Tofu Korma, Aubergine Salsa & Coconut Raita
Serves 4
||||
KORMA
½ red onion
2tbsp lemon juice
80g cashews
10 cardamom pods (seeds removed from shell)
2tsp cumin seeds
2tsp coriander seeds
1tsp ground turmeric
Olive oil, sea salt & pepper
1 brown onion (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (crushed)
15g ginger (peeled & chopped)
1-2 green chillies (chopped)
300g chopped tomatoes
2tbsp coriander (chopped)
TOFU-BALLS
250g chestnut mushrooms (thinly sliced)
250g extra-firm tofu
3 garlic cloves (crushed)
100g silken tofu
2tbsp tahini
1tbsp soy sauce
50g panko breadcrumbs
½tbsp cornflour
5 spring onions (thinly sliced)
10g coriander (chopped)
SPICY AUBERGINE SALSA
2 aubergines (diced)
2 Romano peppers (diced)
1tbsp Berbere spice mix
Olive oil, sea salt, pepper
150g cherry tomatoes (halved)
1tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp maple syrup or honey
RAITA
1 cucumber (grated)
200g coconut yoghurt
20g coriander & mint (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove (crushed)
2tbsp lime juice
Sea salt
-
Serve with Basmati Rice
Preheat the oven to 200°C / Fan 180°C / Gas 6.
Thinly slice half a red onion and combine with 2tbsp lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Set aside to pickle until serving.
In a small saucepan, place the cashews and cover with water. Put on a medium-high heat, bring to the boil and then let them simmer for 20 mins, until they are softened. Once they have cooked, drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, for the tofu-balls, slice your mushrooms, crush the garlic and pat the extra-firm tofu dry. Then heat a large glug of olive oil in a large sauté pan, on a high heat. Add the mushrooms then either crumble in the extra-firm tofu in large chunks or chop it into large cubes and add in. Cook until golden, roughly 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic for the final 30 seconds.
Either in a food processor or by hand in a large bowl, mix the cooked mushrooms, tofu and garlic with the silken tofu, tahini, soy sauce, panko breadcrumbs, cornflour, spring onions, coriander, sea salt and pepper. Mix very well to combine.
With well oiled hands, form 16 balls, around 35-40g each, squeezing them so they hold together. Place them on a parchment lined large baking tray, spaced apart and bake for 30 minutes, until golden.
For the aubergine salsa, chop the aubergines and peppers into 2-3cm cubes, place on a parchment line baking tray and toss in the Berbere mix, olive oil and some sea salt. Roast for 40 minutes until golden brown.
Next make the korma sauce, in a pestle and mortar, grind the cardamom, cumin and coriander seeds and set aside. In a blender, add the softened cashews and 200ml of water and blend until completely smooth.
Next, dice your onion, crush the garlic, chop the ginger and chop the chillies. In the same large sauté pan, add a large glug of olive oil and add the onions, to cook on a medium heat for 6 minutes or until browned. Then add the garlic, ginger and green chilli and cook for 1 minute. Add the spices and cook for a further minute.
Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 3 minutes, then tip the curry paste into the cashew paste and blend for 2 minutes. Add the cashew curry paste to the pan with 300ml water and season. Bring to a very gentle simmer for 25 minutes.
While that is simmering you will need to prepare the salsa, raita and the rice. First run the basmati rice under cold water in a sieve, then put the rice in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add lots of sea salt, bring to the boil, then simmer for for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the aubergines and peppers with the chopped cherry tomatoes, soy sauce, maple syrup. For the raita, in a bowl, combine the grated cucumber with the coconut yoghurt, mint, coriander, garlic, and lime.
Finally add the tofu-balls carefully into the sauté pan, place the lid on, simmer for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the coriander and pickled red onion over the Korma and serve with the rice, coconut raita and aubergine salsa.
||||
Recipe tweaked from Ottolenghi’s Flavour
