thai red vegetable curry with tofu

We absolutely love Cookie and Kate's recipes and often refer our clients to her site for delicious, healthy recipes. Her Thai red curry with vegetables is a MELA favorite, so we wanted to share our slightly modified version below! 

To make this come together a bit more quickly, we love using frozen pre-cooked brown rice (available at Whole Foods and Trader Joes). For a lighter, low-starch variation, you could serve the curry over sautéed cauliflower rice. We love this paired with a simple mixed green salad using Haven’s Kitchen ginger miso sauce or our citrus miso ginger dressing.

Thai vegetable red curry with tofu
serves 4

Ingredients
for the tofu:
1 block organic extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch

for the curry:
1 cup organic brown rice or jasmine rice (rinsed)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 small white onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (from ~1-inch nub of ginger)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 bell peppers (red, orange or yellow, sliced into thin 2-inch long strips)
3 large carrots (peeled and sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick rounds)
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste (such as Thai Kitchen)
1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1 ½ cups Lacinato kale (ribs removed and thinly sliced; baby spinach would also work)
2 teaspoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons tamari
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or lime juice)

optional (to serve):
handful of fresh chopped basil or cilantro
red pepper flakes or sriracha
lime wedges

Directions:

1. Prepare the tofu following this method. Set aside.

2. To cook the rice, least bring a large pot of water to boil, using at least 6 cups of water. Add the rinsed rice and allow it to boil over high heat (reducing slightly to prevent overflow, if needed) for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove pot from heat, drain the rice and return the rice to pot. Cover pot with rice and let it rest for 10 minutes or longer, until you’re ready to serve.

3. Meanwhile, make the curry. Warm the coconut oil in a large skillet with deep sides over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of sea salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, ~30 seconds longer.

4. Add the bell peppers, carrots and broccoli and sauté 4 to 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Add the pre-cooked tofu and curry paste and cook, stirring often, for an additional 2 minutes.

5. Add the coconut milk, 1/2 cup filtered water, kale and coconut sugar, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the peppers, carrots, broccolini and kale have softened to your liking, about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Remove the pot from the heat and season with tamari and rice vinegar. If the curry needs a little more punch, add an additional 1½ teaspoons of tamari and 1 teaspoon of vinegar (or lime juice). Divide rice and curry into bowls and serve with optional garnishes.