Rajasthani Pitor Sabji - Chickpea Flour Tofu Curry

Recently, a friend asked me if I knew of a chickpea flour tofu dish. The name reminded me of a traditional Rajasthani dish called Pitor Ki Sabzi. It is a conventional Rajasthani curry of shallow fried chickpea dumplings in spicy yogurt gravy. 
Pitor ki Sabzi, or Burmese tofu, as it is also known, is very easy to cook, but it needs a little technique to get the chickpea tofu perfect. The curry part of this dish is thin, but if you prefer a thicker consistency, you can adjust the recipe to do so.
This dish can be served with steamed rice or parathas. Personally, I think that the rice makes a perfect combo.
The dish is 100% soy-free, fast and easy to make, high in protein & fiber, and low in calories.
It holds its shape well and has a creamy and silky texture, similar to silken tofu.
The process of making chickpea tofu couldn't be more straightforward. It is incredibly similar to the process of making polenta.
To add flavor, you start by mixing chickpea flour with water, salt, turmeric, and a few other optional spices. The mixture is then cooked in a saucepan until it reaches a thick and glossy state.
After reaching a nice consistency, pour the mixture into a pan and leave it on the counter to set. You will notice it start to firm up slightly after cooling but give it at least an hour in the refrigerator to ensure the tofu slides nicely from your pan in firm chunks.
Now it's ready to be sliced and used as you please.


WHERE CAN I BUY CHICKPEA FLOUR?
Chickpea flour, also called garbanzo flour or gram flour, is typically available in your grocery store with other alternative flours.
If you live near an Indian grocer, you can find it there too. Look for it to be called besan.And, of course, you can also buy chickpea flour online.

Burmese tofu is not made from soy like the tofu most of us are familiar with. It is made out of gram flour, which is a blend of ground chickpeas and split yellow peas. It’s cooked with water, a bit of salt and turmeric until very thick and paste-like, and then left to set. 

Since we started making this tofu at home, it’s become a huge hit and we make it often. Here’s why we love it:

It’s versatile and can be used in many different ways 
And it’s so simple - no fancy equipment required! 
 

Stay hungry and good luck making this delicious dish! It is interesting to see these old traditional recipes getting new names, and I love that it is reinvented for vegans. 

Ingredients

FOR THE CHICKPEA TOFU 

1 cup chickpea flour (besan)

2 cups Water

3/4 teaspoon Green Chilli, chopped

1 teaspoon Ginger, grated

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

 2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped 

 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder 

 1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon Cooking oil

For frying chickpea tofu 

Cooking oil for shallow frying ( optional )

For curry

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds(Jeera)

1/4 spoon Asafoetida (hing)

2-3 Dry red chilies

2-3 small tomatoes( pureed)

2 teaspoon ginger grated

200 grams Curd (Dahi / Yogurt), whisked very well

1/2 teaspoon Green Chillies, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

Salt  to taste

Directions

 

1. To begin with Chickpea flour tofu curry or Pitor Ki Sabzi, we will first make the tofu 
 Add chickpea flour (besan), water, ginger, green chilies, and other spices to a large bowl and mix to make a lump-free batter.


2. Heat oil in a deep pan or kadhai, add cumin seeds, and let it crackle. Add Asafoetida( hing )and mix.


3. Keep the heat low, carefully add the besan batter, and whisk it continuously to avoid lump formation. Cook for 6 to 10 minutes on low -mediun heat, constantly whisking, until the mixture is thick and glossy. Cook the batter until it gets thick and starts leaving the pan. 


4. Immediately transfer the batter to a greased plate, smoothing the top, and level it up with the help of a flat spoon.


5. Cool the prepared tofu for 40  mins to an hour or until it is ready to be cut into pieces.


6. Now, cut the tofu depending upon the shape and size you prefer to make.


7. Heat little oil in a broad flat pan and shallow fry the Burmese tofu from both sides until brown and crisp. Keep the fried tofu aside. This step is optional, but I do feel the tofu holds its shape better with this )


8. The next step is to make the curry. Add vegan curd, red chili powder, Haldi powder, and coriander powder in a bowl. Beat the mixture very well.


9. Heat oil in a kadhai, add cumin seeds, and let it crackle. Add broken red chilies and fry for a few seconds. Add green chilies and fry for a few more seconds.


10. Reduce the heat to low, add the tomato puree and grated ginger  and whisk in the yogurt mixture and cook until everything blends well and the spices are cooked.


11. Add water according to the thickness of the gravy you prefer and bring it to a boil. Add salt and simmer the sauce for about 15 mins.


12. Add fried tofu and simmer for another 3 to 4 mins. Be gentle to avoid breaking the pieces. 


13. Serve this with steamed rice or whole wheat chapati. ENJOY!!

 

Latest Comments

  • Payal Chatterjee on Chickpea Flour Tofu Curry – Burmese Tofu Curry: “I tried this recipe, but substituted cashews with peanuts, worked pretty well! It was yummy, will surely make it again…” Aug 12, 01:17
  • Neha's Vegan Kitchen on Aloo Paratha – Gluten free: “Hi Shruti, you can replace the gum with Psyllium Husk but watch the water. The dough tends to be a…” Jan 19, 12:53
  • Shruti on Aloo Paratha – Gluten free: “Hey Neha, thanks for sharing this recipe. I had been craving for aloo paranthas. Can I replace xantham gum with…” Jan 3, 00:35

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