Thai coconut curry tofu is one of my favorite recipes! I have been making lots of curries lately (made butternut squash coconut curry yesterday). Both recipes are very different.
It is the ultimate comfort food. Coconut milk and peanut butter added to give that authentic Thai flavor. This recipe is actually quite similar to what you find in restaurants, It’s so mouthwatering, I love it served with brown rice!
Thai Coconut Curry Tofu
This is a great recipe, that has a lot of layers of flavors. One of those dishes that’s great for a large company and other special events.
Lemongrass is sold in most supermarkets but it can be omitted, the recipe will taste just as great without it. Lemongrass is very easy to grow, it doesn’t require much care. I normally have a lemongrass plant in my garden.
Growing up in Jamaica lemongrass, locally known as fever grass, was grown medicinally as a tea to reduce fever. It was also known to relieve colds, menstrual cramps, nausea, asthma, and athletes’ foot.
I find the tea delicious, so I love mixing it with peppermint for relaxation.
However in Asian countries, lemongrass is used as a culinary herb, it is added to curries and soups. It adds citrusy flavor to dishes.
How To Make Thai Coconut Curry?
- Drain tofu, rinse and press to dry. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl.
- Coat tofu cubes evenly with lemongrass, sesame oil, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and salt.
- Allow marinating for 30 minutes. Allow marinating for longer in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven 400 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and grease lightly.
- Heat oil in a skillet, add onion and garlic, and ginger. Cook until onion is soft, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Add curry powder and cook for another minute.
- Transfer to a food processor or blender and add peanut butter, Liquid Aminos, maple syrup, lime juice, and ginger.
- Remove from heat and stir in coconut milk and water.
- Transfer to a food processor or blender and add peanut butter, Liquid Aminos, maple syrup, lime juice, and ginger.
- Process until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture back into the skillet on medium-high heat. Cook until thick, stirring constantly.
- Stir in tofu, cayenne pepper. Garnish with crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro leaves.
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Nutrition
- Energy:
- 213 kcal / 890 kJ
- Fat:
- 18 g
- Protein:
- 6 g
- Carbs:
- 9 g
Cooking Time
- Preparation:
- 30 min
- Cooking:
- 30 min
- Ready in:
- 1 h
Ingredients
- 1 block tofu, extra-firm
- 1 stalk lemon grass, peeled and chopped finely
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, divided
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
- 1-2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy
- 3 tablespoons Bragg's liquid aminos, or Tamari sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or raw cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- Handful crushed peanuts, for topping
- cilantro leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Drain tofu, rinse and press to dry. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl.
- Coat tofu cubes evenly with lemongrass, sesame oil, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and salt.
- Allow seasoned tofu to marinate for 30 minutes. Allow tofu tods,. marinate for longer in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven 400 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and grease lightly.
- Arrange marinated tofu on baking sheet, bake for 20 minutes until golden. Set aside
- Heat oil in a skillet, add onion and garlic, and ginger. Cook until onion is soft, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Add curry powder and cook for another minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in coconut milk and water.
- Transfer to a food processor or blender and add peanut butter, Liquid Aminos, maple syrup, lime juice, and ginger.
- Process until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture back into the skillet on medium-high heat. Cook until thick, stirring constantly.
- Stir in tofu, cayenne pepper. Garnish with crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro leaves.
Notes
Wonderful! Signing up! We added various veggies from our CSA. Delish! Thank you.
Ruth, thank you. I’m happy you enjoyed it. Love getting CSA produce.
Just made this today – Delicious!!! I will make this a staple in my house!!
Elise, I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you for your feedback.
Delicious, I followed another poster and added chick peas for even more protein. This dish has a delicious flavor and my son says it’s his favorite and to add into rotation.
Cathy, I’m so happy it turned out great for you and your son enjoyed it. Love the idea of adding chickpeas, I can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
This is the best tasting curry I have ever had, thank you Michelle
Miles, thank you for your awesome feedback. I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Hope you try my other tofu recipes.
Loved this! My mother, who refuses my vegan recipes, devoured this dish!
Thank you for your feedback Jo, I’m so happy you and your mother loved it.
This is so delicious, my new favorite!
I’m so happy you enjoy it Edna, thank you for your feedback.
I’ve made this recipe several times and really enjoy it. I don’t always have lemongrass so sometimes I just omit it which, in my opinion, doesn’t have a huge impact (but if you have it definitely use it). The last couple times I’ve made it I’ve added one can of chickpeas to the tofu marinade and baked them with the tofu. I also added steamed broccoli in the final step where you add the tofu/chickpeas to the sauce. These additions make the dish heartier and more balanced. The recipe, as is, yields plenty of sauce do I didn’t need to make any adjustments to accommodate the ingredients I added.
Thank you very much Sosena for your great feedback, love the idea of adding chickpeas and broccoli, sounds amazing!