Our Veggie Kitchen

Here is the first recipe post from Sunday's dinner: Zucchini Masala.

I've made a few attempt, trying to make a Masala sauce (as in Tikka Masala) that was hearty, healthy and vegan. The vegan part was pretty easy. I would use some combination of soy milk, tofu and coconut milk. The hearty was a bit of work. I tried cooking cauliflower and tofu in the sauce, which was good, but not quite what I was looking for. I tried zucchini and it had a great look and texture, just a bit meaty, and went well with the sauce. I thought about adding spinach, but chose not to.

I needed to add some non-fat calories, though. I made a batch with silken tofu, ground cashews and tomato sauce. It was creamy, but a bit too thick and the tofu was too prevalent. This time around, I used silken tofu and a small can of coconut milk.

The final is somewhat healthy (18g fat), especially compared to the heavy cream variety. It looks and tastes great and falls in line with what I was looking for: an Indian Restaurant Masala Sauce.



Zucchini Masala
2 tbs Earth Balance Margarine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs ginger, minced
3 serrano peppers (2 for a milder version), seeded & minced
1 tbs coriander
1 tbs cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp garam masala
15 oz can tomato sauce
12 oz silken tofu
1 tbs lemon juice
6 oz coconut milk
3 zucchini, halved, then quartered

Melt margarine in a frying pan. Saute the garlic, ginger and peppers until fragrant. Add spices and fry for slightly longer. Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil, stirring in the spices. Blend together the tofu, coconut milk and lemon juice. Add the blended tofu and coconut milk. Stir to combine and add the zucchini. Reduce to simmer and cover, stirring occasionally. Cook until the zucchini is tender. Add a little water, if necessary, to attain desired consistency.

Serve with basmati rice or roti, naan or flatbread. Also good with Indian Fried Tofu (I'll post tomorrow).

4 Servings: 275 cal (18g fat, 22g carbs, 11g protein)