About the Recipe
Ingredients
Brown Basmati Rice (pressure cook for 20 minutes)
• 2 cups Basmati Rice rinsed and well drained
• 2 cups Water
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 5 Green Cardamon
• 3 Cloves
• 1 Bay Leaf
Soy Curl Marinade
• 1 cup non-dairy greek yogurt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 in ginger, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1.5 tsp salt
• .5 tsp cumin
• .5 tsp coriander
• .5 garam masala
Spice Blend
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 6 cloves
• 30 black peppercorns
• 6 green cardamom pods, (black seeds only; discard pods)
• 2 (2-to-3inch) cinnamon sticks
• ½ tablespoon fenugreek leaves, AKA kasoori methi
• 1 ½ teaspoons Indian red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated (or pre-ground)
Masala
• 3 tbsp Oil
• 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
• 6 whole dried red chilies (or sub with ½ tsp red pepper flakes, or omit for less heat)
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 4 tbsp Garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp Ginger, minced
• 1 Green Chili, fine dice
• 2.5 cups tomato, diced
• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 tbsp Garam Masala
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 1/4 cup Water
• 14 oz Coconut Cream
• 2 tbsp DF butter
• 2 tbsp Fenugreek Leaves
• 8-10oz Butler Soy Curls
• 1 Lime, juiced
• 1 cup Cilantro, chopped
Preparation
Instant Pot Brown Basmati Rice
Add all ingredients to the instant pot. On high pressure, set the timer to 20 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Fluff and serve.
Soy Curl Marinade
Rehydrate the soy curls with water for 10 minutes. Then, squeeze excess water out of the curls. Set aside. In a bowl, add all marinade ingredients. Add the soy curls to the marinade. Let curls marinade for at least 30 minutes up to overnight. When you're ready to bake them, set the oven for 425 and bake for 15-20 minutes (or until you see little burnt bits). Set aside.
Spice Blend
Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Once warm, add the whole spices (cumin and coriander seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cinnamon sticks, and fenugreek leaves).
Toast, shaking the pan frequently, until they are very fragrant. Transfer the seeds out of the pan and allow to cool.
Once cooled, add to a spice grinder and blend until finely ground. Pour into a bowl, add the ground spices (Indian red chile powder, turmeric, paprika, nutmeg, and ginger), and toss all the spices to combine.
Masala
Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a deep 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute, swirling the pan frequently. Add the dried chilies and cook for another 30 seconds, swirling frequently to prevent burning.
Add the onions and cook until golden brown.
Add the garlic, ginger, diced serrano pepper, and turmeric, and cook for 1 minute, tossing frequently. Add the red chili powder, coriander, and tomato paste. Stir frequently for 30 to 60 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and their juices, and cook until broken down and softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the cilantro stems (save some of the leaves for the garnish), kosher salt, and stir. Cover the pan and bring to a simmer.
Simmer the masala for 15 minutes, opening the pot to stir occasionally, until the liquid has mostly evaporated. Scoop out the dried red chilies and discard.
Add in the coconut milk, garam masala, and DF butter. Crush the fenugreek leaves in your hand to release the aroma and add to the masala. Increase the heat slightly and stir until everything is combined and the butter is melted.
Add the baked soy curls and lemon juice. Simmer for 2 minutes and coat the soy curls in the sauce.
Garnish the masala with the cilantro leaves and season to taste with salt. Serve the tikka masala with brown basmati rice and/or with DF garlic naan.