightly browned
- Put the tofu back in the marinade bowl and set aside
Makhani curry
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium setting
- Add the cumin seeds and cook until they start popping
- Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and peppercorns and stir for 1 minute
- Add the onion and salt and cook for 5 minutes
- Add the ginger, garlic and methi and stir for 1 minute
- Add the tomatoes, coriander, harrisa paste and turmeric and saute for 5 minutes
- Add the vegatable stock, bring to the boil and then turn off the heat and allow to cool
- Put the contents of the pan into a blender or bullet, and blend until smooth
- Pour the blended sauce back into the saucepan
- Over a medium heat, add the carrot and potato to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes
- Add the remaining vegatables and tofu and simmer for 10 minutes
- Add the lemon juice, butter and sugar, and stir until the butter has melted into the sauce
- Serve with rice or naan bread
