Keto Tofu Bhuna

Bhuna means to fry-cook until the curry is almost dry, sauce reduced to just coat the ingredients—it's the textural sweet spot between wet curry and stir-fry. Most tofu versions fail because they treat it like a creamy dish and drown it in liquid; this approach celebrates the tofu's firm, chewy quality once it's pressed and seared. The caramelized onions are non-negotiable: their deep sweetness and bitter edges anchor the spice heat and make the dish feel substantial.

The trick to perfect bhuna is high heat and patience. Don't stir constantly; let the vegetables and tofu sit in the pan for a minute at a time so they brown and develop flavor instead of steaming. The water added at the end should mostly evaporate within 3 minutes—if your pan is too cool, the water won't evaporate properly and you'll end up with curry again instead of bhuna. Use a wide, flat-bottomed pan if you have one.

Zucchini is your carb-safe vehicle here, but you can swap in thin-sliced broccoli, cauliflower florets, or cabbage slices. Tofu bhuna does not keep as well as wet curries (the texture flattens), so serve within 2 hours of cooking, or reheat gently with a splash of coconut oil to restore the crispy edges.