Fragrant Coconut Curry with Tofu and Vegetables

Coconut is an incredibly versatile ingredient and can be found in curries from India, Thailand, the Philippines, and many other places.  Here’s a simple green coconut curry to make right at home! This is a nutrient-dense and a totally vegan recipe! Garlic, onion, jalapeno, ginger, and lime, all of which have intense flavors in their own right, combine with several spices to give the curry the classical spiciness it’s known for.  The curry will go through a few transformations as it goes from raw ingredients to being reduced to a paste, to its revival in a liquid form due to adding coconut milk, to the final addition of all of the vegetables. The curry is made hearty with the addition of several filling veggies like zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers, and even some tofu!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

CURRY PASTE:

1/2 cup / 40g – Cilantro (coriander) stem & roots (THOROUGHLY WASHED to get rid of any dirt)

1 Tablespoon / 4 to 5 Garlic approx.

1/2 Tablespoon / 1/2 Inch ginger approx.

1 Jalapeno / 20g

Zest of 1 lime / 1/2 Tablespoon

1/2 cup / 70g Onion

1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder

1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or to taste (Optional)

1/2 Teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoon cooking oil (I have used light olive oil)

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

3 cups / 700ml Coconut milk

1 cup / 250ml Water

Salt to taste ( I have added 1+1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt)

1 cup / 100g Red Bell Pepper – chopped

1 cup / 100g Green Bell Pepper – chopped

1 cup / 100g Zucchini – chopped

1+1/2 cup / 100g Mushrooms – chopped (I have used Cremini mushroom)

1 cup / 150g Firm Tofu – cut into cubes (I have used organic non-gmo tofu)

1 cup / 100g Broccoli (65g) – chopped

1 to 1/2 cup / 50 to 100g Snap Peas – remove the strings from the sides and chop in half or leave it whole

Lime Juice to taste (I have added 1 tablespoon I like it a bit sour)

METHOD:

(3 to 4 servings) Start by adding cilantro stems/roots, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, onion, lime zest to a blender and make a puree. (Please note: Add only 1/2 tablespoon of ginger, if you add too much the dish will turn bitter. Also, thoroughly wash the cilantro roots and stem to get rid of any dirt.)

Transfer the puree to a deep pot. Add the spices, cooking oil and cook over medium heat until it forms a thick paste and the oil starts to separate – which means it’s nicely roasted. Then add the coconut milk, water, salt and bring it to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover and cook for about 20 minutes – for the flavours to develop.

Uncover and add the vegetables and tofu. Turn the heat to medium or medium high (depending on the heat of your stove) and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes uncovered, until the zucchini is just slightly soft but still has a bite to it. Cook the gravy to the desired consistency. Add the broccoli, snap peas and cook for a few seconds and turn off the heat.

Please note we don’t want to over cook the broccoli/ snap peas, it will continue to cook in the hot gravy even after turning off the heat. Enjoy it with freshly steamed rice or as a soup. This recipe is perfect for meal prep.

IMPORTANT TIPS:

– Thoroughly wash the cilantro roots and stems to get rid of any dirt

– Add only 1/2 tablespoon of ginger, if you add too much the dish will turn bitter

– Make sure to cook the curry paste until the oil starts to separate, this will add a lot of flavour