Flavourful tofu transforms quick winter meals into delights
Indian, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine dishes delight with their taste due to well-thought-out proportions and carefully chosen spices. Although many of these dishes can be quickly prepared, some ingredients need to be prepped in advance. One of these ingredients is tofu, which you can simply add to a finished dish. However, it will taste much better if you marinate it in a simple sauce the day before.
Aromatic curry with tofu, vegetables, and rice is an excellent option for cooler winter afternoons. Moreover, as a meatless dish, it's perfect for a Friday dinner. It smells so inviting that it will make you feel like travelling to Thailand, and it tastes even better. You usually end up with a full pot, so maybe you'll invite friends over for dinner?
Simple method for flavourful tofu
Not long ago, I was a fan of smoked tofu, which already had a bold flavour without marinating and additional spices. It seemed much better to me than the natural one, which upon taking out of the package is just bland. Everything changed completely when I discovered a simple way to marinate tofu. From now on, in this form, it's a frequent addition to dinner—not only for curry but also for pasta like pad thai, ramen, or miso soup.
I take the natural tofu out of the package and cut it into cubes. I transfer it to a sealed container and pour a generous amount of dark soy sauce over it. The idea is for the tofu cubes to be completely submerged in the marinade. I leave it in the fridge overnight, and the next day, I admire how beautifully they absorb the marinade. I then sauté the prepared tofu in a pan and add it to the curry or another delicious dish.
Recipe for curry with tofu
This recipe yields a portion for 4 people.
Ingredients:
- 200 g (about 7 oz) natural tofu,
- 4 tablespoons dark soy sauce,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- 2 cm (about 0.8 inches) piece of ginger root,
- 1 chili pepper,
- 1 tablespoon oil,
- 2 sweet potatoes,
- 200 g (about 7 oz) mushrooms,
- 1 zucchini,
- 100 g (about 3.5 oz) green curry paste,
- 1 litre (about 4.2 cups) broth,
- 400 ml (about 13.5 oz) coconut milk 20-22%,
- 200 g (about 7 oz) rice,
- fresh cilantro, chives, or parsley,
- 1 lime.
Preparation:
- Cut the tofu into cubes, pour soy sauce over it, and refrigerate overnight.
- In a pot, sauté finely chopped garlic with grated ginger root and chopped chili pepper in a tablespoon of oil.
- Once these ingredients become fragrant, add cubed sweet potatoes, sliced mushrooms, and sliced zucchini. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the pot.
- After a while, add the curry paste. Stir and pour in the broth. Cook until all ingredients are tender.
- In a separate dish, mix the coconut milk with a whisk (if it was in the fridge, it may have separated). Add it to the curry pot. Stir and heat on low until achieving a smooth consistency.
- Cook the rice separately until fluffy.
- Sauté the soy sauce-marinated tofu in a pan. In bowls, place rice and curry sauce and top with sautéed tofu.
- Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, chives, or parsley. Drizzle with lime juice.
