Ingredients:

Tofu:

• 1 package of extra-firm tofu

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon rice flour (optional)

• 1 teaspoon garam masala

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon chaat masala

• cooking oil

Gravy:

• ½ cup raw cashews (soak for a minimum of 30 minutes)

• ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

• 1 inch fresh ginger

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 medium onion

• ½ tablespoon red chili powder

• 1 teaspoons turmeric

• 1 teaspoons ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave

• 8-10 whole tomatoes

• salt & pepper

Recipe:

Tofu:

1. Getting the water out of the tofu is the trick for this recipe. Take the tofu out of the package and cut it in half horizontally. Take the water out by wrapping each half in paper towels and putting a plate on top of each block of wrapped tofu. Leave this anywhere from 15-30 minutes. Of course, the longer the better.

2. While you’re waiting for the tofu to drain you can start getting the cashew cream for the gravy ready (step 1 under ‘Gravy’). Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes - for reference I had about 50 cubes.

3. Mix together all the seasonings together - the rice flour helps make the tofu extra crispy, but it’s still good without it. Once you combine all the seasonings, dip the tofu cubes into the bowl and heat them on a skillet.

4. Once the tofu is golden brown on one side flip the tofu over and make sure they are golden brown on all sides and set the tofu aside while you make the gravy.

Gravy:

1. Soak your cashews in hot water. As recommended soak these for 30 minutes minimum, but of course the longer the better.

2. Put the soaked, raw cashews and the dairy-free milk into a blender (I used almond). Blend the two ingredients together until it is a smooth but slightly thick consistency.

3. This is the time-consuming part - you’ll have to peel the tomatoes and then dice them. In a large pan, add the garlic, ginger, and onion. Cook these until they are slightly browned and begin adding the spices. Cook this for about five minutes, and then add the diced tomatoes, maple syrup, and the blended cashew cream.

4. Mix together the gravy and do a taste test. Once the cashew cream is completely blended into the gravy, add in the tofu. Let the gravy simmer and let the tofu marinate in the gravy for about ten minutes. And now, your garma garam butter chicken is ready. Enjoy & don’t forget to take pictures and tell me how you liked the recipe!