Amritsar is a town in the state of Punjab and the cuisine from this city has certain twists to the usual sauces and dishes. This Amritsari sauce which is often served with chikin is a fabulous base for veggies, tofu or chickpeas. The sauce is a creamy onion tomato sauce like the makhani sauce. The spicing is a bit different.
Cayenne and paprika (or kashmiri chili) is roasted/fried well in the beginning(there might be sneezing!), then cumin and coriander and mixed and roasted. The temperature of the pan and oil matter here so that the spices dont burn, but do roast well. Then the onion, garlic and ginger is added and cooked to golden with the smoked spices. A Blended tomato cashew sauce is then added and simmered to make a creamy smoky spicy sauce! Add the baked tofu or some chickpeas or roasted veggies and simmer for a few mins.
This sauce can easily get pretty hot. So use less heat (cayenne, smoked paprika and sub the hot green chile with mild or bell pepper) to preference. If you fry the cayenne in hotter oil, it will also burn out some of the heat. For a quicker recipe, pan fry pressed and cubed tofu and use. Lets get sneezing!
The spices fried in hot oil is what gives the dish its distinctive flavor. If omitting oil, you want to carefully toast the spices on a dry hot skillet and then add some broth and onion and continue to cook.
Tofu gets marinated in ginger garlic cayenne lemon cornstarch marinade and then baked. Use the same marinade for veggies if using. Or cook the chickpeas or chickpea tofu with it before adding to the sauce.
You can also add the marinade ingredients minus cornstarch to the onion mixture and cook for a minute before adding the tomato puree. Then add veggies or chickpeas with cashew milk and simmer until tender.
Tofu Amritsari Masala. This Amritsari Sauce uses toasted cayenne and spices with a creamy tomato sauce. Add chickpeas, veggies or veggie meats for variation. Vegan Glutenfree Recipe. Can be Soyfree, Nutfree.
Blend the ginger garlic vinegar and lemon, or mince and combine in a bowl. Add to the cubed tofu. Add the spices, salt and oil and mix in. Add cornstarch and toss lightly to coat.
Sauce: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Once hot (not smoking) add the cayenne and paprika and cook for a few seconds.
Add cumin and coriander and cook for a few seconds. it should be bubbly and you should smell or sneeze the spices.
Add the pureed tomato, salt, and sugar and mix in. Cook until the tomato puree thickens.
Add cashew milk and bring to a just about a boil. Add the baked tofu and mix in. Simmer for 6 to 8 mins to thicken and for the flavors to develop. Taste and adjust salt and sweet. Remove from heat. Let it sit for another few mins for flavors to meld. Garnish with cilantro and chili.
The sauce thickens as it sits. Add 1/2 cup of water or non-dairy milk if needed when reheating. Serve with flatbread or rice or add to a bowl.
Nutfree: Use 1 cup full fat coconut milk or other thick non dairy milk, or a mix of non dairy cream and milk. You can also use other nuts such as macadamia and seeds such as pumpkin seeds.
Oilfree: The spices getting fried in oil is what gives the dish its distinctive flavor. If omitting oil, you want to carefully toast the spices on a dry hot skillet and then add some broth and onion and continue to cook.
Soyfree: Use chickpeas or roasted veggies or chickpea tofu. Mix the chickpeas in the marinade under Baked Tofu and cook for a few mins before adding tothe simmering sauce. Add the marinade to veggies such as cauliflower, potato and bake.
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Made this today. I really enjoyed the hot nature of it.
Wow! New addition to my comfort food recipes, especially on a cold Colorado night! I used the coconut milk option and it was delish. I did add a bit of tamarind paste to balance flavors. It comes together in the time it takes to cook a pot of brown rice, and the house will smell splendid the whole evening long! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing. We are going to make this today.
Looking forward to trying this recipe! I’m trying to eat as many vegetables as possible, can you recommend some that would go well in this?
Tried this recipe, absolutely love it! I did use the coconut milk in place of cashew milk since I dont have a good blender yet. Do you know if it will taste much different between cashew milk and coconut milk?
I want to try this recipe SUPER badly. It looks perfect! Thank you so much for incorporating a nut free and oil free option. Full fat coconut milk is easier and cheaper for me to use, so I’d definitely integrate that substitution!
I made this (for my packed work lunch) and it did not stretch for the week – because I could not stop eating it straight out the saucepan! It is absolutely delicious and love the creaminess the cashew milk adds to the tomato base. A definite winner with me. I have an abundance of eggplant in my garden at the moment (I am in Australia) so cut a large one in into wedges and roasted them in the oven and then added it into the sauce with the tofu. YUM YUM YUM. Guess what is for lunch again next week!
I just made it! It requires quite some work, but it’s all worth it. It’s delicious and it’ll surely stay on our menu for some time 🙂 Thank you very much for sharing!
Great recipe, and I love the flexibility. I added 1 bag of defrosted mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots this time) with the baked tofu and a few handfuls of baby spinach at the end for a little more heft, and it turned out perfectly. The sauce is so flavorful! Thank you, Richa!
This is wonderful! The closest I’ve ever come to making a restaurant style tomato-y masala at home. I made it with coconut milk and it was delicious. I will try it with cashew cream next time, as I’m sure I’ll be making this again and again.