Paneer ghee roast is a well-liked dish from Mangalorean, South Indian delicacies. This vegan model pairs roasted greens and tofu with a daring onion, chili, and black pepper sauce. It’s scrumptious served as a curry, bowl, or wrap. Gluten-free and nut-free with a straightforward soy-free possibility.

Paneer ghee roast is a daring, spicy South Indian dish identified for its fiery colour, deep roasted flavors from spices and it’s roasted in ghee (which is clarified butter). Conventional variations typically use Byadgi chilies, however since they are often more durable to seek out, this recipe makes use of Kashmiri chili powder as an alternative.

Mangalorean delicacies comes from the coastal metropolis of Mangalore and displays influences from the states of Karnataka, Kerala, and their Portuguese cooking traditions. Whereas many basic Mangalorean dishes are centered round meat or seafood, this vegan model swaps tofu for paneer and provides roasted greens for additional taste, texture, and heartiness.

I’ve been exploring many regional and particular Indian cuisines to deliver you these curry recipes, make vegan variations of them, and use them as inspiration.

For this ghee roast, as an alternative of marinating a meat substitute and cooking it within the sauce, I toss tofu and greens within the marinade and roast them till flavorful and caramelized. Then I pair them with a scrumptious, tremendous spicy ghee roast-style sauce for a veggie-forward vegan tackle paneer ghee roast.

You possibly can serve this ghee roast other ways—not simply in a curry format. After all, you may combine all of it collectively, like different Indian curries. However you can even layer this right into a bowl by spreading the sauce on the underside, topping it with roasted greens and tofu and the sauce, then drizzling it with some yogurt and including recent, crunchy veggies. 

The yogurt is certainly wanted with the sauce, as a result of it will be spicy. 

To regulate the warmth degree, cut back the black pepper and Kashmiri chilies. Relying on the model, Kashmiri chilies could be tremendous delicate or have extra warmth. Relying in your choice, you may add extra warmth by including cayenne. The black pepper offers this vegan paneer ghee roast a latent warmth, so that you shouldn’t add cayenne instantly. Style the sauce first, then alter. 

I additionally use some entire spices on this recipe. In the event you don’t have them, you should utilize floor variations, that are talked about within the recipe notes.

Why You’ll Love Paneer Ghee Roast

• tremendous scorching and spicy, veggie packed entree
• versatile! Function a curry, a layered bowl, or a wrap
• make-ahead pleasant. Taste deepens with time.
• naturally gluten-free and nut-free with straightforward soy-free possibility

Components

• entire spices – We’re roasting cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, and fenugreek seeds for the spice paste. See recipe notice for floor spice substitutions. Additionally, you will want curry leaves for the spice paste and extra curry leaves for the sauce.
• floor spices – To season the spice paste, we’ll use Kashmiri chili powder and floor coriander
• aromatics – The spice paste makes use of garlic cloves, and we’ll sauté some crimson onion so as to add umami to the sauce.
• tamarind pulp – Provides a candy and bitter taste. You need to use tamarind chutney or tamarind paste, as an alternative, if that’s what you might have.
• non-dairy yogurt – For creaminess and to mellow the warmth. There’s some within the spice paste, and you may add extra on the finish to regulate the warmth, as wanted. For soy-free and/or nut-free, be sure that your yogurt is freed from these allergens.
• tofu – Press half a block of agency or additional agency tofu, then tear it into bite-size items.
• veggies – For the roasted greens, you’ll need cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms. You need the tofu and cauliflower to be comparable sizes. Minimize the potatoes barely smaller, as a result of they take longer to prepare dinner. Chop the carrots small, as a result of thicker reduce carrots will take for much longer to prepare dinner. Chop the mushrooms to be the identical measurement because the potatoes.
• oil – To roast the tofu and greens and to sauté the onion.

The right way to Make Paneer Ghee Roast

Add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, and fenugreek seeds to a small skillet over medium warmth. Toast them till the fennel seeds begin to change colour, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, relying in your range and skillet. Take away from warmth. Toasting is optionally available, however it brings out the flavors of the spices.

Add the toasted spices to a blender together with Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, garlic, tamarind, yogurt, salt, and about ¾ cup of water. Mix the combination till the spices are damaged down. Mix for 1 minutes, let the combination sit for two–3 minutes, then mix once more for an additional 30 seconds or so. The paste can be your marinade for the tofu and veggies.

Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C).

In a bowl, add the chopped greens. Tear the pressed tofu into bite-sized items. You need the tofu and cauliflower to be comparable sizes. Minimize the potatoes barely smaller, as a result of they take longer to prepare dinner. Chop the carrots small, as a result of thicker reduce carrots will take for much longer to prepare dinner. Chop the mushrooms to be the identical measurement because the potatoes.

Add half of the spice paste combination to the bowl with the tofu and greens. Add a bit salt and a couple of teaspoons of the oil. Toss effectively to coat every part with the marinade. Unfold the combination on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or till the potatoes are cooked.

In the meantime, warmth a big skillet over medium-high warmth. Add the remaining oil. As soon as scorching, combine within the onions, curry leaves, and salt. Let it sit undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes, then stir. Add splashes of water to assist the onions prepare dinner evenly. You can too cowl the skillet with a lid after the primary 4 minutes or so to assist the onions prepare dinner quicker. You wish to stir the onions often to forestall burning and sticking.

As soon as the onion turns golden brown, cut back the warmth to medium. Add the remaining spice paste. Rinse the blender with a number of tablespoons of water and add that to the skillet, as effectively. Combine effectively, deliver to a boil, and simmer for an additional jiffy.

Style and alter seasoning, including extra salt, extra yogurt for extra creaminess and to manage the warmth, and/or lemon juice for tang. You can too alter the consistency, including water to make it saucier. Carry to a boil and let it simmer for two to three minutes.

When the veggies are carried out, take away them from the oven, and serve. There are a number of methods to serve this. To function a curry: Fold the roasted tofu and greens into the sauce, calmly toss to coat, cowl with a lid, and simmer for a minute. Serve with rice, quinoa, naan, flatbread, or sourdough. To function a layered bowl: Layer rice or quinoa with crunchy greens, prime with the sauce, and the roasted tofu and veggies. Drizzle with extra sauce or yogurt, and sprinkle with seeds of selection, like sesame seeds or hemp seeds. To make wraps: Add roasted tofu and veggies to pita or naan, drizzle with sauce and yogurt, and prime with crunchy cucumber and lettuce.

What to Serve with Ghee Roast

In case you are serving this as a curry, serve it over rice, quinoa, naan, flatbread, or sourdough. In case you are making a bowl, layer it over rice with crunchy greens, yogurt, and seeds of selection. For wraps, add the tofu and veggies to pita or naan, drizzle with sauce and yogurt, and prime with crunchy cucumber and lettuce.