Tikkā is a northern Indian dish involving marinated protein or vegetables cooked in a tandoor, or clay oven. My version is made with marinated tofu baked on skewers in a conventional oven to mimic the traditional cooking vessel, which adds a char and smokiness to the dish. Using smoked paprika further pays tribute to the traditional cooking technique. This tikkā is best served hot with cooling mint chutneys and is delicious in lettuce wraps as well. For lettuce wraps, dice the tofu and vegetables into smaller pieces after cooking and fill the lettuce leaves just before serving.
Note that this recipe requires an overnight marinade to maximize flavor, so be sure to plan ahead!
Servings: 2-4
Prep Time: 12-24 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup unsweetened plain non-dairy yogurt
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 6 garlic cloves, grated (about 1 ½ Tbsp)
- 1 Tbsp grated ginger
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice (about ¼ lime)
- 2 tsp garam masālā
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground red chili
- ½ tsp black salt
- 1 14-ounce block extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed for 1 hour (see Ingredient Tip below), cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ medium red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 to 2 bell peppers (any color), cut into 1-inch cubes
- A generous pinch of chāt masala
- Roughly chopped cilantro or mint
- Lemon or lime wedges
- Mint chutney, optional
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, lime juice, garam masālā, paprika, salt, turmeric, red chili, and black salt. Adjust seasoning to taste. The mixture should be pungent, spicy, and salty.
- Add the tofu, onion, and bell pepper to the mixing bowl and stir gently until each piece is well coated. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and stir, then skewer onto 4 to 6 stainless-steel or bamboo skewers. If using bamboo skewers, they must first be soaked in water for 1 hour. Alternate the tofu, pepper, and onion on the skewers. Reserve any remaining marinade.
- Line the bottom of a 9x9x2-inch square baking dish with foil (for easier cleanup). Balance the skewers on top of the baking dish rims so the tofu is touching neither the bottom of the pan nor its neighbor.
- Bake the tofu skewers for 15 minutes, until starting to brown in spots. Remove from the oven, brush with the remaining marinade, rotate each skewer 180 degrees, then return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes, until browning in spots again. If desired, broil for a minute or two to obtain a char reminiscent of tandoor cooking.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chāt masālā to taste and chopped cilantro. Serve hot with lemon wedges.
Ingredient Tip: Use a tofu press for best results, but if not available, you can place the tofu between two paper towels or clean kitchen towels. Place a flat plate or cutting board on top of the tofu and a few heavy cans (like beans or soup) on top of the plate.
Recipe from Plant-Based India: Nourishing Recipes Rooted in Tradition © Dr. Sheil Shukla, 2022. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available everywhere books are sold. Learn more at TheExperimentPublishing.com.
