Tempeh Tikka Masala
I believe food can unite people from all walks of life, all cultures, all religions. Food brings compassion and harmony to the table and creates a deeper understanding of each other
Although I grew up in my Grandmothers Indian Kitchen, Tikka Masala was not on the menu. This is because this is one of the infamous dishes where the origins or the recipe are fiercely debated all around the world. My favorite story is one that originates from 1960’s Scotland, when a customer asked for some sauce for his Chicken Tikka and the chef inventively added some Heinz Tomato Soup and Yogurt and thus the masala was born. You’ll be interested to know that the Glaswegians tried to get the European union to recognize this in the origin of the masala and have it designated as so, but alas lost they campaign in 2009. I find this story so heartening in a world of devision, to see the Scottish so proud of their Indian hybrid dish that they would try and preserve it as part of Scottish culinary culture
This version of Tikka Masala is made with Tempeh. I had no idea what could be done with Tempeh until this wonderful book, Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen. Tempeh is a traditional soya product, originally from Indonesia and unlike tofu it has it’s own unique taste. In the west people like to cut it up and add it to salads as if it was chicken or cook it in large pieces and substitute it for steak. I personally think it works really well as a substitute for paneer (Indian cheese) and the double flavoring process here, allows it to take on a depth of flavor not usually associated with the product.
I made gluten free chia roti to go with this, but will save that for the next blog. In the meantime basmati rice is a great substitute.
Mr. B. loves Tikka and Tikka Masala, so this was an attempt to bring him a healthy version of one of his favorite dishes that was also dairy free and vegan, so we could eat it together. Suffice to say he gave it five nods.
Ingredients
Tikka Masala
- 8 oz. Tempeh, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 3 tsp. oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tsp. garam masala
- ½ tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- ½ tsp. turmeric
- 4 medium tomatoes, chopped or one can
- 1 inch ginger, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 green chilli (optional)
- ½ tsp. brown/coconut sugar
- ¾ tsp. salt
- ½ cup non-dairy yogurt
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp. cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
Steamed Tempeh
- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. garam masala
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
Method
- Combine the steamed tempeh ingredients in a pan with the tempeh, cook over a medium heat until most of the water is absorbed. Let the tempeh sit for a few minutes. For best results, marinate the tempeh for a few hours in the mixture before cooking. The reason to do this is before tempeh can be a little bitter when used raw and this takes the bitterness away, in addition to imparting more flavour
- Add the steamed tempeh and 1 tsp. oil to a frying pan over a medium heat, cook until the edges are starting to go golden, set aside
- Heat the remaining oil over a medium heat, add the onion and cook until golden, stirring occasionally, c. 7 minutes. Add the garam masala, paprika, ground coriander, turmeric and mix well. Cook for a few minutes to temper the spices
- At the same time, combine the tomatoes, chilli, ginger and garlic in a blender until smooth
- Add the puree to a frying pan and cook until thickens, 10-20 minutes
- Add the tempeh, sugar, salt, yogurt and non-dairy milk and mix well. Stir in the vinegar and bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until you reach the desired thickness
- Don’t forget to taste and adjust to your own palate, adding chilli and salt as desired
