Indian · lunch, dinner

Palak Tofu (Vegan Palak Paneer)

Palak Tofu (Vegan Palak Paneer) — from Curries With Bumbi's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 6:44

Video by Curries With Bumbi on YouTube · Open on YouTube

35 minServes 4297 kcal a serve
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Nut-free

Contains: Soy. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Tofu and spinach give about 22 g of protein a serve and make it rich in calcium, iron and folate, with more than a day's vitamin K from the greens. No cream or paneer, so only about 2 g of saturated fat.

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Ingredients 16

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Drain and rinse the tofu, wrap in paper towel for 5 minutes, cut into large cubes and toss with ½ tsp salt, the pepper and 1 tsp lemon or lime juice. Marinate 10 minutes. 0:46
  2. Bring a pot of water to the boil with ¼ tsp turmeric. Add the spinach and boil uncovered for exactly 2 minutes, then plunge into iced water for a minute to keep it bright green. Drain. 1:32
  3. Blend the spinach with the coriander leaves and stalks to a fine paste. 2:41
  4. Heat the oil until just smoking, lower to medium and crackle the cumin seeds. Add the sliced onion and cook until soft, then the garlic and green chilli until the garlic turns a little brown. 3:05
  5. Add the tomatoes, raise the heat and cook until mushy. Lower to medium, add ¼ tsp turmeric and the coriander powder with a splash of water so the spices do not burn. 4:22
  6. Add the tofu and stir gently to coat, then 1 tsp salt and the spinach paste. Rinse the blender with ½ cup water and add it. Keep the pan uncovered. 4:54
  7. As soon as it comes to a boil, add the sugar and 2 tsp lemon or lime juice, stir once and take off the heat so the gravy stays green. Serve with rice or roti. 5:35

Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate). Paneer works the same way; skip the marinade. Do not cover the pan or simmer long after adding the spinach or it turns dark. Stir in a spoon of coconut milk at the end for extra richness.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 4

Energy297 kcal1,240 kJ
Protein22 g44% of a day
Fibre6.5 g23% of a day
Carbohydrate19 g12 g net · 4.9 g sugars7% of a day
Fat18 g2 g saturated23% of a day
Sodium960 mg42% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 16%
  • Protein 30%
  • Fat 54%

Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Vitamin K High369%

443 µg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (87%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Omega-3 High93%

1.5 g a serve, mostly from mustard oil (52%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Calcium High63%

818 mg a serve, mostly from firm tofu (83%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Folate High53%

212 µg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (73%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin A High49%

445 µg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (84%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin C High49%

44 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (51%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Iron High37%

6.7 mg a serve, mostly from firm tofu (40%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Selenium High36%

20 µg a serve, mostly from firm tofu (86%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Magnesium High34%

145 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (44%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin B6 High31%

0.5 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (30%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Vitamin E High26%

3.9 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (42%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Zinc High23%

2.5 mg a serve, mostly from firm tofu (64%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Potassium High22%

1040 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (43%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

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Vitamin D0%

0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Vitamin B120%

0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Curries With Bumbi; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.