This rich red lentil dal with baked tofu is so spicy and flavourful but also pretty easy to make – and it also happens to be completely vegan!
The curry is cooked in a coconut milk mixture and then crumbled, baked tofu is then stirred into it. It’s filling, full of flavour and quick enough (and inactive enough) to make it even on a busy weeknight.
Serve it with a side of basmati rice or some warmed naan, this Indian-inspired dinner is sure to be a favourite – whether you’re looking for a plant-based option or not!
How to Make a Red Lentil & Tofu Curry
Begin with prepping your tofu, which can bake while the dal is bubbling away. The tofu prep is similar to what I do in my tofu Caesar recipe – crumbled up so it gets a slightly crisp texture in the oven.
Pat some extra firm tofu dry with paper towels and then use your fingers to crumble it into a mixing bowl. It’s okay if the sizes are mismatched – this can aid in varying textures once the tofu has been cooked.
Drizzle a bit of neutral oil and some soy sauce to season the tofu. Also, sprinkle over a touch of hot Madras curry powder. Stir to combine, spread it over a parchment-lined baking sheet and move it to a 200°C/400°F oven for about 20-30 minutes. You want it to be crisp and browned in parts.
While the tofu is cooking, let’s make the dal!
Add some whole cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black mustard seeds to a large skillet and set it over medium heat. Like I do in my red lentil patties, tamarind fish curry and in my chickpea and kale curry, it’s time to toast the seeds.
Simply put the skillet over medium heat and let the seeds toast until they’re really fragrant and beginning to dance around in the pan. This will only take a minute or two.
Then, add some neutral oil to the pan and toss in your finely chopped shallot along with a generous pinch of salt.
Cook the shallot, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown around the edges – about 5 minutes.
To the shallot, add some minced ginger, garlic and a couple of red chiles. I used bird’s eye chiles, but you can use a milder chile if you’re sensitive to heat.
To curb the heat even more, you can also go ahead and remove the ribs and seeds before mincing them.
At this time, also add a bit of tomato paste. Stir all of this and cook for a couple more minutes before adding some hot Madras curry powder (again, use medium or mild if you’re sensitive to heat) along with a bit of ground cumin, coriander seed, cinnamon and cardamom. Stir all of this until fragrant.
Then, add in some red lentils, a can of coconut milk (make sure it’s full-fat for the best texture and flavour!), a bit of tamarind paste for a touch of fruity acidity (if you don’t have this, keep reading for tips), some soy sauce, a bit of salt and some water.
Bring all of this to a simmer and allow to bubble away until the curry is thick and the lentils are fully cooked through – about 20-30 minutes.
Now, if you didn’t add tamarind paste earlier, use this time to stir in some lemon juice instead. It’s also a good time to taste to adjust for seasoning. Then, stir in your cooked tofu! Now, all that’s needed is to serve.
Serve the curry alongside some basmati rice or some warmed naan for a delicious meal!
Tofu Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- 450 g (16 oz) extra-firm tofu drained and patted dry
- 4 tsp soy sauce divided
- 4 tsp hot madras curry powder divided
- 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- 2 medium shallots finely chopped
- 15 g (1 tbsp) fresh ginger peeled & grated or finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 red chilis such as bird's eye or cayenne, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander seed
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- 100 g (½ cup) dried red lentils
- 1 (400g/14oz) can full-fat coconut milk well-shaken
- 2 tsp tamarind paste (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Use your hands to crumble the tofu into a medium mixing bowl. Drizzle with 2 tsp of neutral oil, 1 tsp of soy sauce and 1 tsp of curry powder.
- Stir until evenly coated and then spread over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cook until the tofu has reduced in size, has turned golden brown and has begun to crisp in places, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the dal. Add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black mustard seeds to a large skillet and set over medium heat. Once the seeds are fragrant and beginning to dance around in the pan (a minute or two) add 2 tbsp of neutral oil.
- Add the shallots along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot is softened and beginning to brown around the edges – about 5 minutes.
- Add the ginger, garlic, chili and tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and the tomato paste darkens and becomes sticky – another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp of curry powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cardamom. Cook, stirring constantly, until it's fragrant – only about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the lentils, coconut milk, tamarind paste, the remaining 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 400ml (1⅔ cups) of water and ½ tsp of salt. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes – or until the dal is thick and the lentils are cooked through.
- Taste to adjust for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper where needed. Stir in the tofu. Serve immediately with a side of steamed basmati rice or warm naan.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This spicy coconut tofu lentil curry is simple to make, packed with Indian flavours and super rich and decadent. It’s the perfect main meal for plant-based diets that can please both vegans and omnivores alike!
Are you after a great tofu and red lentil dal? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
