Thai Red Curry with Tofu

Prep time: 15 minutes             Cook time: 20 minutes                Total time: 35 minutes

Thai Red Curry Tofu served with brown jasmine rice.

About this recipe:

I enjoy making this recipe because it is quick to make and versatile. You can add whatever vegetables that you like in place of the carrots and celery. You can also control the amount of vegetables that you choose to include. If this recipe calls for more vegetables than you think is necessary, then you can alter the amounts to suit your taste. You may also do this with one skillet, but I have a meat-eater in my house who won’t touch tofu, so it is easier for me to do it this way.

Ingredients:

1 block tofu                                            2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (Thai Kitchen)

1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz)         1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/3 cup corn starch                            ½ teaspoon curry powder

½ large onion                                         2 garlic cloves

¼ cup chopped carrots                    ¼ cup chopped celery

Vegetable Oil                                        Sesame Oil

Salt                                                              Pepper

Preparation:

1. Press the tofu to drain excess water. I use a tofu press to do this, but there are other ways to press tofu. If you don’t know how to do this, I believe that these instructions are thorough: http://www.veggiebelly.com/2011/04/how-to-press-tofu.html.
2. While the tofu is pressing, chop the onion, celery, carrots, and finely slice the garlic.
3. Once the tofu is pressed, gently dry it with a towel. Slice the dry tofu into cubes or triangles, depending on your personal preference.
4. Put the corn starch into a mixing bowl. Place the tofu into the corn starch and cover the individual tofu slices in the corn starch. The corn starch helps the tofu brown, and, in my opinion, cuts down on the amount of oil that the tofu absorbs while browning.
5. Cover the bottom of a medium skillet in sesame oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic, carrots, and celery to the skillet. Feel free to use fewer vegetables than this recipe calls for. I personally like a lot of veggies in my food.
6. Sauté the chopped vegetables on medium heat. Stir regularly.
7. Once the onion is translucent, add the coconut milk and 2 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste into the skillet with the vegetables. Bring this to a boil.
8. Pour enough vegetable oil into a separate small or medium skillet to cover the bottom well. Heat the vegetable oil between medium and high heat. Once the oil is hot (don’t touch it, just hover your hand over it at a safe distance), carefully place the tofu into the oil one by one.

Hint: Do not disturb the tofu; I repeat, do not disturb the tofu. You may wiggle the pieces in the skillet to ensure that they do not stick, but do not flip the pieces until the bottom side of the tofu has browned.

8. Once the bottom of the tofu has browned (approximately 4-6 minutes), flip the tofu slices in order to brown the other side.
9. While the tofu is continuing to brown, add the brown sugar, curry powder, and salt and pepper (to taste) to the skillet with the vegetables, coconut milk and Thai curry paste mixture. Stir well and reduce heat to a simmer.
10. Once the tofu has browned on both sides, remove it from the skillet and onto a place.
11. Cover the tofu with the coconut milk, curry paste, and vegetable mixture.
12. Serve with brown rice and enjoy!