Thai Red Curry Stir Fry with Tofu and Vegetables

When I first made this dish I resigned myself to not blogging about it because it hadn't turned out like I had envisioned it, but then after my mom tried it and I tasted it again the next day it grew on me. The truth is that I have always been tempted to cook tofu but the few times that I've done it have always resulted in mixed reviews. In fact just last week I tried to make Pad See Ew, my favorite Thai noodle dish, with tofu instead of chicken. Unfortunately, the noodles clumped together and in the end it became more of a egg-covered noodle dish with bits of tofu and broccoli surrounding it rather than an integrated meal.

Despite my failed attempt, I decided to try my hand at cooking tofu once again and asked my mom to purchase some more at the store. I thought that maybe if I went with extra firm tofu I wouldn't face the problem of having soggy tofu pieces. Also, the recipe I found seemed to have a lot of strong spices which I thought would help to give the tofu some flavor. It turns out I was right about the strong flavor...the red curry sauce with the coconut milk had a great creamy texture and a bit of a kick as well. However I was wrong about the tofu: it didn't absorb the flavor of the sauce and despite sitting overnight in the fridge it stayed pretty bland. While all of the vegetables had soaked in the spices the tofu remained unchanged; firm, but ultimately still just plain cubes made of soy.

After taking my two recent tofu experiences into account I think that I will step away from tofu for now. Knowing myself, I will probably come back to it at a later date a few months from now with new confidence that I can in fact prepare a great tasting tofu dish. But for now I'll stick to other proteins instead. Despite my disappointment with the tofu I still enjoyed the actual flavor of the dish and I think that next time I might make it with the vegetables alone or add some chicken in place of the tofu.

Thai Red Curry Stir Fry with Tofu and Vegetables

• 2 large shallots or 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 Japanese eggplant, halved lengthwise, then cubed
• 1 small broccoli bunch, cut into florets (about 2 cups)
• 1 tbsp red curry paste
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 12 oz (400 mL) can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fish sauce 
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), thinly sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced 
• 1 lime, juiced and zested
• 1 package (350g) extra firm tofu
• Vegetable oil

1. Prepare the tofu by removing from its packaging and rinsing slightly. Wrap in paper towels and then place under a heavy weight (such as a pot filled with water) for at least 30 minutes to remove excess moisture. Once drained, cut the tofu into small 1/2" cubes and set aside.
2. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add the shallots or onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the eggplant and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the red curry paste, fresh ginger, and coconut milk stir to incorporate. 
5. Bring the mix to a boil for 1 minute then add the lime zest and juice as well as the fish sauce and brown sugar. Stir well to mix everything together.
6. Add the peppers, celery, and broccoli and stir to coat evenly with the sauce. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.
7. Meanwhile, brown the tofu cubes by lightly sauteing over high heat. You may use a little oil if you wish or the tofu can be "dry-fried". The important thing is to keep turning the tofu pieces so that they all become brown on the outside.
8. Once the tofu cubes have browned add them to the skillet with the sauce and vegetables and stir well to coat.

Note: If using chicken instead start by cooking bite-sized pieces in the skillet until cooked through (no longer pink inside). Remove from the pan and drain the excess fat then continue with the rest of the recipe. Once the last vegetables have been added allow them to soften for about 5 minutes in the covered skillet before returning the chicken to the pan and mixing to incorporate.