This epic roasted garlic chili coconut tofu sandwich stars this toasty, flavor-packed chili-garlic-coconut chutney(Indian Vada Pav Chutney) that coats the tofu paired with this creamy, herbed yogurt sauce and tangy pickled cabbage. 18g Protein 7g fiber!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: lunch, Main, Sandwich
  • Cuisine: Indian Fusion

Ingredients

For the Tofu

  • 15 ounces super firm or extra firm tofu

For the Chili Garlic Chutney

  • ½ teaspoon oil
  • 15 cloves garlic (peeled)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons peanuts (or use more sesame seeds for nut-free)
  • ⅓ cup dried shredded coconut
  • 1½ tablespoons Kashmiri chili powder (or more, to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the Chili Garlic Coconut Tofu Coating

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons chili garlic chutney (from above)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • more water (as needed)

For the Yogurt Sauce

  • ½ cup non-dairy yogurt
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint (curry leaves, or other herbs)

For the Pickled Cabbage

  • 1½ cups finely shredded cabbage
  • 1 jalapeño (thinly sliced)
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pepper flakes

For the Sandwiches

  • 8 slices of bread

Method

Prep the tofu.

  1. If using extra firm tofu, press it first. Open the package, drain the tofu, wrap it in a kitchen towel, and place a heavy weight on top for at least 15 minutes, or use a tofu press. If using super firm tofu, you can skip this step. Once pressed, slice the tofu into very thin slices, about 2 millimeters thick, and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the chutney.

  1. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Add the garlic and cook until it is golden around most of the edges. Remove the garlic from the skillet and set aside. You want to cook the garlic first so doesn’t give the chutney a sharp, raw flavor.
  2. Add the sesame seeds to the skillet and toast until the sesame seeds begin changing color. Remove and set aside. Add the shredded coconut and peanuts and toast until the coconut becomes evenly golden, then remove from the skillet as well. Let everything cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Once they are cool, add the garlic, sesame seeds, peanuts, coconut, Kashmiri chili powder, and salt to a food processor. Process until the mixture becomes a coarse meal that is slightly sticky. If it becomes way too sticky, add a little oat flour to absorb that extra moisture, and process again. Taste and adjust the flavor with more Kashmiri chili powder or salt, if needed. Set aside. This makes plenty of chutney to make a double helping of tofu, if you'd like.

Make the tofu (3 options).

  1. Option 1: If you’re in a hurry and don’t want to spend time coating each slice of tofu and baking it, you can pan fry or bake the tofu with no coating until it turns somewhat golden and slightly crisp. Then, layer the tofu with spoonfuls of the chutney directly onto the sandwich.
  2. Option 2: Transfer 3 to 4 tablespoons of the chutney to a bowl. Add the maple syrup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ground coriander, lime juice, oil, and enough water to make a spreadable mixture. Mix well. Spread this mixture onto one or both sides of the tofu slices. Arrange the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 375° F (190° C) for 10 to 15 minutes. Flip, then bake for 10 or 15 more minutes. You don't want to bake it too long, because the coconut can get too dark. The chutney should dry out slightly and the tofu should become lightly crisp around the edges.
  3. Option 3: Prepare the tofu, like in option 2, and air fry at 325° F (163° C) for 5 to 7 minutes. Don't air fry it too long or the chutney can become overly toasted.

While the tofu is baking, make the yogurt sauce and pickle the cabbage.

  1. Add all of the yogurt sauce ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the flavor, then set that aside.
  2. For the pickled cabbage, finely shred the cabbage. You can use a knife, mandoline, or vegetable peeler to make very fine shreds. Add the cabbage to a bowl along with the jalapeño, vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper flakes. Mix well, and set that aside to pickle for 10 to 15 minutes.

Now you're ready to assemble the sandwich.

  1. Lightly toast the bread slices. Spread some yogurt sauce on one slice. Top with several slices of the chili garlic coconut tofu, then top with some pickled cabbage. Sprinkle on some of the remaining chutney. Top with the second slice of bread. Slice and enjoy.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.