The weather cools and my large Staub is a permanent fixture on the stove usually filled with a delicious spiced stew or curry. This vegan green curry is exactly what’s needed for these winter nights. The curry is full of gorgeous spicy Thai flavors, bright herbs, and in a creamy coconut broth.
Ingredient Spotlight: Green Curry Paste
Thai green curry paste (kaeng khiao wan), the iconic viridescent paste is made with hot green chillies, garlic, galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, roots, cumin seeds, peppercorns and a little shrimp paste for that umami richness. Gathering these ingredients outside Thailand/Asia is a bit challenging, but not impossible, thankfully Asian markets usually stock all these ingredients most times. If you have time and access to a well-stocked globally-influenced pantry/fridge, its worth making green curry paste from scratch. Unfortunately, that’s just not possible in my world most times. Fortunately there is store-bought green curry paste and this is my favorite brand. Mind you this paste is not vegan/ vegetarian, it has shrimp paste, if you’re looking for vegan then this one is my second favorite green curry paste.
I find store-bought green curry paste very hot, if using less it lacks flavor. My little hack is to portion and freeze some of the herbs like galangal, kaffir leavers and lemongrass when I buy them at my local Asian market. When ready to cook I defrost some and include them in the curry to bump up the flavor without too much heat.
This is not the most traditional combination of veggies, however these were locally available and I feel nutritionally rich. Choose whatever you have on hand or locally available. I look for colors, texture and seasonal veggies.
Things You’ll Need for Tofu Green Curry
- Coconut milk
- Green curry paste
- Extra firm organic tofu
- Lime
- coconut sugar
- Fish sauce skip if vegetarian or vegan
- Sweet potato or butternut
- cauliflower
- Snap peas or broccoli
- Fresh kale or spinach
- green onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Extra herbs like kaffir leaves, lemongrass if needed to bump up the flavor
- cooked rice to serve
TOFU GREEN CURRY BOWL
Ingredients
- 2-3 Tbsp heaped green curry paste use less if mild preferred
- extra herbs like kaffir leaves, lemongrass to bump up the flavor ** see notes
- 1 14 oz can full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup veg broth or water
- 1 14 oz extra firm tofu organic preferred
- 2-3 cups diced butternut squash or sweet potato
- 2-3 cups diced cauliflower
- 1-3 cups snap peas or broccoli one cup snap peas or up to 3 cups broccoli
- 2-3 stalks kale or 2 cups spinach
- 1-2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Vegan fish sauce or ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ Tsp coconut sugar or any sweetener of your choice.
Garnishes
- 3-4 cups cooked rice
- 2 stalks green onions for garnish chopped
- ½ cup Thai basil leaves or cilantro
Instructions
- In a sauce pan bring 11/2 cups water or veg broth up to a boil. Steam the cauliflower, butternut and snap peas until cooked and still have. Snap to them. 3-5 minutes. Strain and set the veggies aside. Save the broth.
- In a sauce pan bring half the coconut milk to a boil along with curry paste, any herbs using and chopped garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tofu and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the remaining coconut milk, saved broth. Bring it to a simmer and add the veggies, stir and cook for another minute.
- taste and add salt or fish sauce as needed. Add ½ sugar and lime juice.
- Take it off the heat and add the torn kale leaves. Cover and allow to cook in its residual heat for couple more minutes .
- Serve with steamed rice and spring onions.
Notes
- add 2-3 kaffir lime leaves chopped or torn into the curry. Also
- 1 stalk of lemongrass, bottom white portion sliced into 1 inch pieces adds so much flavor.
- 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic.
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