Tofu Lemongrass Curry
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1/16 oz tofu, fresh (preferably Aloha Brand firm
- 1 tsp canola oil
- 1 pinch turmeric
- ½ tsp curry powder
- ¼ tsp Hawaiian salt
- 1 cup onion, Maui, cut into large chunks
- 2 cups carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 cups sweet potato, Moloka'i, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 cup potato, Yukon gold, large peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 tbsp canola oil
Sauce
- 1 cup cilantro, stems and leaves, chopped reserve 2 tbsp leaves
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp ginger, fresh, chopped fine
- 3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed of outer stalks and chopped fine
- 1 cup coconut milk, canned
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 small piece Hawaiian chili, seeded and minced (optional)
- 2 pieces kaffir lime leaves
- 1 tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp Hawaiian salt
- 2 pieces carrot, cooked, cut into chunks
Instructions
- Press and dry tofu, cut into slabs.
- Cover a baking sheet or dish with canola oil and lay tofu slabs on the sheet; sprinkle with turmeric, curry powder and salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into large squares.
- Meanwhile, steam onion, carrot, sweet potato and potato chunks until just cooked. Cool a bit.
- Combine the sauce ingredients with 2 chunks of cooked carrots in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Sauté steamed vegetables in a non-stick skillet, with the 1 tbsp canola oil, about 5 minutes or until slightly browned and crispy.
- Add in the tofu and sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Adjust to taste. Just before serving, stir in the reserved cilantro.
Notes
The tropical flavors of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves really stand out and compliment the coconut milk. Multi-tasking is helpful with this dish; fresh tofu is seasoned and baked; and while the vegetables are steamed as the tofu is baking, the sauce can be blended together. Last step is just to combine and simmer a bit to marry the flavors.
Substitutions: A squeeze of fresh lime can be used if you don't have any kaffir lime leaves. (Available in farmers markets, Chinatown and some local grocery stores). Lemongrass can be found where you buy kaffir lime leaves. If you cannot find it the dish will still be tasty by just omitting it or adding lemon zest. Coconut milk is available frozen or in cans. Either type can be used interchangeably.
The nutritional facts show a high level of saturated fat in this recipe, which comes from the amount of coconut milk used in making the sauce. However, realize that in a curry dish, the sauce is used to coat the ingredients to impart its flavor, and not all of the sauce created is served. So your actual intake is much less than the amount of saturated fat calculated based on the recipe - as long as you do not pour additional sauce over your tofu and vegetables, or your rice as you would most likely be tempted to do. This is how you can eat well by eating smart!
Nutrition Facts
Tofu Lemongrass Curry
Serving Size
1 cup
Amount per Serving
Calories
309
% Daily Value*
Fat
17
g
26
%
Saturated Fat
9
g
56
%
Cholesterol
0
mg
0
%
Sodium
246
mg
11
%
Potassium
691
mg
20
%
Carbohydrates
34
g
11
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Protein
9
g
18
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.