When you are on a weight loss diet—especially if you are a foodie who has freely loaded on up on everything on offer—cooking up a dinner that is scrumptious, filling and low in calories can be quite the challenge. This challenge to your weight loss journey can be extremely tricky during busy weeknights, which means that any recipe you do make has to be easy to make as well. Ticking off all of these boxes can be difficult, unless you have this vegan butter chicken recipe in your kitty.
Vegan butter chicken is a plant-based version of the popular Indian dish called butter chicken or murgh makhani. Traditionally, butter chicken is made with chicken marinated in spices and yoghurt, cooked in a rich and spicy tomato-based sauce, and finished with butter and cream. The traditional butter chicken is, in fact, not healthy, packed with excessive calories and saturated fats, and not a good fit for your weight loss diet.
But vegan butter chicken, on the other hand, is just perfect for your weight loss journey and weeknight dinners. Low in calories, packed with the best vegan ingredients and yet loaded with the familiar flavours of butter chicken, this easy vegan butter chicken makes for the best weeknight dinner for weight loss. In the vegan version, the chicken is typically replaced with plant-based protein sources like tofu or meaty vegetables like cauliflower.
Video credit: YouTube/Loving It Vegan
Truth be told, while a vegan butter chicken may not directly promote weight loss on its own, it can be a part of a weight loss diet when consumed as part of a balanced and calorie-controlled meal plan. This is also because the creamy, dairy products like butter and cream used in the traditional dish are instead replaced with plant-based alternatives like olive oil and almond milk. Also, pairing the dish with brown rice or millets rotis instead of white rice or refined flour naan or tandoori rotis can also aid your weight loss diet.
Wondering how to whip up this perfect vegan butter chicken recipe for weight loss? Here’s the recipe for you to try out.
Ingredients:
1 block extra-firm tofu OR 1.5 cups cauliflower florets
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cornflour
½ tsp salt
For the gravy:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion paste
2 cups tomato puree
1 cup almond milk
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp garam masala
Salt, to taste
Method:
1. Place the tofu cubes or cauliflower florets in a large bowl.
2. Add the olive oil, cornflour, salt and mix well.
3. Place the tofu cubes or cauliflower florets in a lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes at 200 degrees.
4. Heat the olive oil in a wok, then add the onions and saute for a few minutes.
5. Once the onions start turning brown, add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato puree, coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala.
6. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the almond milk and salt.
7. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until the gravy is thick and smooth.
8. Now, add the baked tofu or cauliflower, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
9. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top and serve the Vegan Butter Chicken hot with brown rice or millets roti.