Malvani Hen Curry (Western Indian Coconut Kashmiri Chili, Onion curry)

Discover regional Indian delicacies with me and Do that unbelievable Malvani Chikin curry! Western Indian spicy caramelized onion, toasted coconut and kashmiri chili sauce with crisp tofu! This sauce is taste packed and has its personal malvani masala spice mix! 1-pan meal meal that’s scrumptious served over rice or with flatbread or naan. 

Malvani delicacies originates from the western coastal area in India. It has overlap with Maharashtrian(delicacies of state of maharashtra in India) in addition to Goan cuisines and contains plenty of fish and native meat dishes. The flavors are very particular to the delicacies, with its personal spice mixes (malvani masala or malvani garam masala) and cooking strategies. 

I’ve been exploring superb regional flavors from numerous components of India and brining you vegan variations, simplified or impressed dishes and at this time we’re making vegan malvani hen curry! For the sauce base, we use a blended roasted onion and coconut combination, which is known as vatan, making our personal malvani spice mix with some spices, and utilizing crisped up tofu instead of the meat. You should use different protein similar to chickpea tofu, vegan chickin or beans as effectively. Historically, you don’t add any cream to this curry, however you’ll be able to add some(it should additionally steadiness out the warmth), add in some cashew cream or different non-dairy cream proper on the finish.

The sauce contains plenty of Kashmiri chili powder (I do know proper, you want some!) and black pepper, so it could actually get fairly scorching. You’ll be able to scale back these spices to fit your warmth preferences, if wanted.

Like I discussed above, we’re going to make the flavorful Malvani masala spice mix from scratch. It’s so scrumptious! In case you have entry to Malvani garam masala, I like to recommend utilizing it on this recipe as an alternative of the spice combine that I’m making under, to scale back lively time. Simply combine it with two teaspoons of Kashmiri chili powder and use. You should use this aromatic spicy mix over roasted veggies or with beans. It’s flavorful and can be utilized in some ways!

Why You’ll Love Malvani Curry

• superb spice mix is scrumptious, even in the event you’re lacking a spice or two
• wealthy, flavorful blended sauce base with caramelized garlic, onion, and coconut
• crispy, seasoned tofu in deeply seasoned curry sauce
• choice to crisp up the tofu or skip cooking it forward to avoid wasting time
• gluten-free and nut-free with numerous simple soy-free choices

Components and Substitutions

• floor spices – To make the Malvani masala mix, you’ll want: kashmiri chili powder, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, black and inexperienced cardamom pods, turmeric, fennel, and poppyseeds. In case you are lacking one or two of those, don’t fear, it should nonetheless style scrumptious! Alternately, you should utilize a combination of Malvani garam masala (that is totally different from the common garam masala and will be present in Indian shops. Or sub goda masala or garam masala ) and a few Kashmiri chili powder instead of the selfmade spice mix. To season the tofu, you’ll use a bit little bit of the Malvani masala spice combine plus garlic powder and a bit little bit of salt.
• tofu – Pressed and torn up further agency tofu is your protein. For soy-free, you should utilize white beans, chickpeas, seitan, or roasted greens as an alternative.
• oil – To sauté and to cook dinner the tofu.
• vatan – This blended moist sauce is the bottom for the curry. You’ll want purple onion, inexperienced chili, and shredded coconut. You should use contemporary, frozen, or dried coconut on this recipe.
• curry leaves – This provides much more taste to the sauce! Use contemporary or dried or frozen
• onion – Provides umami to the vatan and to the curry sauce.
• ginger garlic paste – Provides extra umami and a bit heat to the Malvani curry.
• cilantro – For garnish. Provides a beautiful, contemporary taste.

Make Malvani Curry

Make the Malvani masala mix. Add all the spice mix components to a spice grinder or blender, and mix till the combination is a powder. Put aside.

Now, make the tofu.

Press and tear the tofu, in the event you haven’t already, and add to a bowl. In a small bowl, combine the 1 teaspoon of Malvani spice mix with the garlic, salt, and cornstarch rather well, then sprinkle it everywhere in the tofu, tossing effectively to coat. Now, you’ll be able to both pan fry or bake the tofu.

To pan fry, add the teaspoon of oil to a skillet over medium-high warmth. As soon as scorching, switch the tofu to the skillet and cook dinner, stirring often and flipping it round till a lot of the edges of the tofu are golden, after which take away from the skillet, 5 to 7 minutes.

To bake, unfold the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and drizzle the teaspoon or so of oil over the tofu items. Bake at 400° F (205° C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or till golden on a lot of the edges.

In the meantime, make the moist sauce (vatan).

Add a teaspoon of oil to the identical skillet. As soon as the oil is scorching, combine within the onion and inexperienced chili together with pinch of salt, and cook dinner till the onion is golden. Add splashes of water to assist the onions brown evenly. As soon as the onions are beginning to get golden, add within the coconut. Combine effectively, and proceed to cook dinner for two minutes, or till the coconut is golden as effectively.

Switch this combination to a blender, and mix with 1/2 cup or extra of water. Mix for at the least a minute, then let it sit for two minutes, then mix once more for a minute till the coconut will get blended right into a considerably clean combination.

Then, make the curry.

Add the oil to the identical skillet over medium warmth. As soon as the oil is scorching, add the curry leaves and allow them to sputter for a couple of seconds, then add the onion and a 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Combine and cook dinner till the onion is golden, including splashes of water to assist the onions cook dinner evenly, 7 to eight minutes. Then, add the remaining Malvani spice combine to the onion. Combine effectively, including one other splash of water, in order that the spices don’t burn and the spices can coat the onion rather well. Prepare dinner for about 1/2 a minute, then add the ginger garlic paste, the remaining salt, and the blended vatan sauce. Rinse out the blender with a couple of tablespoons of water and add to the pan. Deliver to boil, stirring incessantly so the sauce doesn’t burn, 3 to five minutes, relying on the quantity of water you used for mixing and your range, and so forth. As soon as the sauce has thickened a bit bit, combine within the water, after which carry to a boil once more.

Fold within the tofu, and toss effectively, then cowl the pan with the lid. Scale back the warmth to medium-low, and cook dinner for 7 to 10 minutes. This may assist the flavors meld rather well. You’ll be capable of see that the sauce is completed when there’s a bit little bit of oil floating on prime and plenty of the purple coloration from the Kashmiri chili powder is coloring the sauce. Now, style and regulate salt and taste.

Garnish with cilantro, and serve.