Author Notes: This beautiful recipe has three interesting variations depending on the herbs I used to finish it. It has evolved from a more traditional recipe using light cream, but these days we prefer this lighter and more versatile version. You can also make a double batch of the sauce and freeze it.
It is amazing how much nuance, this small change does for the dish, the dried fenugreek gives it a distinctly Indian finish, while the chopped sweet basil will remind you of flavors of Thai red curry, and the cilantro and lime can fit into any of these two cuisines or find its place somewhere in South America.
If you are not using fenugreek, you can add in ½ cup of finely chopped fresh basil at the end and heat through, or as yet another option, you can add in ½ cup of chopped cilantro and 2 tablespoons of fresh lime or lemon juice.
—Rinku Bhattacharya /Spice Chronicles
Serves: 6
Ingredients
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3
red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
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1
spicy fresh cayenne pepper
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3
tomatoes, chopped
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3
pods garlic, minced
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1/4
cup olive oil
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1
tablespoon whole coriander seeds
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1
large white onion, diced
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1
cup coconut milk
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2
tablespoons coconut cream
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1
teaspoon salt or to taste
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11/2
tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
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1
pound extra firm tofu cubed
Directions
- Place the peppers, cayenne peppers, tomatoes and garlic in a large casserole. Drizzle with all but 2 tablespoons of the oil. Turn on the oven to 375 degrees and roast for about 20 minutes.
- In the meantime heat the remaining oil for about 1 minute and add in the cumin seeds and wait until they sizzle, add in the onion and saute for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the ginger and mix well.
- Cool slightly, place the onions in the blender with the roasted vegetables and the coconut milk and blend into a smooth puree
- Place back in a pot and add in the salt, coconut cream and the tofu and 1 tablespoon of the fenugreek, if you are doing any of the other variations, at this point do not add any herbs.
- Simmer on medium low heat for 10 minutes.
- Place in a serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining dried fenugreek or any of the other herb options and enjoy. If you like it spicy, you can finish with several grinds of fresh black pepper.
/74cc7942-baa0-4511-91a9-a2cd972390a3--Passionate_Tofu_1_650.JPG "Tofu in a Roasted Bell Peppeer and Coconut Sauce 2")
Photo by Rinku Bhattacharya /Spice Chronicles
