Equipment
Ingredients
Tofu and Vegetables
- 400 g extra firm tofu, drained
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into squares
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into squares
- 1 red onion, cut into large chunks
Tikka Marinade
- 150 g plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt
- 20 g ginger-garlic paste
- 15 ml neutral cooking oil
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 g kashmiri chili powder
- 5 g garam masala
- 2 g ground turmeric
- 2 g dried fenugreek leaves, crushed
- 5 g fine sea salt
Mint Dip
- 30 g fresh mint leaves, packed
- 20 g fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, packed
- 200 g plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt
- 1 green chili pepper, stem removed
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 2 g ground cumin, toasted
- 2 g black salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 226 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 743 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Potassium
- 489 mg
- Calcium
- 442 mg
- Iron
- 4.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 61 mg
- Phosphorus
- 156 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 117 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 101 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 25 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 1.2 mg
- Folate
- 50 mcg
- Water
- 276 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Wrap the extra firm tofu in paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth. Place it on a flat surface, top with a heavy object or a tofu press, and press for 20 minutes to extract excess water.
Cut the pressed tofu into robust, uniform cubes. Transfer the tofu, alongside the prepared red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and red onion chunks, into a large mixing bowl.
In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the plant-based yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, cooking oil, lemon juice, kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, crushed dried fenugreek leaves, and fine sea salt until a smooth marinade forms.
Pour the marinade over the tofu and vegetables. Toss gently until every piece is completely coated. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to penetrate.
While the tofu is marinating, prepare the mint dip. Combine the fresh mint, cilantro, green chili, lemon juice, ground cumin, and black salt in a food processor or blender. Pulse until finely minced.
Add the plant-based yogurt to the herbaceous mixture in the food processor and pulse briefly just until incorporated. Transfer the dip to a small serving bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Thread the marinated tofu and vegetables alternately onto bamboo or metal skewers. Leave a small amount of space at the ends for easy handling.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat to 200°C (400°F). Brush the grates lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
Place the skewers on the hot grill. Cook, rotating occasionally, until the tofu is heated through and the vegetables develop charred, blistered edges.
Transfer the hot skewers to a serving platter. Serve immediately alongside the chilled mint dip.
Chef's Notes
- If using bamboo skewers, submerge them entirely in water for at least 30 minutes before threading; this prevents the exposed ends from incinerating over high heat.
- Double-skewering the tofu cubes by running two parallel parallel skewers through the pieces prevents them from spinning freely when you attempt to flip the kebabs.
- Kashmiri chili powder is prized for delivering an intensely vibrant red hue without an overwhelming level of heat. If substituting with standard cayenne pepper, reduce the quantity by half to avoid making the dish too spicy.
- Roasting the cumin seeds whole and grinding them fresh right before mixing the dip will vastly elevate the aromatic complexity compared to using pre-ground cumin.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the dip and the skewers in separate airtight containers.
Reheating: Reheat skewers in a 180C oven for 8 minutes until warmed through. Do not reheat the mint dip.
Troubleshooting
Tofu breaks and falls off the skewer while grilling
Cause: The tofu was not pressed adequately, cut too small, or the skewer was forced through a fragile point
Fix: Remove the broken pieces and cook them directly on a grill pan or in a skillet
Prevention: Ensure tofu is thoroughly pressed to firm up its structure and cut into substantial, uniform cubes
Marinade is clumping and not sticking to the tofu
Cause: The plant-based yogurt had a high water content or split due to acidity
Fix: Whisk vigorously to re-emulsify; if too thin, stir in a small amount of chickpea flour to bind the marinade
Prevention: Use a thick, high-fat plant yogurt like full-fat coconut or oat yogurt
Cultural Context
Tikka traditionally refers to bite-sized pieces of protein or vegetables marinated in an aromatic, spiced yogurt mixture and cooked rapidly in a searing hot tandoor oven. Originating in the Indian subcontinent, this vegan adaptation captures the smoky, robust essence of the original while utilizing plant-based ingredients, honoring the profound depths of traditional tandoori flavor profiles.
