I have never been fond of the traditional Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) Tikka Masala. The reasons are not far to seek. In my earlier avatar of being a vegetarian, I was invariably served one or two paneer dishes whenever I was invited to partake of lunch or dinner in any friend’s home. I had such an overload of paneer that I began to dislike it intensely. Since I turned WFPB a decade ago, I have studiously avoided traditional dishes using paneer.
Recently, however, the urge was upon me to have paneer (read tofu) tikka masala. Without further ado, Hari and I proceeded to customise the traditional dish to WFPB principles. With help from The Spruce Eats. It wasn’t easy. But, being the Masterchef that he is, Hari turned out the dish in aces!

Ingredients
For The Marinade
200 gms firm tofu, cut into 1/2″ cubes
120 ml vegan yogurt
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
Salt to taste
For The Gravy
400 gms tomatoes, blended fine
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
120 ml vegan yogurt
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, for garnish
Method
Marinating The Tofu
In a bowl, add yogurt, lime juice, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, chili powder and salt
Blend really smooth
Coat the tofu pieces with the marinade
Set aside for 1 hour
Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F)
Bake the tofu for about 30 minutes, turning the pieces over a couple of times
Remove from oven and cool
Making The Gravy
Heat a wok
Add tomatoes, chili powder, cumin powder and yogurt
Cook till the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes
Add the tofu pieces and mix well
Cook for a couple of minutes till the tofu is well coated with the masala
Remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves
Serve hot with red/brown rice or Indian flat breads
Enjoy!