You’ll love this vegan pepper fry! Crispy tofu in an insanely flavorful caramelized onion and black pepper curry is a simplified model of the favored South Indian dish mutton pepper fry.
Desk of Contents
It is a vegan model of South Indian mutton pepper fry, which is normally made with hen or meat/mutton. The recipe varies primarily based on the area(andhra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu) with one factor in frequent, beneficiant quantity of black pepper!
And as with many meat primarily based curries, it’s all within the sauce. This sauce has a caramelized onion that’s normally constructed up with spices and pepper. The meats normally cook dinner within the sauce however I exploit tofu which will get crisped up individually. This model is customized from Chef Ranveer Brar’s mutton pepper fry(he mentions that he barely added his north Indian contact, therefore the black cardamom).
Discover regional Indian delicacies with me and do do this pepper fry! It’s extremely scrumptious, and naturally a bit sizzling with all of that black pepper. You may pair the sauce with chickpeas or beans, or roasted veggies or vegan hen for variation and to make tofu-free.
Serve it with some thick flatbread, like naan or pita bread, or over rice, which is able to dampen the warmth slightly bit. You may also alter the warmth by lowering the black pepper and Kashmiri chili powder.
Why You’ll Love this Pepper Fry
- crispy tofu in caramelized onion sauce made spicy with a number of aromatic black pepper
- protein-rich, one-pan entree
- prepared in simply 35 minutes!
- gluten-free and nut-free with a soy-free choice
Extra Vegan Indian Dishes
Recipe Card
Pepper Fry with Tofu (South Indian onion black pepper curry)
You’ll love this vegan pepper fry! Crispy tofu in an incredible, caramelized onion and black pepper sauce is a simplified model of the favored South Indian dish.
Servings: 4
Energy: 172kcal
Elements
For the tofu
- 14 ounces (396.89 g) agency or additional agency tofu pressed for no less than quarter-hour after which torn into natural items
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or use paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon oil
For the pepper masala mix
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 1 inexperienced cardamom pod
For the sauce
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 complete cloves
- 8 black peppercorns frivolously crushed
- 1.5 cups purple onion thinly sliced
- 1 inexperienced chili resembling Serrano, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons floor coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or use paprika
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste or use 3 cloves of minced garlic and 1/2” of ginger, minced
- 1/4 cup (4 g) chopped cilantro stems
- 10 curry leaves
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) non-dairy yogurt or use different non-dairy cream of alternative
- 1 tablespoon ketchup or use tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) water or use non dairy milk
- cilantro and extra black pepper for garnish
Directions
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Press and tear the tofu, should you haven’t already, and add to a bowl. Then, in a small bowl combine in all the spices and the cornstarch and sprinkle them all around the tofu. Toss effectively to coat, and put aside.
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Make the pepper masala mix by crushing all elements with a mortar and pestle or making into a rough powder in a spice grinder or blender. Set this apart, as effectively.
Make the sauce.
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Add one other 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet, and add the entire spices — that’s the bay leaves, cloves, and the crushed black peppercorns — and blend effectively for half a minute.
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Subsequent, add the onion, inexperienced chili, and a beneficiant pinch salt, and blend effectively. Proceed to cook dinner till the onion is golden brown. Add splashes of water in between to assist flip your brown evenly and to conduct the warmth evenly. This could take anyplace from 7 to 10 minutes.
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Now, add in all the floor spices, ginger garlic paste, cilantro stems, and curry leaves and cook dinner for half a minute . Then, add within the non-dairy yogurt, ketchup, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Combine effectively, and produce to a boil, then add the pepper masala mix that you simply made earlier. You may reserve slightly little bit of that for garnish, should you like.
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Add the cup of water, and blend very well, then deliver the sauce to a boil and cut back the warmth to medium-low. Add within the crisped up tofu, tossing effectively to coat.
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Cowl with the lid, and cook dinner for six to eight minutes for the sauce to thicken slightly bit and for the flavors to meld.
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Change off the warmth, garnish with cilantro and both extra black pepper or the reserved pepper masala, and serve serve with heat pita bread, heat naan, or over some rice or cooked grains or perhaps a baked potato.
Notes
This recipe is of course gluten-free. It’s additionally nut-free so long as you utilize a nut-free non-dairy yogurt. To make it soy-free, use another tofu,like chickpea flour tofu or use chickpeas or beans or a soyfree vegan chiken and a soy-free non-dairy yogurt.
Vitamin
Vitamin Information
Pepper Fry with Tofu (South Indian onion black pepper curry)
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 172
Energy from Fats 72
% Each day Worth*
Fats 8g12%
Saturated Fats 1g6%
Sodium 535mg23%
Potassium 162mg5%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 416IU8%
Vitamin C 59mg72%
Calcium 185mg19%
Iron 2mg11%
* % Each day Values are primarily based on a 2000 calorie weight loss plan.
Elements and Substitutions
- tofu – That is your “meat.” tofu is changing that protein on this vegan model.
- floor spices – You’ll season the tofu with Kashmiri chili powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. The sauce additionally makes use of some floor spices: coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder or paprika, and complete curry leaves.
- cornstarch – To assist the tofu get crispy and assist the spices stick.
- oil – To sauté.
- complete spices – There are two locations the place we’re utilizing complete spices. First, we’re going to crush or grind black peppercorns and a black and a inexperienced cardamom pod to make the pepper masala(spice mix). Then, we’re utilizing bay leaves, complete cloves, and complete black peppercorns within the sauce.
- aromatics – Crimson onion, inexperienced chili (like Serrano), and ginger garlic paste add one other layer of wonderful taste to this curry.
- cilantro stems – These add a contemporary, zesty taste to the sauce.
- non-dairy yogurt – To make the curry sauce creamy. You need to use different thick, non-dairy cream, like cashew cream, as a substitute, should you want. Be certain to make use of a soy-free and/or nut-free non-dairy yogurt, if wanted for allergy functions.
- ketchup – Provides umami. You need to use tomato paste as a substitute, if you would like.
- water – To skinny out the sauce some, as a result of it does get fairly thick.
- garnish – You’ll garnish with contemporary cilantro and both black pepper or some reserved pepper masala.
Ideas
- Be certain to maintain an in depth eye on the entire spices as you roast them, in order that they don’t burn.
- If the onion is drying out, add a splash of water to assist add moisture and conduct the warmth, so it cooks evenly.
- The curry sauce makes use of complete spices, so letting the flavors simmer and meld on the finish makes an enormous distinction. It additionally implies that this tastes even higher the following day!
How you can Make Tofu Pepper Fry
Press and tear the tofu, and add to a bowl. Then, in a small bowl combine in all the spices and the cornstarch and sprinkle them all around the tofu. Toss effectively to coat, and put aside.
Make the pepper masala mix by crushing all of these elements with a mortar and pestle or making into a rough powder in a spice grinder or blender. Set this apart, as effectively.
Now, cook dinner the tofu.
Warmth a big skillet over medium-high warmth and add 1 teaspoon of oil. As soon as the oil is sizzling, add the tofu and unfold it into the skillet and cook dinner till the tofu is crisped up on among the edges. Stir sometimes. This could take anyplace from 5 to 7 minutes.
Alternately, Bake the tofu at 400 deg F for 20-25 minutes.
Switch the tofu to a bowl, and put aside. Then, you’re able to make the sauce.
Add one other 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet, and add the entire spices — that’s the bay leaves, cloves, and the crushed black peppercorns — and blend effectively for half a minute.
Subsequent, add the onion, inexperienced chili, and salt, and blend effectively. Proceed to cook dinner till the onion is golden brown. Add splashes of water in between to assist flip your brown evenly and to conduct the warmth evenly. This could take anyplace from 7 to 10 minutes.
Now, add in all the floor spices, ginger garlic paste, cilantro stems, and curry leaves and blend effectively. Then, add within the non-dairy yogurt, ketchup, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Combine effectively, and produce to a boil, then add the pepper masala mix that you simply made earlier. You may reserve slightly little bit of that for garnish, should you like.
Add the cup of water, and blend very well, then deliver the sauce to a boil and cut back the warmth to medium-low. Add within the crisped up tofu, tossing effectively to coat.
Cowl with the lid, and cook dinner for six to eight minutes for the sauce to thicken slightly bit and for the flavors to meld.
Change off the warmth, garnish with cilantro and both extra black pepper or the reserved pepper masala mix, and serve serve with heat flatbread, heat naan, or over some rice or cooked grains or perhaps a baked potato.
Often Requested Questions
This recipe is of course gluten-free. It’s additionally nut-free so long as you utilize a nut-free non-dairy yogurt. To make it soy-free, use another tofu, like chickpea flour tofu or use chickpeas or beans or a soyfree vegan chiken and a soy-free non-dairy yogurt.
Leftovers will preserve within the fridge for as much as 3 days in a coated container.
