So the past couple of weeks have been crazy at work and one of the things I craved most was getting back into the kitchen. I often forget how much my kitchen is truly my sanctuary until I am away from it.  So when I am stressed being in the kitchen is definitely my "happy place."




And I know this is going to sound strange because people don't usually say these words associated with tofu, but I love tofu. I don't know if it is a throwback from vegetarian days as a kid or if it has a texture I love or I just think it is awesome that it absorbs the flavor of anything I put on it. But I just think it is grand! And for once I am actually not being sarcastic.

So the other night in the middle of computer/work stress I decided to make Sunset Magazine's Tofu Curry and it was awesome! It was also great leftover and it was nice to have healthy light food to take with me for lunches. The curry was spicy, but not too hot or overpowering, I love bok choy and bamboo shoots so that made me happy and the creamy flavor of coconut milk was just an incredible addition.

The recipe called for Madras Curry Powder. And if you are unfamiliar with curry powder they differ in the spice mixture and concentration of spices. Madras is known to be a little spicier than other varietals. However, all curry powders normally have a mixture of several key spices including but not limited to coriander, turmeric, mustard, fenugreek and red chile powder. The best analogy I have heard referring to curry powder is that it is like bbq sauce to Americans.


And believe it or not I actually followed this recipe pretty closely. I did not use fresh curry leaves, just because they weren't readily accessible to me and the same goes for the light palm sugar, but the recipe was awesome with brown sugar and curry powder.


And of course I had to buy Golden Star Coconut Milk because it sounds the most authentic...NOT! It was the only coconut milk available at the store I was at.

I really liked the technique used for preparing the tofu in this recipe. After you slice the tofu, you soak it in a bath of hot water and salt. I was curious as to the purpose of this technique so I did a little research. The hot water bath is utilized to create a better texture and crust on the tofu, and it really worked, as the tofu for this recipe had a nice spice crust and was not too moist.

After your tofu takes a bath, not to be confused with a bubble bath, blot it with paper towel, to get rid of the excess moisture.


Next fry sliced shallots in canola oil. I did use peanut oil, which is common in Asian cooking, due to its high heat point, well because I was out of canola oil. But it worked just great! Add garlic and curry powder and then remove from pan.

Fry tofu in the spice/oil mixture for approximately 4-5 minutes.


Add the shallot mixture back into the pan with the tofu, with the exception of a little bit that you will use for garnish. Next add the coconut milk, brown sugar and bamboo shoots and simmer. Finally add the bok choy and finish with the fish sauce.


Top with fresh herbs and the remaining shallot mixture. I used cilantro and it was awesome.

• 14 to 16 oz. firm tofu
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 3 tbsp. canola oil
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 6 to 8 fresh curry leaves (optional)*
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, preferably Madras
• 1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced canned bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed
• 2 to 3 tsp. packed shaved light palm sugar* or light brown sugar
• 4 or 5 small heads baby bok choy (Shanghai bok choy), cut crosswise into 1-in. pieces
• 1 teaspoon Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, cilantro, Thai basil, or Vietnamese coriander (rau ram) 

Preparation

1. 1. Cut tofu into 16 rectangles shaped like husky dominoes (each about 1 in. wide, 1 1/2 in. long, and 1 in. thick). Put tofu in a wide, shallow bowl. Mix 1 tsp. salt with 2 cups very hot or just-boiled water and pour over tofu to just cover. Let sit 15 minutes. Transfer tofu to a double layer of paper towels set on a plate and let drain 10 minutes.
2. 2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. oil in a medium nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Fry shallots, stirring occasionally, until light golden, 9 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and curry leaves and fry 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until light and crisp. Add curry powder, remove from heat, and stir to aromatize spices. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer seasonings to a bowl, leaving most of fragrant oil in pan.
3. 3. Blot tofu dry. Add more oil to pan, if needed, to film bottom and heat to medium-high. Fry tofu, turning once, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes (it won't be crisp).
4. 4. Lower heat slightly and return all but 1 tbsp. shallot mixture to pan. Add coconut milk, bamboo shoots, and palm sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add bok choy and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Gently stir in fish sauce.
5. 5. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with herbs and rest of shallots. Serve with rice.

The recipe also recommends that you serve the curry over rice, but I just ate it by itself and it was wonderful!! This is definitely a great vegetarian meal idea and it is very healthy and flavorful. Cheers!