Tikka Masala Rice Bake with Crispy Tofu

Tikka masala rice bake with crispy tofu is an excellent fast, one-pot meal utilizing a easy tikka masala sauce for a straightforward dinner that’s stuffed with taste. Even the rice cooks proper within the baking dish! Gluten-free, choices for soyfree and nutfree

This tikka masala rice makes use of a easy, 2-step course of. You add the aromatics and a few torn tofu within the baking dish, sprinkle some spices on high, and bake. Then take, that out of the oven, add the entire sauces together with the rice, water and veggies, combine, and bake once more.

No standing round sautéing wanted! It has a really low energetic cooking time, upon getting all of the spices all able to go.

Like in a lot of my Indian recipes, I take advantage of dried fenugreek leaves right here. The dried fenugreek leaves on this recipe add that very genuine tikka masala taste, however if you happen to don’t have the fenugreek leaves, you need to use some further floor coriander and a little bit of floor mustard.

I might extremely suggest getting some dried fenugreek leaves, if doable, although. They’re accessible on Amazon or in Indian shops. Numerous Indian shops ship, as properly. You’ll be utilizing fenugreek in numerous my recipes, if you happen to prepare dinner numerous Indian meals from the weblog.

Why You’ll Love Tikka Masala Rice

• one-pan recipe with little or no energetic cooking time
• 2-step recipe is stuffed with taste!
• rice, tofu, and veggies all prepare dinner in a single pan
• genuine tikka masala taste with a lot much less work
• naturally nut-free and gluten-free with simple soy-free choices

Elements and Substitutions

• oil – To grease the pan and to roast the aromatics and crisp up the tofu.
• aromatics – Onion, inexperienced chili, and bell pepper carry a lot umami to this tikka masala rice!
• floor spices – You season the tofu and onions with garam masala, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, Kashmiri chili powder or paprika, cayenne, and fenugreek. You need to use further floor coriander and floor mustard as a substitute of the fenugreek, however the taste will probably be much less genuine.
• tofu – Torn up tofu is your protein. You need to use soy-free tofu, like chickpea tofu, as a substitute. Or, simply use a drained can of chickpeas as a substitute.
• tomato puree – Provides umami, colour, and moisture to the tikka masala rice.
• ginger garlic paste – Extra umami and warmth! You need to use minced ginger and garlic as a substitute, if wanted.
• non-dairy yogurt – Provides creaminess and tang. You add it to the rice and you’ll drizzle some on high after baking, as properly.
• Indian white basmati rice – Make certain to scrub and drain your rice earlier than utilizing.
• water or inventory – Provides moisture.
• greens – You need to use contemporary or frozen greens of alternative.
• garnishes – Prime the tikka masala rice bake with cilantro, lime juice, crushed pepper, and extra non-dairy yogurt. It’s also possible to add some pickled onion, if you happen to like.

Learn how to Make Tikka Masala Rice

Chop all of the veggies, and press the tofu and tear it into items, if you happen to haven’t already. Use 1/2 teaspoon of the oil to grease a 9×11” or similar-sized baking dish, and preheat your oven to 400° F (205° C).

Add the chopped onion, inexperienced chili, and bell pepper to at least one facet of the baking dish. Add the torn tofu to the opposite facet of the baking dish, then drizzle the remaining oil on the onion and tofu.

In a small bowl, combine the entire spices collectively, then sprinkle half of them on the onion facet, and half on the tofu. Toss the spices into the onion and tofu, ensuring to not combine the onion and tofu collectively. Maintain them on their similar sides of the baking dish. Bake for about 14 to 18 minutes, or till the tofu is a bit of crisp, and the onion is beginning to flip golden. You possibly can stir the tofu or the onions, if wanted in between, in the event that they’re scorching on anybody facet. 

Take away the baking dish from the oven, and switch the tofu out of the baking dish right into a bowl. Add the tomato puree, ginger garlic paste, non-dairy yogurt, and salt, and blend rather well. Then, combine within the water, after which combine within the rice and the veggies.

Even all the pieces out with a spatula. At this level, you possibly can add among the tofu again on high, or you possibly can go away the tofu so as to add to the baked rice later. The tofu will soften a bit of bit if you happen to put it again in, due to the water boiling beneath. If you wish to preserve it crispier, add it on high simply earlier than serving.

If it’s not crisped as much as desire, you possibly can simply put the oven protected bowl of tofu again into the oven to crisp up extra by itself whereas the rice is baking.

Frivolously cowl the baking dish with a bit of parchment paper, and bake for 25 minutes or till the rice is cooked to desire. It’d take an additional 5 minutes for the rice to utterly prepare dinner, relying in your pan and your oven. Take away the baking dish from the oven, and let it sit for a minute or two, then use a big fork or spatula to fluff the rice rather well.

Serve topped with the crisped up tofu, and garish with cilantro, lime juice, and pepper flakes. It’s also possible to drizzle on some non-dairy yogurt, if you happen to like or make raita.

To make raita dip: combine 1/4 cup non dairy yogurt with 2-3 tablespoons water, 1/4 every teaspoon cumin, salt, sugar and cayenne. Then add 1/2 cup or extra grated cucumber or finely chopped onion or tomato. Combine in, garnish with cilantro and floor cumin.

What to Serve with Tikka Masala Rice

I actually wish to serve this with the facet of plain non-dairy yogurt or with non-dairy yogurt raita dip. It makes a tremendous sauce to drizzle throughout this rice.

Pickled onions additionally go rather well with tikka masala.