Tofu tikka masala by Fearne Cotton

My husband, Jesse, loves a tikka masala, so this one is for him. Super creamy due to the coconut milk yoghurt and coconut cream and full of flavour and spice, this meal will leave you feeling satisfied, energised and suitably smug that you made it from scratch. Serve with rice or naan bread on a chilly evening.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp sunflower oil
• 800 g firm tofu, drained and cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
• 150 ml coconut milk yoghurt
• 150 ml coconut cream
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Small handful of coriander, leaves only
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Brown basmati rice to serve

Method

1. Put half the oil into a large pan and set over a medium-high heat. Add the tofu, half the garam masala and half the turmeric, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Toss everything together and fry for 5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Transfer the contents to a bowl and return the pan to the heat. 
2. Add the remaining oil and the onions to the pan and fry for 6–8 minutes until translucent and soft. Add the ginger and garlic, lower the heat and fry for a further 5 minutes until aromatic. Add the remaining garam masala and remaining turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, tomato puree and chopped tomatoes to the pan, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the yoghurt, coconut cream and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper. If you like you can puree the sauce at this point, or simply leave it as it is. Stir the tofu back into the sauce and warm through. 
3. Serve immediately with the coriander sprinkled over and rice on the side.

Choose calcium-set tofu to boost your intake of this mineral. Look for calcium in the ingredients list.

Choose light coconut cream/milk and coconut yoghurt that is lower in fat and fortified like Alpro’s product.

Don’t be afraid to skip the salt and savour the other flavours. It’s a heart-healthy habit.

Happy Vegan by Fearne Cotton is out now in hardback (Orion Spring)

Photography: Andrew Burton (for the Orion Publishing Group Ltd)