I absolutely LOVE the spicy flavours of  butter chicken.  Growing up, my mom considered it “party food.”  And party food was only eaten at parties.  This was because it is heavy and rich and not something my mom considered eating on a daily or weekly basis.  Let’s face it, the sauce in that dish is made of A LOT of cream.  The only time when that much cream works in my body is during the luteal phase of my cycle…Amiright ladies?!! Just kidding.  It’s even a little too creamy and heavy for the luteal phase.  Basically, it’s a dish where the mouth screams “YES!!” But the body says “OH HELL NO!”  So, in this recipe, I’ve transformed my mom’s tasty but heavy butter chicken recipe into a lighter vegan version!  Sorry mom.

This lighter vegan version has the tasty, savory flavor of the original but is lighter and a lot easier to digest.  In this version I use coconut milk instead of cream and believe it or not, no butter or butter substitute is used in either version.  My mom never used butter in her butter chicken!  I massage and marinate the tofu in tandoori spices to let the dish really soak in the flavor.  After pan frying these morsels of flavor, I pour in the coconut milk and add a few more spices.  Easy enough?  I think so!   

Pour it on a bowl of basmati rice and you’ll have a meal that gives you tons of satisfaction.  You can also eat it with roti but if you want to be fancy, serve it with naan.  This will definitely be a winner at your next dinner party and ladies it’s still PMS – luteal phase approved.

Ingredients for tofu and marinade 
350 g of tofu cut into squares
1/2 tsp tandoori masala/spice
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of ground coriander
pinch chili powder

Ingredients for cooking
2 tbsp oil
3 tbsp of tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch chili powder
1 can of coconut milk (full fat)

Method
Place the tofu squares into a mixing bowl and add all ingredients for the marinade; tandoori spice, salt, ground coriander, chili powder.  Massage the spices into the tofu using your hands.  Allow the the tofu to marinate for 2-3 hours.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large sauce pan on medium-high.  Add in your tofu and fry until slightly crispy.  Remember to move the tofu around so that is crisps evenly on each side.  Once fried, remove and set aside.

Lower the heat to medium and add the remainder of the oil (1 tbsp).  Add tomato paste, water and stir with a wooden spoon.  Stir in the can of coconut milk.  Slightly increase the heat to medium-high and add the coriander, cumin, salt and pan fried tofu.  Bring to a boil and then decrease the heat to low and let it simmer for 5-8 minutes.

Serve it at your next dinner party or: Ladies, if you are in the luteal phase of your cycle, skip the table, get into your comfy cozies and find a seat on the couch to enjoy this meal.