Description
A vibrant and flavorful Veggie Thai Red Curry featuring marinated tofu and a homemade red curry paste. Packed with fresh vegetables like courgette, aubergine, red pepper, mushrooms, and sugar snap peas, this dish is rich in taste with the creamy touch of reduced-fat coconut milk. Perfect for a satisfying vegetarian meal served with fragrant jasmine rice.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Red Curry Paste
- 3 red chillies
- 1 lemongrass, roughly chopped
- 3 shallots, roughly chopped
- ½ red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
- Zest of 1 lime
- Stalks from 20g pack coriander
- Thumb-size piece ginger, grated
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp ground coriander
For the Curry and Tofu
- 200g firm tofu, cubed
- 4–5 tbsp soy sauce, divided
- Juice of 3 limes, divided
- 2 red chillies, 1 finely chopped, 1 sliced into rounds
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 400ml can reduced-fat coconut milk
- 1 courgette, chopped into chunks
- 1 small aubergine, chopped into chunks
- ½ red pepper, deseeded and chopped into chunks
- 140g mushrooms, halved
- 140g sugar snap peas
- 20g pack basil, leaves picked
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- Jasmine rice, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the Red Curry Paste: Add the red chillies, lemongrass, shallots, red pepper, lime zest, coriander stalks, grated ginger, garlic cloves, freshly ground pepper, and ground coriander into a food processor. Whizz until you get a smooth, fragrant paste.
- Marinate the Tofu: Combine the tofu cubes with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, the juice of 1 lime, and the finely chopped red chilli. Let this marinate to infuse the tofu with flavor.
- Cook the Curry Base: Heat half the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of the prepared curry paste and fry for about 2 minutes until fragrant and aromatic.
- Add Vegetables and Coconut Milk: Stir in the reduced-fat coconut milk along with 100ml of water, then add the chopped courgette, aubergine, and red pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost tender.
- Cook the Tofu: Meanwhile, drain the marinated tofu and pat dry. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a small pan and fry the tofu cubes until they are golden brown on all sides.
- Finish the Curry: Add the mushrooms, sugar snap peas, and most of the basil leaves to the curry. Season with brown sugar, the remaining lime juice, and the remaining soy sauce. Cook for 4 more minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
- Combine Tofu and Garnish: Add the golden fried tofu into the curry and heat through. Then, scatter the sliced red chilli and remaining basil leaves on top for garnish.
- Serve: Serve the Veggie Thai Red Curry hot, accompanied by jasmine rice for a complete and satisfying meal.
Notes
- You can save time by using ready-made Thai red curry paste; just check the label to ensure it’s vegetarian-friendly.
- Adjust the number of red chillies to control the heat level according to your preference.
- Use firm tofu for best results to keep the shape when frying and marinating.
- If you prefer a spicier curry, add more finely chopped chillies during marination or garnish.
- Reduced-fat coconut milk is used here to lighten the dish without sacrificing creaminess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: Thai red curry, vegetarian curry, tofu curry, Thai cuisine, healthy curry, coconut milk curry, jasmine rice, spicy vegetarian dish
