Black Garlic Kitchen

Black Garlic Tofu Makhani

A vegetarian take on traditional butter chicken using tofu in a buttery spiced tomato and Black Garlic cream sauce.

black garlic tofu makhani

Prep: 45 mins including pressing + marinating | Cook: 25 mins | Serves: 4 | V

Ingredients

For the Marinade

  • 50g plain yoghurt
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste – shop bought or homemade*
  • 1 tsp Black Garlic Paste
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp garam masala
 
  • 450g smoked tofu – drained and pressed** – cut into bite-sized cubes
  • Salt to taste
 

For the Makhani Sauce

  • 50g butter
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1 chilli – finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste – shop bought or homemade*
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 250ml tomato passata plus 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tbsp Black Garlic Paste
  • 2 tbsp runny honey
  • 2 tsp Black Garlic Sea Salt or table salt
  • 250ml single cream
  • 8 cloves Black Garlic – chopped
 
Garnish (optional)
 
  • Extra single cream
  • Extra dried fenugreek leaves 
  • Flaked almonds

Method

  • Put all the ingredients for the marinade into a bowl and mix together. Add the tofu and toss well. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 200C/180Cfan/Gas6.
  • Remove the tofu from the marinade and pat dry. Place the tofu in a single layer on a non-stick baking tray.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle over a little salt to taste. Set aside. 
  • To make the Makhani sauce – heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the dried fenugreek leaves, chilli, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, ground cumin and ground coriander. Cook for 1 minute then add the tomato passata, tomato purée and Black Garlic Paste. Stir to combine the ingredients then add the honey. Season to taste with 2 teaspoons of salt. Simmer the Makhani sauce for 5 minutes then add the cream and chopped Black Garlic cloves.
  • Add the cooked tofu to the Makhani sauce and gently warm through. Season to taste with salt and add extra sugar if necessary.
 

To Serve: swirl a little cream on top of BGK’s Black Garlic Tofu Makhani, add a sprinkling of dried fenugreek leaves. Scatter over a few flaked almonds. Serve the dish with rice and poppadoms.

Top Tip:* to make ginger garlic paste put 150g peeled chopped fresh ginger, 150g peeled chopped white garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons of water into a blender or food processor. Blitz to a fine paste. Put the paste into a clean jar, top up with vegetable oil and store in the refrigerator for 1 week or put the paste into ice cube trays, cover with cling film and freeze for up to 3 months.

Top Tip:** pressing the tofu will improve the texture and help to absorb the flavour of the marinade. To press tofu, wrap it in kitchen paper towel and place a heavy object on top. Leave for 20 minutes while the excess water is released from the tofu.