Up close and personal with this kaju korma.

If you've found your way to this recipe post, consider yourself lucky. I was so thrilled to have Courtney Rae (The Fig Tree blog) bring her version of a vegan "butter chicken" sauce to the party I hosted. I asked Courtney if there was a way we could use her recipe as a dip to dunk roasted cauliflower. It's a leaner take on traditional gobi pakoras (deep fried cauliflower). Courtney was up for the challenge and brought her A-game! We even saved a portion for the rest of my family to try. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

The beauty with this kaju korma recipe is it's versatility. For the girls night we enjoyed it as a dip but it can also be used as a sauce on top of chicken breast, a white fish or even roasted tofu chunks with a side of rice. Please people. Try it, eat it, love it, share it. It's that good.

Hi Courtney! (yup, that's her in the sweet purple dress) - thanks again for sharing your recipe with the world. *note: if you don't have a chance to soak the cashews overnight or you don't have a high-powered blender, simply bring a small pot of water to a boil, add cashews and simmer for about 10 minutes. They will be soft enough to blend into a smooth consistency regardless of the blender.

And now, enter drumroll...

Print Recipe

Kaju Korma Dip (vegan)

Cuisine: Indian
Author: Courtney Rae Jones
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients

1 block of pressed tofu or extra firm tofu, cubed
2 tablespoon of canola oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped (or 1 large onion)
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 heaping teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon of dried unsweetened coconut (optional)
1 teaspoon of garam masala
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1-14 ounce can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (no sodium)
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 cup of raw, unsalted cashews (soaked over night or boiled)
1 and 1/2 cups of water, divided
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala
1/4 cup of cilantro

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375'F. Toss the tofu cubes with a bit of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown (about 15 minutes). Add the cumin seeds and cook until they start popping (about 30 seconds).
Add garlic and ginger and sauté about a minute.
Add turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, cayenne pepper, and shredded coconut. Heat through until fragrant (about a minute).
Add crushed tomatoes and sea salt. Add in 1/2 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of sugar and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool slightly.
In a blender, add the remaining cup of water and the soaked cashews. Blend for one minute or until creamy. Add in the cooled tomato spice mixture. Blend another minute or until well combined.
Place back in the pan and add the final 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala. Simmer over low-medium heat to heat through. Add the baked tofu and simmer for another 5 to 6 minutes. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with basmati rice. Enjoy!

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Before you leave, check out this fun stop motion video about the girls night in I hosted, trust me you, you're going to want to see it! It's pretty darn cute if I don't say so myself!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2wdx4mo02Q