One Savvy Mom ™ | NYC Area Mom Blog: Thai Red Curry with Tofu

Thai Red Curry with Tofu

Thai Red Curry with Tofu recipe

If you are a Thai food fan, you'll adore this recipe, which is entirely vegan and features nice and crispy tofu with a selection of crunchy veggies.  This curry will please anyone, tofu eaters or not. Tofu is an often misunderstood food, as it has no flavor on its own but can absorb flavors from spices and sauces (provided you know how to prepare it).  If you want an extra kick to your curry, you can add some Sambal Oelek or Sriracha, though this is optional.


Thai Red Curry with Tofu

Here's how to enjoy Thai food with tofu - you may wish to make a double batch!

This recipe serves 4 people.

Ingredients for the marinated tofu

  • One block of firm or extra-firm tofu (16 ounces)
  • 3 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon red curry paste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Ingredients for the red curry sauce

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 head of broccoli (bite-sized florets)
  • 2 sweet peppers, different colors, cut into strips
  • 3 medium-sized carrots, cut into strips or julienned
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos
  • 1 can of coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 bunch of fresh Thai basil, washed and chopped (or use a combination of fresh Italian basil and fresh mint leaves)
  • 1/2 tablespoon Sriracha or Sambal Oelek (optional, for an extra spicy kick)

Optional ingredients for serving

  • Rice, buckwheat, or another favorite grain
  • Naan bread or another type of flatbread
  • Lime wedges (as a garnish)

Method

For the marinated tofu

  1. First, prepare your tofu: remove it from the packaging and drain out the liquid. Press the block of tofu to get out as much excess moisture as you can (doing this will ensure your tofu can absorb the flavors of the sauce more effectively). You can do this in 5 minutes using a tofu press or 30 minutes by leaving it to drain in a colander in the sink with a weight on top.
  2. Once your tofu is drained, cut it into cubes.
  3. Mix the remaining marinade ingredients (except for the coconut oil) in a bowl. Toss the tofu in the marinade until you've coated all the pieces evenly. Set aside and let the tofu marinate for at least 15 minutes (longer if possible).
  4. Heat the coconut oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add in your tofu cubes when the oil is hot. Brown them well - till they're crisp on all sides. Remove the crispy tofu cubes from the pan and set them aside while you prepare the red curry.

For the red curry

  1. Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to the same pan and let it heat over medium-high heat.
  2. Fry the curry paste for about 1 minute, then sauté the chopped onion for 8 minutes or till it becomes translucent.
  3. Add in the garlic and stir well.
  4. Add in the second tablespoon of coconut oil. Once it has melted, add in the broccoli, sweet peppers, and sliced carrots.
  5. Stir well, then add the salt, ground black pepper, coconut sugar, and soy sauce. Continue to stir while reducing the heat to medium, and cook for about 10 minutes. The carrots should be a bit tender but still pretty firm.
  6. Pour in the coconut milk and stir, then add your crispy tofu. Let everything simmer for about 5 minutes.
  7. Squeeze in the lime juice, stir again, then remove the curry from heat.
  8. Sprinkle the Thai basil on top, then stir in the Sambal Oelek or Sriracha, if using.
  9. Serve your curry with rice or another type of grain, with naan bread or both. Garnish your curry with a lime wedge, if desired, and soak up the compliments!

Thai Red Curry with Tofu FAQs

How long will leftovers keep?

You can keep any leftover Thai Red Curry with Tofu in the fridge for 3 or 4 days, or as long as 4 months in the freezer in sealed containers.

Can I use other vegetables?

You can use lots of different vegetables in this recipe, such as:

  • Julienned zucchini
  • Sweetcorn
  • Bak Choy
  • Cauliflower florets

You could even use frozen vegetables - any mixture of veggies you'd use in a stir-fry would work for this recipe.

Note: If you use frozen vegetables, you may wish to sauté them separately first, as they'll have absorbed extra moisture from the freezer. Alternatively, you could sauté them first (as step 1) and then drain off any excess water. Then you could add the coconut oil and curry paste and continue from step 3 above.