I just love when a dinner idea sparks my imagination and I happen to have everything on hand to create exactly what I envision. Inspired by my favorite Thai restaurant, I set out to make a sweet, spicy, creamy curry filled with fresh, delicious veggies.
This dish is quick and easy to prepare and works great with green or red curry pastes. And it only takes a few minutes if you cook the rice ahead to warm at service time.
Thai Coconut Curry with Vegetables
¼ cup Thai green or red curry paste
4 ounces Mushrooms
4 ounces Carrot, sliced thinly
8 ounces Broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 Red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1/2 cup frozen peas
Note: Substitute any vegetables for those listed.
13 ounces Coconut milk
1 tbsp. sweetener (optional, but tasty)
¾ cup Vegetable broth
2 tsp. Tamari or soy sauce
Squeeze of fresh lime juice (optional)
¼ cup Cilantro, for garnish
2 cups brown rice, cooked
Method:
Take your hard vegetables, like carrots, celery, onions, peppers, broccoli and gently simmer them in the broth until crisp-tender. Now add all the other sauce ingredients and the soft veggies like mushrooms and peas. Bring it up to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more soy sauce for salty-ness if desired, a squeeze of lime for a mild sour influence or more sweetener, if desired. Balance the flavors. Finish with chopped cilantro.
Note: If you have an Asian grocery in your town, check out their curry pastes. The one on the left costs $1.49 and tasted better than the one on the right from my local Whole Foods Market at $4.00! A little spicier, but hey, I like it that way!
That looks wonderful.
Looks delicious! Love your photos! Just wondering – do you press your tofu in a “tofu press”? I usually use a plate with a heavier object on top, but I’m wondering if a tofu press is better. (My husband can be a little fussy about the texture of tofu!).
Thanks for the compliment! I press my tofu the old-fashioned way, usually because I press more than one block at a time and the press gadget doesn’t seem beneficial to me. I use the plate method as well. Then I wrap and freeze the pressed blocks. After thawing, I squeeze out even more liquid (by hand). This leaves it very nice and sponge-like, excellent for marinating. Once grilled, the texture is very similar to (dare I say) chicken breast, except tender and juicy (and cruelty-free). I use a grill pan.
If all vegetarian dish looks like this, I would convert.
Reblogged this on spicy sprout.
Hey, thanks for the re-blog!
i have recently started eating tofu but i find it a little bland so i am looking for more flavorful recipes just like yours! thanks for sharing 🙂
I can relate to what you are saying. My relationship with tofu has definitely evolved over time. In the beginning I found it bland and tasteless. I think that my palate has adjusted to the more subtle flavors. Not to mention, I have found and tried some great recipes that proved to me that tofu can actually taste terrific!
I found for myself that I couldn’t fully appreciate tofu until my diet was completely free of animal products. I especially love it marinated and grilled after pressing and freezing. The texture is very close to that of grilled chicken when prepared this way. A good starting point for those just transitioning to a veg lifestyle.
Enjoy!
MMM!ç A very tasty dinner! Lovely plate of fine foods!
I want to grill my tofu too but never did it before! I baked it twice & loved that chewy texture after marinating it too! A tasty recipe!
That same green curry paste is a staple in my fridge! Makes for GREAT quick coconut curry. I concur with your advice here .. I make it often. 😀
Hey, Shannon! Thanks for stopping by 🙂 So delicious and we think it tastes even better than our neighborhood Thai restaurant 🙂