Indian Spiced Tofu Puff Pastry Braid

Steps to make

1. 1

   Prepare tofu

   2 min
   

   Remove the excess moisture from 16 ounces tofu by pressing in between the paper towel sheets. Remove paper towels and crumble the tofu with your hands to get about 2 to 2 ½ cups.

2. 2

   Boil green peas

   2 min
   

   In a saucepan with a little boiling water, boil ½ cup fresh or frozen green peas until lightly cooked. Then drain and set aside.

4. 3

   Heat oil and add cumin

   1 min
   

   In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and once it is hot, sprinkle 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and wait for it to sizzle.

5. 4

   Add onions, chili, garlic, and ginger

   3 min
   

   Add in 1 finely chopped red onion, 1 finely chopped jalapeño, 1 finely chopped garlic clove, and grated ginger and sauté, stirring occasionally, on medium heat until the onions are soft and lightly brown.

6. 5

   Add tomato

   2 min
   

   Add 1 small chopped tomato and cook, stirring often, until slightly soft.

7. 6

   Mix in spices

   1 min
   

   Mix in 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, and ½ teaspoon turmeric and cook until the oil starts to separate, this indicates the spices are well roasted.

8. 7

   Add green peas and tofu

   5 min
   

   Add the cooked green peas and crumbled tofu. Add salt to taste and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder. Stir and cook on medium heat until the spices are well incorporated and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes.

9. 8

   Add cilantro and lemon juice

   2 min
   

   Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Stir in 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves and juice of ½ a lemon if using. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

10. 9

    Heat oven

    5 min
    

    Preheat the oven to 400 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

11. 10

    Unfold dough

    2 min
    

    Unfold 1 puff pastry sheet and lay it flat onto the lined baking sheet.

12. 11

    Cut dough strips

    3 min
    

    Draw a rectangle into the center of the sheet leaving a 5-inch border on each side and a 1-inch border at the top and bottom of it. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to make diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides of the rectangle. Discard the 4 corners of the dough. Do not slice into the middle section.

13. 12

    Assemble

    5 min
    

    Spread half of the tofu mixture evenly over the center of the uncut dough. To braid, fold the top and bottom of the pastry sheet over the tofu mixture. Start at one end, bring one strip at a time across the center, overlapping and alternating. Continue to form a braid. Press lightly to seal any loose puff pastry strips. Repeat with the second puff pastry sheet.

14. 13

    Brush

    2 min
    

    If not vegan, brush the top of each puff pastry braid with beaten egg. Alternatively, use a little coconut oil.

15. 14

    Bake

    25 min
    

    Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown.

16. 15

    Serve

    

    Slice and serve.