Thai Green Tofu Curry

Equipment

• ✓ Chef’s knife
• ✓ Chopping board
• ✓ Large frying pan
• ✓ Deep sauté pan or saucepan
• ✓ Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• ✓ Fine-mesh strainer
• ✓ Measuring jug
• ✓ Kitchen scale
• ✓ Serving ladle

Ingredients

• For the Tofu
• 400 g firm tofu, drained and cut into 2–3 cm cubes
• 15 ml neutral cooking oil
• 2 g fine salt
• For the Green Curry
• 30 ml neutral cooking oil
• 60 g vegan Thai green curry paste
• 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 150 g zucchini/courgette, sliced
• 120 g red bell pepper, sliced
• 100 g green beans, trimmed and cut
• 80 g bamboo shoots, drained
• 15 ml tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
• 10 g brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 15 ml fresh lime juice
• 5 fresh kaffir/makrut lime leaves, lightly torn
• 15 g fresh Thai basil leaves
• To Finish
• 10 g fresh Thai basil
• 1 fresh red chilli, thinly sliced, optional
• Fresh lime wedges
• Fresh coriander/cilantro, optional

Easy Step-by-Step Method

Complete one numbered step before moving to the next. Keep the heat and timing exactly as written.

Chef Notes & Tips

Use firm or extra-firm tofu so it maintains its shape during cooking.
Press excess water from the tofu before browning.
Cook the curry paste briefly in oil to release its aroma before adding liquid.
Do not aggressively boil coconut milk for prolonged periods.
Add Thai basil and lime juice near the end to preserve freshness.
Check the green curry paste carefully because some traditional brands contain shrimp paste or fish ingredients.

Ingredient choices: Use a curry paste explicitly suitable for vegans, because some green pastes contain shrimp or fish ingredients. Drain the tofu and use commercially prepared, fully cooked bamboo shoots. Full-fat coconut milk gives more body than a thin coconut beverage.

Cooking control: Cook the paste gently in oil before adding the liquid so it loses its raw edge without scorching. Add vegetables according to firmness, with green beans before softer courgette. Warm tofu through with restrained stirring, then add basil and lime near the end.

If something goes wrong: If the curry is too hot, increase the unsalted coconut-and-vegetable portion rather than relying on sugar alone. A few coconut-oil droplets are different from a curdled dairy sauce. If the broth is watery, reduce it before adding fragile tofu and finishing herbs.

Ingredient Substitutions

• ↔ Firm tofu → extra-firm tofu
• ↔ Zucchini → Thai eggplant
• ↔ Green beans → sugar snap peas
• ↔ Red bell pepper → yellow bell pepper
• ↔ Bamboo shoots → baby corn
• ↔ Thai basil → regular basil
• ↔ Tamari → gluten-free soy sauce
• ↔ Brown sugar → coconut sugar
• ↔ Vegetable stock → water with appropriate seasoning
• ↔ Makrut lime leaves → small amount of fresh lime zest

Food Safety & Doneness

Keep tofu refrigerated before preparation.
Use clean utensils and chopping boards for all ingredients.
Cook tofu until thoroughly heated and lightly browned.
Vegetables should be fully heated while retaining appropriate texture.
Check commercial curry paste for fish, shellfish or other allergens before use.
Keep cooked curry hot for immediate service or cool promptly for refrigeration.
Reheat stored curry until piping hot throughout.

Serving & Plating

Spoon steamed jasmine rice slightly off-centre in a warm bowl if serving with rice.
Ladle the green curry beside or around the rice.
Keep tofu pieces and colourful vegetables visible.
Finish with fresh Thai basil and thinly sliced red chilli.
Serve with a lime wedge for additional acidity.

Serve with rice in a separate bowl so diners can choose how much broth to absorb. Remove or clearly identify the tough lime leaves before eating.

Storage

Cool the curry promptly and refrigerate in a covered food-safe container.

Use within 3 days for best quality.

Reheat gently until piping hot throughout.

The curry sauce may thicken during refrigeration; add a small amount of vegetable stock or coconut milk while reheating if necessary.

Nutrition & Dietary Information

Carbohydrates: 24 g

Fat: 33 g

Allergens: Soy Possible gluten if regular soy sauce is used Check commercial curry paste for possible fish or shellfish ingredients.

Approximate nutrition per serving, excluding rice:

Calories: ~430 kcal
Protein: ~15 g
Carbohydrates: ~24 g
Fat: ~33 g
Fibre: ~6 g

Values are approximate and vary according to tofu, coconut milk and curry-paste brands.