We love tofu. We love curry. We love coconut milk. It doesn’t get better.

This recipe is simple to prepare, forgiving, and full of flavor. Tofu is a great choice for ‘meatless’ Monday: protein packed, easy to prepare, and a wonderful cypher for picking up the flavor of any great sauce or interesting seasoning. This dish served over coconut scented jasmine rice and accompanied by a flavor packed dark green leafy vegetable is addicting.

 

As far as the curry goes, we’re fans of Maesri brand, and have had good luck finding this at local Asian markets and on occasion at Whole Foods (you do remember the section in the book about the price savings and joys of shopping at Asian markets, right?). Coconut milk, again, we’re Whole Food fanatics and love their store brand organic, but are equally happy with Thai Kitchens or other high quality brands.

 

Start with the basic ingredients and add/subtract to please your palate. We’re spicy gals and love the heat the curry brings and are heavy handed. You may just want a hint of flavor. You may have a bit of a sweet tooth and want to jack up the brown sugar, your teeth may chatter just hearing the word cilantro, or you may be an addict. If you can find Thai basil, great, if not any garden variety basil will do. Skip the peanuts or double the amount. If you don’t have salted peanuts, crush the unsalted ones. Try carrots instead of sweet potatoes or add them to the sweet potatoes. If you can’t find brown jasmine rice, use white. …etc.etc.etc.

Our point? Cooking is a creative art. Have fun.

 

Tofu in Massaman Curry. Brown Jasmine Rice. Chinese Broccoli


Ingredients

1 package tofu (medium or firm) cut into 2″ cubes

1 can coconut milk

1/2 cup water

1 can ‘light’ coconut milk

1 tbslp peanut or safflower oil

2 tblsp brown sugar

1 tblsp soy sauce

2 sweet potatoes cubed and steamed until just tender

1/2 cup peanuts (salt free)

1/4 cup crushed salted peanuts

1-3 tablespoon massaman curry (to taste)

lime

cilantro

Thai basil

organic brown jasmine rice

1 bunch Chinese broccoli (or other similar dark green vegetbale)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

salt to taste

 


In a deep heavy bottom pot heat the oil and add the curry. (The first time you make this go light on the curry, it’s spicy. Adjust it later to suit your taste.) Cook over medium high heat for two to three minutes, stirring constantly. Skim the cream off the coconut milk and add this to the curry paste, turn the heat to medium, and cook for another minute or so.  Add in the balance of the regular coconut milk, water, soy sauce and brown sugar and cook for five minutes over medium heat .  Taste for seasonings. Turn the heat to low, add in the cubed tofu and cook for twenty minutes. Finish by adding in the sweet potatoes and peanuts. Turn the heat up to medium low and cook for a few more minutes- until the flavors merge.

Serve this on coconut scented jasmine rice garnished with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, crushed salted peanuts, cilantro and Thai basil.

 

 

Coconut Scented Jasmine Rice

Follow the package directions but substitute light coconut milk for half the recommended liquid. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water use 1 cup of water and 1 cup of light coconut milk.  (Depending on the amount of rice we’re making, if we have light coconut milk leftover we’ll toss it in with the regular coconut milk in the curry dish.)

 

 

 

Chinese Broccoli (or other dark green leafy vegetable)

 

Steam the vegetables and finish 1/2-1 tsp toasted sesame oil and a splash of soy sauce and salt to taste.

 

Consider making extra of this dish. It’s great for lunch the next day or will keep well for another meatless dinner later in the week.