Whenever I make this dish, I go between feeling like I’m cheating , yet happy that it’s so easy to make. The reason, you might ask, is because I use an already pre-made spice paste. I first found these jarred spice mixtures in my local Indian market, so, I thought that if they were selling them they must also use them to make life easier. Besides, I had taken a lesson with a very wonderful Indian cook some years back. She showed me a few made-from-scratch recipes where we ground the spices and toasted them, which was a great deal of fun for me. We cooked the spices in ghee (Indian butter) and so on, but when she opened her pantry I saw the same jars of spice pastes that I saw in the market. She liked them as well, enough said.

One of the great things about this recipe is that my vegan friends can enjoy this dish since I replace the usual paneer cheese cubes with tofu cubes. I always use extra firm tofu and I always make extra since “seconds” are often requested.

Mise en place, kids…that means “everything in it’s place and a place for everything.” Basically have all your ingredients ready to go. It just makes sense.

Lightly fry your tofu cubes in a bit of oil, making sure to brown all sides.

Add a few tablespoons of the spice paste. I use a brand called Pataks that you can purchase in any Indian store and now in major grocery stores in the international foods aisle. They make at least 12 different spice blends from mild to hot and every combo in between.

Add a 3/4 bag of frozen peas and mix well.

Add in the diced tomatoes and sauté for about 5 minutes.

Now add some water to thin out the sauce a bit, about a 1/2 cup.

Then I add some of my home-made soy sour cream to make a thick sauce.

I simmer this for about 15 minutes until it’s thick and bubbly.

You can serve this over some nice basmati rice. I also buy the Indian pickled veggie rinds or sour chutneys that are usually served with the meals in the restaurants as well as assorted sweet chutneys and spicy mint condiments.