I’ve always been a huge fan of Indian food, and one of my favorite dishes is mattar paneer. I don’t have it very often, however, because I’m trying to cut down on dairy products, and, as you may know, paneer is cheese. I was delighted when I stumbled upon Amy’s Indian Mattar Tofu in the frozen section of my local Whole Foods Market, because it is a non-dairy variation of the traditional dish. Had I discovered a non-dairy version of mattar paneer that I could love? Read on for the answer.
Amy’s Indian Mattar Tofu is a frozen entrée that comes in a 9.5 ounce package. It features cubes of tofu and peas in a lightly seasoned sauce. Two side dishes are also included: basmati rice and dal (lentils) simmered with a variety of vegetable and spices. Amy’s Indian Mattar Tofu is a cinch to prepare. All you need to do is pop it in the microwave for five minutes and it’s ready to eat. Of course, you have the option of preparing it in a conventional oven, but it’s more time consuming to do so.
Amy’s Indian Mattar Tofu contains a bevy of healthful ingredients, including tofu, peas, onions, tomatoes, lentils, basmati rice, and olive oil. It’s rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium, and has 0 grams of trans fat. In addition, it contains 5 grams of dietary fiber, and is free of bioengineered ingredients and MSG. It’s also worth noting that Amy’s Indian Mattar Tofu is gluten free, so it’s safe to eat for people who have celiac disease. Those on low sodium diets, however, should note that at 680mgs of sodium, it provides nearly 1/3 of the total recommended daily intake of sodium (based on a 2000 calorie per day diet).
Amy’s Indian Mattar Tofu is very tasty. It’s light, fragrant and not too spicy. The problem, however, is that the portion is minuscule. It’s just a wisp of an entrée (if you can even call it an entrée). And, at $4.69, hardly seems worth the price. What’s more, I was disappointed that the tofu in the dish amounted to a mere sprinkling of tiny, barely-there pieces. I wanted bigger, bite-sized cubes and more of them. If the product had a little more bang for the buck, I could wholeheartedly recommend it. But, as it is, I could not in good conscience recommend Amy’s Indian Mattar Tofu. Sadly, the search for a satisfactory non-dairy version of my beloved mattar paneer continues.
