Name: Vegan Butter Chicken Ramen
Prep time: 9 min
Cook time: 21 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8 oz firm tofu (pressed and then cubed or sliced as you like); 1 tsp soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free); 2 tsp lime juice; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 0.5 tsp garlic powder; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp paprika (or you can also use cayenne, if you like it hot); 1 tsp oil; 0.25 cup onion (chopped or sliced); 6 oz mushrooms (thinly sliced); 0.5 null bell pepper (0.5 bell pepper, thinly sliced. You can use just green or a mix of red and green.); 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp fenugreek ((kasuri methi)); 15 oz coconut milk (can full-fat); 4 cup water (or vegetable broth, use 2.5 cups for thicker saucy ramen and 4.5 cups for brothier ramen); 0.5 tsp salt; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 6 oz ramen (or thin udon noodles); 0.25 tsp black pepper; 0.25 tsp cayenne ((optional)); null to_garnish cilantro (chopped); null to_garnish red onion (thinly sliced); null to_garnish green chili (thinly sliced); null to_garnish pepper flakes; null to_garnish lime (wedges)

Instructions

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1

Press the firm tofu (8 oz). Add lime juice (2 tsp) and soy sauce (1 tsp) and toss well. In a small bowl, mix garam masala (0.5 tsp), garlic powder (0.5 tsp), salt (0.25 tsp), and paprika (0.5 tsp). Sprinkle this mixture over the [firm tofu] and set aside. (Add 1 tsp cornstarch for crispier if desired).
2

Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add oil (1 tsp) and the [firm tofu]. Cook until the [firm tofu] is somewhat crisp on the edges. Transfer the [firm tofu] to a separate dish.
3

To the same wok, add onion (0.25 cup) and mushrooms (6 oz) with a pinch of [salt]. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the [mushrooms] are somewhat cooked. (You can reserve some mushrooms for garnish).
4

Add pepper (0.5 bell), ginger-garlic paste (2 tbsp), and black pepper (0.25 tsp) to the wok and mix well for a few seconds. Stir in tomato paste (2 tbsp), garam masala (1 tsp), fenugreek (1 tsp), and coconut milk (15 oz). Mix thoroughly to avoid lumps. Add water (4 cup) and salt (0.5 tsp) and maple syrup (1 tbsp).
5

Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then add ramen (6 oz). Reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 to 4 minutes for ramen (6 to 8 minutes for udon), or according to noodle package instructions. Check a minute before the time limit to ensure noodles are cooked al dente.
6

Turn off the heat once the noodles are slightly more than al dente, as they will continue cooking in the hot broth. Taste and adjust seasoning with more [lime juice], [salt], [maple syrup], or [cayenne] if desired. Add some sliced [green chili] if you like.
7

Transfer noodles, creamy broth, and vegetables to a bowl. Top with the crisped [firm tofu] and garnish with chopped [cilantro], thinly sliced [red onion], thinly sliced [green chili] or [pepper flakes], and [lime] wedges.